[REVIEW] EVO 3D - iGrip Car Dock, HTC Car Upgrade Kit, HTC OEM Silicone Smerge Case

spencer88 · 02:14 PM

[REVIEW] EVO 3D - iGrip Car Dock, HTC Car Upgrade Kit, HTC OEM Silicone Smerge Case

Here's my little review of the iGrip Car Dock, HTC Car Upgrade Kit, HTC OEM Silicone Smerge Case!

EDIT: I added some pros and cons to the car docks, some things I experienced on my way to work this morning.

HTC Car Upgrade Kit

Contents: Car Upgrade Kit, USB cable, dual USB port car charger, round sticky pad for mounting on a dash.

Pros:

- Designed specifically for the EVO 3D
- Little vibration when driving
- includes the USB cable and dual USB port car charger
- Can be rotated from portrait to landscape mode easily

Cons:

- Price tag (59.99)
- Doesn't rotate 360 degrees both directions (one way rotates farther then the other)
- Phone will not fit in the dock with ANY case on

iGrip Car Dock (some of these pics are dark, my apologies)

Contents: iGrip Car Dock, sticky pad for dashboard mounting, little hook to hold up a charger when plugged into the dock

Pros:

- Works with a case installed! (Excluding cases like the Defender, which are big and bulky) There's an insert that can be removed to allow for the cases, a nice feature

- Price (There's a thread here where you can order one for just over $26 shipped, but they retail for $39.99)
- Sturdy
- Extends closer to the driver when mounted because the arm is longer. I find this beneficial when driving, you don't have to reach so far forward to touch the screen.
- Can be rotated 360 degrees from both directions, just loosen the know behind the dock.

Cons:

- There's a little more vibration than the official HTC dock
- Doesn't come with any form of car charger
- Can't be easily rotated while driving, due to the knob you need to loosen up in the back before you can rotate the dock, and then tighten up the knob.

Side-by-side:

Between the two, I'm keeping the iGrip and returning the HTC dock. It's all plastic yes, but a very good product, also because it can be used with a case (see below)

HTC OEM Silicone Smerge Case

I love this case. It's not made to withstand any kind of a drop (I don't think, and I'm not going to find out!

) It will protect the phone from getting scuffed up and scratched up. It does attract a little lint, but I think all cases do (due to crevices they create around the phone)

OutdoorOBW · 20th July 2011, 05:56 AM

Nice review. Looks like I made a good choice going with the iGrip dock.

clankfu · 20th July 2011, 07:22 AM

Good stuff. The iGrip looks like the one.

spencer88 · 20th July 2011, 03:55 PM

Yeah the iGrip is really designed well. The only thing that's not as good as the official dock is the slightly more vibration in the dock when driving down the road, I assume that's because the neck on it is longer and it's harder to keep it still.

ejchis · 20th July 2011, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spencer88

Yeah the iGrip is really designed well. The only thing that's not as good as the official dock is the slightly more vibration in the dock when driving down the road, I assume that's because the neck on it is longer and it's harder to keep it still.

I had the HTC one for my OG EVO. I thought it was a great product. Only annoyance was that I had to remove my Barely There case.

When I bought the 3vo, the only docks that Sprint had in stock were the iGrips. Since, previously, Sprint had only carried the HTC model, I figured there might not be one for this phone, so I bought the iGrip.

I have to say, I like the iGrip a lot more. My phone fits beautifully with the Barely There case on it, and, I agree, it does extend out further, which I appreciate. I also like that it doesn't readjust easily. I have it set where I want it, securely tightened down, and I don't want it to move.

I will also agree that it does vibrate a little more than the HTC model did for me, but it's not problematic.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

spencer88 · 20th July 2011, 05:49 PM

Yeah I had the HTC dock for my OG EVO too, and I liked it a lot more than the one for the EVO 3D and I still have it.

I'm selling my EG EVO (rooted) soon along with the dock and seidio 3500 mah battery.

xeper · 25th July 2011, 02:40 AM

I've just gotten the iGear dock because I was under the mistaken impression it was the "official" HTC car dock for the EVO 3D. I have to say I really don't like it nearly as much as the OEM HTC dock for my EVO. It wobbles a bit and can't be positioned nearly as articulately as the OEM EVO dock.

I'm also finding that when docked, the desktop doesn't move into landscape mode. Apps and pages that support landscape work fine, but the main sense UI and app drawer don't. I thought I recalled a dock orientation setting but I can't seem to find it. Am I just going nuts?

I'm seriously considering getting the OEM dock then taking this guy back. Maybe if the 'hinge' behind the ball/socket actually articulated, I could see keeping it. I don't use a case either, so that's not really a plus for me.