TomTom Car Kit, good approach but not druchdacht to end

For a few days I have the TomTom holder for my iPhone. I was looking for a good car holder, because my Brodithalterung somehow does not work on my car. Constantly either the iPhone fell out in landscape mode or the holder fell completely down.

Then a few days ago I got my TomTom holder which already is very good from the approach, but is not consistently thought through.

In the package is the holder, a fairly long charging cable Mini USB / cigarette lighter with which you pretty much get into any corner in the car, a self-adhesive bottom plate that can be fixed on the dashboard and a thin manual.

Since begins for me already at the inconsistency. If I offer a car kit with an audio output via mini jack, then the appropriate connection cable should be there. So you can namely the kit does not connect to the Aux input of the car radio.

Well, the kit is per se. It is made with quality materials, feels stable and secure. It is easy to operate and adjust. It can either make the windshield or fix up using the supplied plate on the dashboard.

The GPS receiver is enhanced by the car kit to some and remains constant. So far, my iPhone has not yet 1x lost the signal in the car kit. The announcements come more precisely, since the position of the car can be calculated more accurately. The satellite fix is ​​very fast and strong.
I used the bracket with the Navigon software and it works flawlessly. Every app that runs on GPS can be used with this mount. It is not limited to TomTom. There is a small free TomTom app, so you can see the satellite fix for example. I have consistently now between 9-12 satellites in very good reception. Whether I drive through urban canyons or on flat land.

The Built-in speakers is very good at Navi announcements. He is loud, clear and distinct. If you connect the iPhone with a Auxkabel on the radio, so the announcements over the speakers of the car are reproduced. However, the Aux connection is not as high as the connection via a USB connection. On my radio, however Join the Aux connection no disturbing noises. This was followed by some other users reported ever. Either my connection is there better shielded or quality the cable itself.

When I took the Aux connection, I have to control what I'm feeling very disturbing the iPod function on the iPhone, because a car (as many newer cars) a direct USB connection on the iPhone has, I unfortunately only with this kit for charging used could. For me, a major shortcoming of the car kit. The mini-USB port is assigned only to the charging function. So I can not my iPhone as usual control over my steering wheel or let the lists show on the radio. I find that very unfortunate.

Bluetooth connectivity is also rather halfheartedly. The iPhone must be support for it in the car kit, otherwise it does not. I have Bluetooth always on iPhone and was hoping I could get the iPhone sometimes in his pocket and the hands-free would work. Unfortunately this is not possible. It must be locked in the car kit ever, so this works. I completely incomprehensible. Also can not give more than the Auxverbindung over the car speakers again the calls. Phone calls always come only through the internal speaker of the car kit.

If the background noises are not so strong, you can understand his interlocutor well also, but you go a little faster, it can already be difficult.

Too bad, I also think that the radius of the car kit is limited, once you get the car kit attached to the panel on the dashboard. In landscape mode there is no problem. If you want to be in portrait mode but iPhone secure on the dashboard, so that goes to a maximum angle of about 50 degrees. I can therefore nich place vertically, because there is no space. On the windscreen there is no problem.

All in all, many things that there are to improve my opinion. In order for the holder to work, whatever the connection to the cigarette lighter has to be there. In other words, you always hang out a cable.

The mount itself is still very useful. The iPhone is easily attached to her and holds bombproof. The fixation on the window or on the instrument panel is very simple. With a slight twist the bracket is secure.

So if you value good active car holder, with good GPS reception places, for this bracket is recommended.

If you want more, must be prepared to some compromises. Although the price seems quite high at first glance, but it has, in principle, some things going for it, yes. This gives a good, active holder, with GPS receiver, fairly good speaker and Bluethooth hands-free. Unfortunately, it is in my opinion not consistently thought through to the end.

I will keep still and live with their weaknesses. :)