I recently received an Arkon Smartphone and Tablet Cup Holder Mount ( Model SM623-G ) for a product review. The assembly of the mount was fairly easy, just follow the instructions.
I have been looking for a mounting option for my Nexus 7 tablet, so I was looking forward to testing this option out. My Nexus 7 has a case on it which adds to the thickness, and when the case is flipped open there is a little latch part that sticks out and makes it even thicker but the mount was still able to hold it.
I first tested it out in my wife's car. It has cup holders between the two front seats, and the mount fit just fine in the cup holder. The 5" goose neck put the tablet up high enough to avoid getting in the way of the gear selector and the parking brake.
My next test was to mount it in my car. I actually had a two options to place it.
The first option was a center console that was sitting in between the two front seats. It worked very well here, putting the tablet in a good position for me to use it (only while the car was not moving of course) while still allowing me to use the arm rest. I didn't mess with the flexible neck much yet, but I like knowing I can fine tune the adjustment to how I want it. There was some movement, but with a 5" goose neck that was sort of expected. When I used the touch screen, it felt like the mount was solid and in place.
The next option was the factory cup holders. I didn't expect this to work as well, because it is a slide out tray that already has a bit of movement. The mount fit fine and worked well, but was a bit more bouncy due to the cup holder itself not being a stable platform. A lighter phone shouldn't have a problem, but if you are going to use a larger tablet in a cup holder that has play/movement it may be a bit wobbly.
The mount did come with some material you could add to the part that fits into the cup holder in case you have a larger opening, but I didn't have to use it for any of my tests. There is a little knob on the bottom of the base that you adjust to open the part that sits into the cup holder - as long as you adjust it right, it should hold in place.
Here are the main points I noticed about this product:
Ease of Use: It was very easy to put this together (no tools needed) and mounting your device is very simple. If you don't want to use your finger nails, have a flat head screw driver or something else to help adjust the base.
Versatility: While I focused on using this mount with my Nexus 7, the arms were also able to hold my Moto X phone with no problem. The kit includes short and long support legs so you can adjust the fit how you need it.
Quality: The build quality does not seem flimsy at all, and Arkon has a 2-year warranty to show they stand behind their products.
Bottom line: If you are a looking for a smartphone or tablet mount for your cup holder, this is a great option to consider.
NOTE: I used this product as one of the options for my Nexus 7 install here:
http://bigboystoys13.blogspot.com/2015/02/nexus-7-in-car-setup-non-permanent-mount.html
Arkon Product Page http://www.arkon.com/Slim-Grip%20Ultra/slimgrip-ultra-cup-holder-mount.html
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