Since I work from home I don’t have to drive around for long distances, but for my short drives it’s always nice to have some accessories for my BlackBerry device. One such accessory would be a car mount. I got hold of a ProClip Custom Charging Mount for the BlackBerry Z10 and gave it a whirl. How did it fair? Follow on through for my full review.
The ProClip Custom Charging Suction Mount comes with two main parts — the suction cup mount and the cradle. This particular one I am reviewing here is for the Z10. The cradle has a 2-amp cigarette lighter adapter so you can also charge your Z10 while mounted. The suction mount can be attached to the windshield or the dashboard/console. There is an adhesive pad that you can use if you want to attach it to your console or dashboard instead of the windshield.
Connecting the cradle and the suction mount together is simple — just slot the back of the cradle in the swivel part of the mount until it clicks. To attach your BlackBerry Z10 to the cradle just slide it in from the right and push it all the way until your device connects to the charger. Then just position the cradle wherever you want it and push the lever down on the mount to put it in place.
The cradle itself can swivel and tilt around so you can place it just the way you want it, even put it in landscape mode if you needed too. You can then tight the screw on the back of the cradle to hold it in place.
The ProClip Custom Charging Mount is definitely one of the nicer mounts I’ve used. The suction cup is pretty strong and I don’t fear it falling off the windshield while driving. There have been some unfortunate times this has happened to me with other car mounts. I like that on the cradle part there are two soft pads to keep the back of your device somewhat protected from the metal to avoid scratching.
There is an extra cradle holder clip included for those who purchase different mount holder. This allows you to easily switch between the mounts. Just detach the cradle part.
I only have two negatives with the ProClip Charging Mount and they may not be something everyone will encounter. First off, the cigarette lighter adapter. The silver latch bit that keeps it in place when inserted seems a little too small and so it doesn't sit well when plugged in. Sometimes it dislodges and so it stops charging my device. I have other car chargers that do not wiggle this much. Second issue is the wire, perhaps it could be a little longer on may be not coiled. I prefer to put the cradle on the side of my windshield as opposed to the center and this means I have to stretch the wire out. Eventually it wants to coil back. Couple that with my first issue and it adds to the adapter being dislodged easily. This only really becomes a huge problem if I want to get a nice charge up on my device which isn't too often, thankfully but it can be come an issue for longer journeys.
The Good {.pros}- Charger and cradle in one
- Suction mount is very sturdy
- Wire could be longer or not coiled
- Adapter does not sit well when inserted
The bottomline
All-in-all the ProClip Custom Charging Suction Mount is a solid car kit. If you just own a Z10 then this is a pretty decent car kit to look into. If you use multiple devices, or switch devices a lot it may be worth getting a universal car kit instead. Though since you can detach the cradle part you could just get a cradle for another device and still use the suction mount. The fact that you can charge your device with the cradle is also a nice bonus. No need to get a separate car charger. My niggles are with the adapter and the wire length but as I said other may not encounter these issues, it would be a case of trying it out to see.
Purchase the ProClip Custom Charging Mount for the BlackBerry Z10
Read more
Verizon begins OS 10.3.2.858 rollout
What started back in mid-June with Verizon rolling out BlackBerry 10.3.2 to the BlackBerry Classic, has now extended into devices such as the BlackBerry Q10, BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Z30. Verizon customers on any of those devices can now go ahead and check for updates where you should find OS 10.3.2.858 (Software version 10.3.2.556) available for download if you've not already...
What's new in BlackBerry OS 10.3.1
With BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 now official, that means there's plenty of new features to look at. This update, while applicable to all BlackBerry 10 smartphones, is mostly aimed at early BlackBerry 10 smartphone owners such as those using a Q5, Q10, Z10, Z3 and Z30 as the Passport and Classic both came with their own iterations of 10.3.x. With that in mind, a lot of the features found on...
BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 rollout has officially begun
Now the REAL waiting begins.
Want a Verizon BlackBerry Z10 for $100 no contract?
Looking for a BlackBerry Z10 for Verizon but don't want to bother with a contract? Well, you might want to hit up your local Fry's location if you have one near you. It seems as though for the past few days they've quietly been having a clearance deal on BlackBerry Z10's where you can pick one up either free with a contract or for only $100 without a contract. That's a pretty sweet...