Update #2: Congrats to the winners: Ryan, Kristina, Ritchie, The Junk Monger, Rob, Zack, Mike, Benjamin, Chris and Mary. I have sent you emails requesting a mailing address. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Update #1: Amanda of CraftyGalDecals has offered to donate 10 single packs of the iPhone 4 decal wraps. Leave a comment on this post to receive yours. Let me know if you have a color preference.
Not satisfied with Steve Jobs’ answer to the iPhone 4 antenna issue? To avoid blocking the antenna signal when holding the iPhone 4 left-handed, Jobs says simply “stop holding it that way” or use a case. Gee, thanks. Jobs’ suggestions are not ideal fixes for many people, including Etsy seller CraftyGalDecals, who came up with her own smart solution to the iPhone 4 reception issue.
CraftyGal has devised a simple vinyl strip that blocks the conductivity from your finger from interfering with the iPhone 4 antenna. Although I have not tested the decals myself, they should theoretically work, considering an iPhone case has the same effect. As someone who sometimes likes to go without a case — to get the “real” iPhone experience, as Apple intended — I appreciate this alternative solution.
The decals come in a multitude of colors, and add style to your new iPhone without the need for a case. Plus they will protect the bezel of your iPhone 4. You can purchase them from the CraftyGalDecals Etsy store in single packs or in sets of three.
The seller has offered to donate a few decal sets to my readers, so leave a comment if you want one and I will select the winners by Tuesday, July 6. In exchange for the gift, I simply ask that you come back here and comment to tell me if the decal solved your iPhone 4 antenna problem.
I have really enjoyed the quality, portability and protection offered by the iMainGo2 iPhone speakers. Watch this video for my complete review:
Summary of iMainGo2 Video Review
In summary, the iMainGo2 case is ultra protective, including a plastic screen that does not hinder use of the iPhone’s touchscreen. The plastic screen suffers from air bubbles, but the protection is invaluable. I love using the iMainGo2 while I cook or garden outdoors, since I can control the music without getting my iPhone dirty.
The speakers offer loud, high fidelity audio, although they sometimes “crunch” a little bit at the highest volume levels. They are definitely loud enough, though.
Overall, I have been happy with the iMainGo2, but I would love to see some controls on the case to allow me to use the iPhone’s volume buttons and the on/off switch. I would also like to be able to receive phone calls while the iPhone is in the case, since the iMainGo2 does not allow access to the microphone.
Update: I’ve realized that I sometimes forget to turn the unit off, and that’s because the on/off button for the iMainGo2 is inside the case. I would really appreciate an LED light on the outside of the case so that I know when it is turned on.
Q: I like to watch a movie on my iPhone in the car or airplane, but I don’t want to hold the iPhone in my hand. Instead I want it attached on my car or airplane interior. Is that posible? A: Yes, there is Seatbuddy, which looks like a regular silicon iPhone case. To do the trick, two rubber belts are fixed to attach it your car seat or whatever airplane interior thing. Watch the video below to get an idea. It is pretty simple and 24 bucks (shipping included) is for a movie fan not too much. Product Site
Just Mobile’s Xtand Go is a windshield and dashboard car mount for iPhone. I will say right off the bat that I am really pleased with this iPhone car mount (and I don’t say that about everything I review).
Here are my complete thoughts on the Xtand Go Windshield and Dashboard Car Mount for iPhone, including detailed instructions on how to use it.
Xtand Go Review
Disclosure: This Xtand Go was donated to me in exchange for an honest review. Sometimes I review donated products that interest me. Despite receiving the items for free, I do my best to be fair and objective. The FTC requires that I disclose my relationship with companies, and I agree that it is important to mention.
Instruction Manual
The Xtand Go’s main weakness, in my opinion, is its instruction manual. It seems they chose to use images to convey the directions in order to accommodate people with different languages, which is admirable, but it makes understanding the directions a challenge.
I was somewhat confused by the imagery and had to figure out how to use the Xtand Go with little help from the manual. Just Mobile, please make the instructions for the Xtand Go more clear by adding text to the images. Looking at the instructions was the first thing I did, and it was not a good experience.
The Good
Despite the weak instructions, this mount is excellent, mostly because of its ability to adapt to many situations. The Xtand Go is versatile enough to be placed on virtually any area in your car, including glass surfaces and your dashboard.
What makes the Xtand Go so flexible is that you can adjust it to suit whatever area you are mounting your iPhone to. To mount to a windshield or window, attach the suction cup mount to the folding arm. To mount to the dashboard or console, use one of three available sticky buttons, which Just Mobile calls “Go Buttons.”
Xtand Go Contents & Directions
Xtand Go parts:
Xtand Go contents, from left to right: 2 of 3 sticky mounts/Go Buttons, suction cup mount, iPhone holster, and folding arm.
The folding arm: The folding arm is the flexible part of this iPhone car mount. The arm can be mounted to the suction cup or to Go Buttons that you stick to your dashboard. The folding arm is composed of two rotating disks on a circular base.
The concept is smart. By letting you turn two discs on different planes, the Xtand Go lets you orient your iPhone practically any way you want. The only caveat: because each disk can only rotate along one plane at a time, it can sometimes be tricky to orient the iPhone the way you want it.
To be honest, at first it felt like I was playing with a Rubiks Cube, but once I got the positioning of the discs right by folding the discs in the proper positions, then it was easy to orient the iPhone vertically and horizontally.
The suction cup: The Xtand Go’s suction cup mount is one of my favorite features of this accessory. Think about it, to mount an iPhone to your windshield you need some pretty strong suction cups. Just Mobile’s implementation on the Xtand Go is smart and effective.
To suction the mount to your windshield:
Attach the suction cup to the folding arm by sliding it on and clicking it into place.
Then, press the suction cup to the surface you want to mount to, and turn the base of the suction cup in a clockwise motion. The mount will now be securely fastened to the glass.
The Go Buttons: These little sticky mounts can be placed on different locations on your dashboard so that you can attach the folding arm to those locations. The sticker is strong and has remained attached in the two weeks I have been using the Xtand Go. It seems I could easily remove it if I wanted to, though.
The Xtand Go comes with three of these “Go Buttons,” which let you mount (and unmount) your iPhone to several places on your dashboard
The coolest thing about the Go Buttons is that you can even stick one to your iPhone case and then mount your iPhone, case and all.
The holster:
The detachable holster lets you clip your iPhone into place in a very non-intrusive way, as you can still access all of the iPhone’s controls and inputs when it is mounted, unlike Pro-Fit’s miCradle and UltiMount, which I reviewed in the past. If you have a case, it won’t fit in the Xtand Go’s holster, but instead you can stick a Go Button to the case to mount it to the folding arm, as I noted above.
Purchase the Xtand Go
Product Page: European shoppers can purchase the Xtand Go directly from Just Mobile.
Amazon.com Listing: Just Mobile does not seem to ship directly to the United States, but US shoppers can find the Xtand Go on Amazon.com (affiliate link).
What do you think?
What are your thoughts on Just Mobile’s Xtand Go? I would love to know if you agree with my opinion of this iPhone car mount.
(affiliate link).
