YES!! There is a car dock with built in charging!

[Chiplg]

HAHA! I didn't think I'd be able to get this phone tomorrow because I couldn't find information about the car dock.

Here is the link Set Your Location (Ok, is there a way to name this link? I didn't see the option. Oh well. Just click Set Your Location. LOL)

And a pic.

I want 3 things from a car dock, and from the site the last 3 features are:

• Automatically transitions phone to Car Mode
• Ball and socket arm adjusts to any angle
• Built-in Micro-USB connector allows to charge while mounted

Wish wireless charging was an option, but I'm happy it charges.

It's a Griffin. So, I guess Motorola has abandoned making car docks. My only regret about it being a Griffin is that I'm not the person who the company is named after. (Griffin is the g in my user name.)

It's only $40. I'd pay more for, but I'm happy to only pay this.

It has a ball socket. So, it will mount to my dash mounted plate/ball mount. (UPDATE: Wrong size ball. Scroll down to the pics to see how I overcame this.)
(Yay! I now have 4 unused suction cups. Not entirely, I use them when I have to fly and get a rental car.)

Now after dropping the kids off tomorrow at camp, I'm heading to VZW for a new phone. I don't expect the dock to be in stock yet. My RAZR dock took a while to show up. I just wanted to know it existed. I can rough it with my phone in the cup holder for a while.

Oh yeah, In case you don't go to the link, this dock is compatible with the Ultra as well as the Maxx. According to the website, it is even compatible with the Red Ultra. Yeah, I know somebody was sweating that one!

 

[ki11ak3nn]

Looks like I'll be getting this when I get the phone!! A charging dock is just what I need for my work commute.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

 

[LOTL2]

Beats the $75 i paid Verizon for the Motorola car dock for my Droid X. Well off to the dentist and then to the Verizon store to check out the Maxx. Griffin seems to make decent stuff, hopefully this will hold up as well as my Droid X dock that is still in use 3+ years later.

 

[MikeLip]

Nice. Motorola made a good car dock. Unfortunately they were always far too expensive, and every time a new phone came out they moved the danged connectors rendering the old dock useless.

 

[Paisley]

HAHA! I didn't think I'd be able to get this phone tomorrow because I couldn't find information about the car dock.

Here is the link Set Your Location (Ok, is there a way to name this link? I didn't see the option. Oh well. Just click Set Your Location. LOL)

And a pic.

http://s7.vzw.com/is/image/VerizonW...k_3_moto_droid_ult_maxx_motdrdnavmnt?$acc-lg$


I want 3 things from a car dock, and from the site the last 3 features are:

• Automatically transitions phone to Car Mode
• Ball and socket arm adjusts to any angle
• Built-in Micro-USB connector allows to charge while mounted

Wish wireless charging was an option, but I'm happy it charges.

It's a Griffin. So, I guess Motorola has abandoned making car docks. My only regret about it being a Griffin is that I'm not the person who the company is named after. (Griffin is the g in my user name.)

It's only $40. I'd pay more for, but I'm happy to only pay this.

It has a ball socket. So, it will mount to my dash mounted plate/ball mount.
(Yay! I now have 4 unused suction cups. Not entirely, I use them when I have to fly and get a rental car.)

Now after dropping the kids off tomorrow at camp, I'm heading to VZW for a new phone. I don't expect the dock to be in stock yet. My RAZR dock took a while to show up. I just wanted to know it existed. I can rough it with my phone in the cup holder for a while.

Oh yeah, In case you don't go to the link, this dock is compatible with the Ultra as well as the Maxx. According to the website, it is even compatible with the Red Ultra. Yeah, I know somebody was sweating that one!

Glad you found one! awesome. and great price too.

 

[Sturm Rider]

Might also want to check out the Owlpad. It has 2 advantages it is a wireless charging setup and you can use different phones in it. For example my son owns a DNA and I have a MAXX. We can use the same cradle. It goes for about $50.00.

 

[LocationDudeNYC]

Might also want to check out the Owlpad. It has 2 advantages it is a wireless charging setup and you can use different phones in it. For example my son owns a DNA and I have a MAXX. We can use the same cradle. It goes for about $50.00.

Which Owlpad did you get? I don't see one for the MAXX...

 

[Sturm Rider]

They have a carpad called all. It supposedly takes care of the HTC Droid DNA as well as the MAXX I am waiting for my MAXX to be sure. I ordered through Wirefly. The all does the Samsung with back, Galaxy Nexus 4 HTC and more so I see no reason why it will not do the MAXX.

 

[opuntia2]

It has a ball socket. So, it will mount to my dash mounted plate/ball mount.
(Yay! I now have 4 unused suction cups. Not entirely, I use them when I have to fly and get a rental car.)

Which dash mounted plate/ball mount do you have and are they all of a universal size?

I was looking at getting this to attached to my existing proclip Ball Mount Adapter Plate?-?ProClip USA and I was wondering if the socket on the Griffin will fit this ball.

 

[doogald]

HAHA! I didn't think I'd be able to get this phone tomorrow because I couldn't find information about the car dock.

Here is the link Set Your Location (Ok, is there a way to name this link? I didn't see the option. Oh well. Just click Set Your Location. LOL)

[...]

Now after dropping the kids off tomorrow at camp, I'm heading to VZW for a new phone. I don't expect the dock to be in stock yet. My RAZR dock took a while to show up. I just wanted to know it existed. I can rough it with my phone in the cup holder for a while.

It was in stock this morning. I ordered one and it's on the way. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[Chiplg]

Which dash mounted plate/ball mount do you have and are they all of a universal size?

I was looking at getting this to attached to my existing proclip Ball Mount Adapter Plate*-*ProClip USA and I was wondering if the socket on the Griffin will fit this ball.

That is the same size as my mount. 17mm seems to be standard. Some places used to call it a Garmin ball since that is what all of their GPSs use.

The owl pad looks like it would work, but it does not appear to activate car dock mode. That kills it for me. I'll look into it to be sure. I'm also concerned about how secure it is vs. a phone specific dock.

The owl uses a 17mm ball.


I have been assuming the Griffin dock does as well, based on the photographs. I have seen other size balls, but like I said, it is pretty standard.


***EDIT*** It is not the same size ball!!! It is smaller. Have not measured it yet, but it will not fit a 17mm ball.

 

[owlnavita]

Will you send me the photo or video clip for the MAXX? I'd like to make sure Owl CarPad/all is working with MAXX also. moon@owlcharger.com

 

[owlnavita]

Many of clients ask me whether CarPad/all is compatible with MAXX. So Please help me!

 

[LOTL2]

It was in stock this morning. I ordered one and it's on the way. Thanks for the heads-up!

doogald,
Just checking to see what your thoughts were on the quality and functionality of the car dock.

 

[doogald]

doogald,
Just checking to see what your thoughts were on the quality and functionality of the car dock.

I unboxed it and put it together, verified that the Maxx fit, but then didn't have time o try it out further. I'm on a trip at the moment and won't be able to try it out until Thursday. I'll let you know what I think then.

Based on my quick first look, it seems fine. However, I may decide to go with a different solution if this dock keeps the phone powered on the whole time while docked. I'm not sure I need that for everyday use.

 

[Chiplg]

However, I may decide to go with a different solution if this dock keeps the phone powered on the whole time while docked. I'm not sure I need that for everyday use.

That's kind of the point of the dock, in addition to its other features. Having said that, you should be able to hit the power button on turn off the screen when you don't want it on.

Mine should be here later this week.

 

[doogald]

That's kind of the point of the dock, in addition to its other features. Having said that, you should be able to hit the power button on turn off the screen when you don't want it on.

Mine should be here later this week.

With touch less control, I just want the phone to be visible if I get a call or text but powered off. I rarely navigate with the phone (though I do it; that's why I got the dock) and this phone doesn't need to be plugged in while driving.

So, docked but powered off, waiting to hear me say ok google now - that'll be fine 95% of the time. I may look for a generic dock that will just hold the phone in addition to the official Griffin.

 

[Chiplg]

I have it now and it is not great, but it is better than a generic dock.

It does an ok job of holding the phone, but it is not a Motorola dock. Not anywhere near the quality I came to expect from my Droid X and RAZR docks. I don't know where the engineers that worked for Motorola's accessory division went, but I wasn't to work for Griffin. Don't get me wrong. The dock is ok and usable, but it is obviously a third party product built for a specific device. It's "OK" The phone fits, but it is wiggles left and right. I can't use my Motorola USB/Audio cable with it yet. The cable I'm talking about has an audio jack on it and will allow audio from the phone to pass through the USB to the radio. It worked on the RAZR. Not on the Maxx. Also, I have to find another ball mount for my AMPS plate. IT IS NOT 17MM!!!!!!!!!!! What the Hell? Motorola used 17mm. Garmin uses 17mm. What is wrong with this company? So, I have a dock and I can't use it unitl I find a ball for it.

By far the absolute worst thing about this is that there is no Car Home app. Seriously, I want a Car Dock app that makes interacting with my phone simple and straight forward. My phone does not always understand me in the car. I want to talk to it, but I don't want that to be the primary feature. I want a #$^&($@ app that I can configure with the features I use while I drive. I want the music apps I use right there. I don't use the same apps for music in the car that I do when I'm sitting at my desk. This really sucks. I want Poynt, Ingress, a browser, and all of the things I need there. I don't just use the Car Dock app while I'm driving. I also use it in the parking lot when I first get in the car, or when I stop. Whoever was in charge of the driving features had no idea what they were doing.

I really wonder, do they use focus groups or do they just make up what they think is ok and do it? I feel abandoned. They did not put any serious thought into this.


Ok, before I posted my rant, I went to the play store. I found an app I hadn't seen before called indrive. It is more visually pleasing than the other apps. Looks well made, and I am happy to report that when I put it in the dock it asked me which app to use and if I wanted to use it always. However, there is a major problem still. Hit the home button and you go to the launcher, not the car dock app. I'm very disappointed, but I have something that will work. I still miss the Car Home on the RAZR.


So, In the end I wish I had not bought this phone. I'll never do this again. It is my fault for not verifying the mount size and the functionality of the device. I'll make it work, but I shouldn't have to MAKE it work. Change is fine, but standardization would be nice. I'd like to be able to depend on simple things like the ball size of my car dock, and that there is a car home app option if I don't want to talk to my phone all the time. I'm going to be very pissed on my drive to work tomorrow. My phone will be in the cup holder and my car dock will be sitting at home until I find what I'm looking for.

 

[Chiplg]

I found a ball size that is .56" This could be what I need for this dock. I couldn't find my micrometer. I'll take it to work tomorrow and measure it. I also sent an email to Griffin asking what size it was and letting them know that I would appreciate it if they used 17mm from now on. I doubt they care. Maybe I should have ordered the Owlpad after all. I'd have to see a report of someone using it that could confirm that it charges faster than the phone uses power while in GPS mode without producing significant heat.

This dock does not do what I want anyway. I can manually launch the car dock app. I'll wait and see what I can do with this dock first.

**EDIT** No micrometer, but I found a ruler it appears to be somewhere around 14 or 15mm which would make the .56" (14.224mm) ball about the right size. I cant' find one yet with an AMPs Plate, but I can make the one I found work. This is very frustrating, but I don't give up easily.

 

[opuntia2]

You can side load the google car home app without being rooted. I did it on my bionic but I'm forgetting the exact steps. This seems familiar [APP] Google Car Home 2.2.1.4 - xda-developers