A tablet in a car usually has two main roles: a driver assistant and an entertainment center for passengers. In the first case, it serves as a navigator, a news reader, and some also manage to do a little work or surf the Internet in traffic jams. In this case, the tablet is placed next to the driver - on the windshield or above the central panel. True, when placed on the windshield, it blocks part of the view and collects the views of neighbors downstream from everywhere. And when it is located above the center console, it usually blocks access to the car’s multimedia system, but does not interfere with the view, and you no longer have to reach so far for it. There is another method of fastening, which is devoid of all the above-mentioned disadvantages, and which we will also talk about.
As for the role of the multimedia center for passengers, this topic is even more relevant. Those who have children and who have to be on the road with them for a long time will definitely approve of it. It will also appeal to ordinary passenger travelers who are forced to spend several hours in the car.
In this review, we tried on six different types of car mounts and holders for tablets, purchasing four sets from different manufacturers in Moscow online stores. With their help, we will try to evaluate the convenience and practicality of this or that method of fastening. Our small city SUV will act as a “tablet carrier”. The tablets that will assist us are already well known to our readers: these are the 8-inch Prestigio Multipad 4 Ultimate 8.0 3G (209 × 155 × 9 mm, 447 g) and the 9-inch Pipo Max-7 Pro 3G (218 × 161 × 9 mm, 485 g). Actually, there is almost no difference between them in size and weight, and we will use Prestigio more often (especially for photography), because it is white and is better visible against the background of the black interior of the car.
So, we’ll start the story about the holders in no particular order, and leave the most sophisticated solution for dessert. Here is a complete list of individual models and kits:
Perhaps this is the most classic option among those we selected. Vertex iTab 3 is not a holder, but a set of holders, which involves attaching the tablet to both the windshield and the headrest of the front seats. If you consider such a set unnecessary, then the iTab and iTab 2 options are at your service. In the first case, in the box, in addition to the cradle, you will only find a mounting bracket for the windshield, and in the second - for the headrest. Accordingly, they will cost you less than our iTab 3 option.
| Type | tablet holder set |
| Mounting options | to the windshield and to the headrest |
| Adjustable tablet diagonal, inches | up to 12 |
| Range of distances between the side legs of the cradle, mm | 115-185 |
| Range of movement of the lower support of the cradle down, mm | 27 |
| Allowable tablet thickness, mm | 25 (17*) |
| Maximum tablet weight, g | N/A |
| Max. length of bracket installation from suction cup to cradle, mm | 190 |
| Range of lengths for installing the mounting bracket to the headrest from the mounting bar to the cradle, mm | 90-160 |
| Own weight, g | 395, 382 |
| Description from the manufacturer | |
| Approximate price, rub. | 1350 |
* value declared by the manufacturer and (in brackets) our recommended value
On its website, the manufacturer states that the Italian design bureau Alessandro Bellini helps it design its products. We don’t know whether it had a hand in this device, but we can say that the holder is made very carefully and tastefully. The cradle is equipped with a special, fairly hard pillow covered with leatherette. Adjustment of the position of the holding legs with soft rubberized edges is carried out by rearranging them into a set of grooves, where they are held firmly enough.
A powerful 90mm suction cup holds the entire structure very tightly. The pressing force can be controlled using the foot, which has several fixed positions. If necessary, the clamping force can be increased. The bracket has two adjustment units: a toothed one that adjusts the angle of inclination near the suction cup, equipped with a convenient clamping foot, and a ball one near the cradle holder, equipped with a large locking plastic nut. The ball adjustment mechanism has total travel angles of up to approximately 90 degrees (45 in each direction), which is quite enough. The design has no backlash and holds the tablet very securely.
The headrest mounting option is also quite simple and reliable. The bracket is equipped with plastic hooks, which on the back side of the bar have handle-nuts that provide tight clamping. The bracket has two articulated gear mechanisms that can be used to adjust the position of the tablet in only two planes, i.e., adjust its height relative to the passenger and distance from the seat back.
The hinge mechanisms also have a common clamping handle. The fastening is secure. There are no backlashes. The only downside of this design is that it moves the tablet away from the back of the seat by at least 10 centimeters, which may not be very convenient in a cramped car interior or when using child seats. However, in our case, we did not experience any inconvenience, but the length of the bracket was always set close to the minimum (in the photo above - it is in the position of almost maximum distance from the back of the seat).
But this whole set has one drawback - the mechanism for attaching the cradle to the brackets is very tight. It’s easy to attach the cradle, but removing it later to move it to another bracket requires a fair amount of effort.
A very original and unexpected solution for passengers in the back row! The design principle is simple: a small telescopic rod with a tablet holder is attached between the two headrests of the front seats, after which the two rear passengers can enjoy watching videos or surfing the Internet together. The holder can move along the bar, so that any of the rear passengers can, if necessary, move the tablet closer to themselves.
The rod is made of aluminum alloy. The length of the two telescopic sections of the rod and the position of the cradle holder are fixed with clamping feet, like telescopic legs on tripods for photography. The rod itself has two deep grooves, as a result, the entire structure has no backlash, nothing rotates, everything is fixed to it securely and neatly. The cradle holder has a ball joint, clamped with a nut. The range of positions it can set is not very large (in any case, the bar will get in the way) - it will allow you to rotate the cradle in two planes by about 15 degrees in each direction.
The cradle has a relatively soft central pad and two levers on the reverse side for adjusting the position of the upper and lower paws, which also have rubberized attachments for holding the tablet.
Perhaps the most practical solution is if the tablet user is the person sitting behind the wheel. The advantage is that, thanks to the long and flexible bracket, the tablet can be placed on top of the center console without limiting visibility or particularly attracting the curious glances of neighbors downstream. And the main drawback is that everything that is located under the tablet will be difficult to reach.
*depends on the bracket attachment used
The relatively small suction cup securely attaches the bracket to the windshield. The “leg” of the bracket is rigid, but it won’t be difficult to give it the required shape. The cradle is quite massive. The side grips are spring-loaded and controlled by a lever on the lower left side. On the back of the cradle there are two small rubber feet, and they are there for a reason. The fact is that the rigidity of the structure is definitely not enough to prevent the cradle with the tablet from dangling not only during movement, but also from simply touching the screen. Therefore, he needs at least one more point of support. In our case, we positioned the structure so that the base of the cradle rested on the edge of the torpedo. In this position, he is no longer afraid of any bumpiness, but other disadvantages of this placement have appeared.
The main one is that the tablet is forced to be located almost parallel to the plane of the center console. As a result, both the driver and the passenger look at the tablet screen from a large angle - with all the ensuing consequences. In addition, this place is usually well lit since it is located near the windshield.
Of course, it would be more correct to rest the cradle not on the edge of the torpedo, but on those same rubber feet that are located below. But in our case, this was somewhat difficult to do due to the screen of the standard radio and its control buttons.
However, if the first type of attaching the cradle to the bracket for some reason did not suit you, the kit includes a second attachment that holds the cradle not by the top, but by the center. The nozzle is equipped with a ball joint that allows it to be rotated at small angles.
In addition to tablets, as the manufacturer claims, this holder is also suitable for netbooks. We checked this statement on an old Acer Aspire One (screen - 10 inches, weight - 1 kg) and can confirm it: when opened, the netbook is securely fixed in the cradle, and it is quite possible to use it. One “but”: all the side connectors of the netbook will be blocked by the side holders.
Now we have reached the promised dessert. It can immediately be awarded the title of the most advanced solution for placing a tablet in a car.
Look at the official photo on the box! In an AstonMartin with a beige leather interior, the holder looks very harmonious and not at all alien.
In the box you will find a complete set of two holders. The first is a three-knee rod that is attached to the front passenger seat slide with the same bolt that secures the seat itself to the body. And the second holder is designed to be attached to the headrest of the front seat.
So, with the installation of the main holder with the rod, there was only one difficulty: the tip of the fork, which is attached to the front seat slide, had to be rotated 180 degrees, loosening the mounting bolt. If this was not done, it would not be possible to place the entire structure next to the central tunnel in the car due to the dimensions of the gear joint.
Then the installation went almost like clockwork. The two bends of the rod, as well as the tip with the cradle lock, can rotate. It is also easy to control the angles of the gear joints, which are clamped with screws. As a result, the barbell can be given almost any desired shape. But even here we were slightly disappointed: it was not possible to install the bar as in the AstonMartin due to the fact that the central tunnel in the test car begins to expand towards the engine compartment (eh, they took the wrong car for the test), and the lower hinge allows you to adjust the position of the bar only in one plane. In other words, the first bend of the bar cannot be lowered down - it rests against the expanding central tunnel.
As a result, we had to assemble just such a “snake”, which would have been quite restrictive for the front passenger.
Further more. After securing the cradle and placing the tablet on it, it became clear that every touch of the tablet with a finger causes it to vibrate with an amplitude of 1-3 centimeters. In other words, the structure turned out to be too shaky. An attempt to tighten all the node connections tightly had no effect, but after that the main culprit became visible - this is the fork, which is attached to the slide. And if the rod is fixed securely and firmly enough, then the fork, made of soft metal, bends in vain, and it is this that is the source of vibrations of the entire structure. After dismantling, our version about the soft metal was completely confirmed: when the fastening bolt was tightened, the fork noticeably bent. Yes. A truly Chinese approach (may the Chinese, for whom he has the warmest feelings, forgive the author).
Update from 02/04/2014: as the forum members quite rightly noted, in our case the fork had to be driven into the space between the floor and the slide. This would significantly increase the rigidity of the structure, but you still cannot do without a second point of support for the rod. In other words, it would be desirable to rest the bar, for example, on a dashboard.
Another important addition concerns the bar itself. It is very likely that the central knee can be removed, thereby reducing the space occupied by the bar and reducing the leverage on the fork.
Alas, at the moment we cannot check these two versions, but they may be useful to those who still decide to buy this holder.
But we liked the second holder, which is attached to the headrest, better. Firstly, there are no screws, and the bar with the cradle holder is fastened using special fasteners. Secondly, the tablet installed in the cradle is located close to the back of the seat, which is a plus in a small car interior. However, there is also a drawback here: the screw-retainer of the hinge joint has become difficult to access, because it almost “sank” between the back of the seat and the headrest. But overall, the solution seemed quite practical to us.
Having become acquainted with six different mounting options for tablets, we can definitely say that we have no special complaints only about those that are intended for rear passengers. This is probably also because the tablet looks much more appropriate there. No, we don’t mind at all if the driver has a large map or convenient Internet access at hand, but the interior design of modern cars somehow strongly opposes this, which is why third-party solutions also have their pros and cons.
We will not definitely recommend anything for the driver - it’s better for everyone to look at our description of this or that holder and draw their own conclusions. But we advise you to treat the Daystar DK-1 with caution - at least until the manufacturer replaces the “plasticine” fork that attaches the rod to the front seat slide.
In stores you can find a huge selection of such accessories as an iPad holder. They are not the same type, but differ both in fastening technology and in the method of installing the tablet itself. In this material we will analyze a lot about the iPad and car mounts for different versions of these devices.
One of the most common types of holders for iPad mini, iPad Air and other tablet models is when the fastening is made in the CD slot for a car radio. Such accessories are especially suitable for devices with large screens. Of course, they can also be used for mini versions. In general, these holders are universal and can be installed in any brand of car. At the same time, the driver always has his iPad at hand.
Another popular model, PPYPLE, allows you to mount your tablet no less securely in a car. It has many adjustment options, and you can always set a convenient display angle. This effect is achieved thanks to the ball joint connecting the tablet clamp and the lower part of the holder.
Another model of the same series, with the Dash-NT prefix, is simply an ideal option for Air tablets. It is attached to the dashboard thanks to a vacuum suction cup with a layer of silicone. This material guarantees strong adhesion to the plastic and protects the suction cup from air.
The accessory is suitable for all generations of iPad. It is fixed between the paws with rubber pads, which have a bevel and protect against accidental pressing of the buttons.
If the goal is to make life easier for rear seat passengers (especially if they are children), then you can place an iPad holder on the headrest of the front seat. You can play media content on your tablet. While driving, children can enjoy watching cartoons.
This will be a simple and inexpensive solution that will make it much easier to get stuck in traffic jams. And, as you know, there are more and more of the latter in megacities every year. This type of fastening is very simple to fix - no knowledge or skills are required. Moreover, no tools are required. A special lock is attached to the pin on which the headrest stands. Next, the desired notch is selected - and everything is ready.
In addition to the usual options for fixing the tablet mechanically, there are also magnetic type holders. Instead of a clamp, a magnet is used, and a metal plate is glued to the device. This method has the advantage that it does not require moving apart the mechanical elements of the accessory. But you will need to install a metal plate on the iPad.
One of the most famous companies producing such fasteners is Scosche. It produces different versions of magnetic accessories. Each set comes with two records. The largest plate is just right for a tablet. A variety of fastening models from this company are presented in many online stores. Just enter the name of the company into a search engine and you will see hundreds of offers.
For mini-version tablets, it is better to use special accessories designed specifically for them - PPYPLE CD-N7 and PPYPLE Dash-N7.
With the first model, the device is mounted in a CD slot for a car. It is important that the holder in no way interferes with the playback of music tracks. And the accessory itself is attached to the drive opening in the simplest way.
The second model allows you to mount the tablet on the dashboard. To do this, you just need to find the smoothest area on the instrument element. The accessory has a lot of adjustments, a ball-type joint connecting the iPad clamp and the holder body. This allows you to adjust the display angle over a wide range.
The manufacturer produces car holders for iPad in cars of all generations. They can be divided according to the size of the installed device:
Also, they are divided according to the method of installation in the car:
Installing an iPad in a car into the CD drive - a new trend. This method allows you to position the screen so that it does not interfere with the driver’s view. You can listen to CDs while using it. Installing and removing the mount in the CD slot takes just a few seconds. iPad holder It is located very comfortably, since the gadget’s screen is right at hand.
Two models produced iPad stands for car in CD slot- CD-NT and for smaller tablets such as iPad mini - CD-N7
Reliable installation on the iPad on the dashboard is made possible thanks to the German technology used to make the silicone pad of the vacuum suction cup. This technology is based on filling all the pores of the plastic with silicone, thereby blocking the access routes for air and breaking the vacuum. This mount easily withstands heat, cold and even direct sunlight. To install the car holder, you need to find a place on the dashboard with smooth plastic. It must be cleaned of dirt and auto chemicals. It is strictly forbidden to install the holder on airbags! A large number of adjustments allow you to set a convenient viewing angle for the screen.
We produce two models of iPad holders for car dashboards: for large tablets and Dash-N7 for iPad mini
A car headrest holder for an iPad is used to show rear-seat passengers movies on the screen, making it easier to spend time on long trips. It is attached to the metal pin of the front seat headrest using a special clamp and a rubber sealing insert. This mount is very reliable and durable. Using the adjustments, you can set a comfortable viewing angle. One model is available for tablets up to 12 inches - HR-NT
To fix the device in the holder, use a clamp with a spring. The CD-NT and HR-NT models use iPads with screens up to 12 inches diagonal. The height of the fully opened clamp is 190 mm. The Dash-N7 and CD-N7 models with a grip height of up to 170 mm are suitable for iPad mini.
Additional information about the features of installation and operation of holders can be found in the FAQ section, or ask a question on the “Questions and Answers” tab on the product page.
PPYPLE products are made only in Korea
Modern man and gadgets that perform various functions have long gone hand in hand through life. Thus, tablets and smartphones provide all possible assistance to the driver, acting as a navigator or brightening up the time spent in traffic jams. For passengers, especially if there are children among them, tablets will help them have a fun trip.
The only issue that needs to be resolved first is to choose mounts and holders for tablets in the car. There is a wide choice on the market, and you can easily find the car holder that suits your needs. The configuration and type of mount for the tablet in the car allow you to separate all the holders for several large groups.
The most convenient way, of course, is to purchase holders that allow you to install the mount both on the dashboard for the driver and on the headrests for rear passengers.
