As everyone knows, the size of mobile phones have been growing at a rapid pace. The largest phones are now pretty much the same size as a small tablet. I recently used a friend’s Samsung Galaxy Mega. With a 6.3 inch diagonal screen size, it is almost the size of a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 which has a 7 inch diagonal screen size. The Samsung Galaxy S4 isn’t far behind in size.
To be truthful, it felt pretty awkward to use. However, they are selling and the market is accepting these larger phones as the way to go as evidenced by Apple’s recent release of the iPhone 6 plus. The 6 plus has a screen size of 5.5 inches diagonal which is not quite as large as the Samsung Mega.
The press is asking some interesting questions about how to put these in your pocket. Some clothing companies are now making pants with specially made larger pockets to accommodate these larger phones and are referring to them as iPants.
If you have a big giant phone from Samsung like the Samsung Galaxy S4, you have probably found that mounts are hard to come by. As already mentioned. these phones are a little smaller than tablets and much larger than a typical smartphone. These larger phones are now referred to as phablets which is a cross between a phone and a tablet.
Fortunately, manufacturers have recently introduced their line of phablet mounts and these fit the extra large Samsung Galaxy S4 (and other models) as well as the larger iPhone 6 line quite securely. Most include a spring loaded cradle which works well with or without a case or skin deployed (a little advice: use a case or skin to protect your phone as these break easily with even the slightest drop. We like Otterbox for the best protection at a reasonable cost.).
The windshield is the most popular location to mount especially if you plan to use it as a GPS. I love Waze for this purpose and it will work real well on all of these phones.
The photo that accompanies this article is the Arkon Slim Grip Ultra Travel Mount. This mount features an expandable cradle which expands to over 7 inches using a spring-loaded top and bottom. The support arms move so that you can expose any ports or buttons. This will fit your phone with or without a thick case. The mount comes with an adhesive dash plate so that you can attach to the mount to your dash as well as your windshield. The phone can swivel into landscape or portrait mode although I find that I typically use this mount in landscape 90% of the time. A 2-year warranty comes with this mount.
You can’t possibly use all the cup holders in today’s vehicles, so use one as a mount point. Consider the iKross Car Cup Holder Phone Mount. The cup holder base is expandable from 2.7 to 3.7 inches. It will fit almost any vehicle’s cup holder. There is a 12″ flexible stem that allows bending of the mount to the right angle for the driver or passenger. The phone can rotate 360 degrees into portrait or landscape and is easy to insert and remove. The expandable cradle opens to 8 inches so it will fit your phone with or without a case or skin. This mount comes with a one-year warranty.
For motorcycle use, it’s important that you select a mount that includes a well made cradle that will hold your phone tightly. The phone must remain secure in high vibration environments like a motorcycle. We like the RAM X-Grip line a lot. These are heavy duty mounts that are mostly constructed of metal. The mount has gone through some rigorous shake tests and holds up well on a motorcycle. Most motorcycles can use the RAM X-Grip IV Handlebar Mount. These mounts feature the expandable X-Grip IV cradle which can open to 4.5 inches which is large enough for most cases. RAM now includes a safety tether with these mounts which is an excellent added touch.