This system turned my cellphone into a splash cam for lower than $30

With the open highway turning into an excellent stranger place every day and the vacation journey season approaching, many customers wish to report their drives, whether or not for proof within the occasion of an accident or to watch their very own driving conduct. We right here at Pocket-lint love a good dashcam ourselves, however the actuality is that not all of them match into a good funds. Moreover, in case you’re a first-time purchaser, you may not wish to leap straight into the deep finish of the dashcam market.

All of that’s tremendous and dandy. In any case, there is a product on the market for nearly every thing, and in order for you a funds sprint cam that doubles as a cellphone mount, I imagine I’ve discovered the one you are searching for: the Lounge-IT from Smart Additions. Most cellphone mounts solely couple up along with your A/C vents, however as we all know, not all vents are created equal. The Lounge-IT circumvents that downside by mounting onto your rearview mirror and, in flip, may also double as a wonderful possibility for many who use dashcam apps on their telephones.

The mount itself is extremely safe

In the event you can stand a tiny magnet on the again of your cellphone, nothing beats this safety

One of many issues I actually like in regards to the Lounge-IT is that it is extremely safe, due to a sequence of magnets on each the mount itself and one which sticks to the again of your cellphone. I wasn’t certain what the cellphone magnet could be wish to reside with, nevertheless it hasn’t snagged in my pocket as soon as, reveals no indicators of ever coming off until I actually attempt, and would not stick out like a sore thumb. Granted, I’ve a black cellphone case that blends in fairly properly, nevertheless it’s a lot smaller than any Pop-Socket I’ve ever seen, and that counts for one thing.

It is minimal sufficient to go unnoticed, however substantial sufficient to make sure your cellphone will not go wherever within the mount until you need it to. Within the occasion of any accident, that type of safety is exactly what you need. I genuinely have to almost pry it out of the mount every time I take it off, which, if you are going to be sure to do one thing exceptionally properly with any cellphone mount, I would slightly that be the sticking level, pun meant.

It doubles as a conventional cellphone mount, too

Having the ability to multitask is a should nowadays

Whereas the rearview mount works nice, particularly in automobiles like mine with massive entrance windshields, having the ability to concurrently operate as a vent-based cellphone mount provides the Lounge-IT a number of additional props. In the event you’re in a sedan or a hatchback with a smaller entrance windshield, this could be the higher possibility for you.

The most effective factor in regards to the cellphone mount is that it is adjustable to any vent dimension or form. All it takes is screwing the mount’s base in or out to regulate its attain, then tightening it again down onto the vent for safety’s sake. All in all, my setup took a few minute, after which the Lounge-IT was road-ready.

In a world of wi-fi connectivity, cellphone mounts nonetheless make sense

I’ve used nearly each infotainment show available on the market, and none are good

The query of whether or not somebody wants a cellphone mount at this time, when almost each car comes customary with wi-fi CarPlay or Android Auto, is an efficient one. Nevertheless, as somebody who religiously makes use of both platform and has spent an unlimited period of time dissecting automobile infotainment programs, a cellphone mount nonetheless makes the utmost sense in 2025.

No infotainment system is ideal, and in case you’re a consumer of both mainstream possibility, the probabilities are you have skilled moments throughout your common commute when CarPlay or Android Auto simply randomly disconnects. Thus begins the scramble of reconnecting earlier than you miss your flip, which might get fairly harmful in case your cellphone is, say, in your pocket. A mount solves that situation whereas maintaining you a lot safer. It is a no-brainer — cellphone mounts nonetheless work even in case you’ve gone wi-fi, and the Lounge IT is likely one of the most helpful I’ve reviewed by way of usability and practicality.

The Lounge-IT is at present on sale from Good Additions for $28, however even at its $30 full value, it is a fraction of what a funds sprint cam would price, and it solely requires about one-fifth of the setup.