Just a pair of stories today for your Apple news fix:
- Another smartphone manufacturer attempting to duplicate Apple’s success with the “Shot on iPhone” ad campaign gets caught using a $4,500 camera/lens combo to shoot their “smartphone” photo
- Fed up with long lines at Customs and Border Protection when you come back from overseas? A new app promises to streamline the process and get you on your way quickly
The text version of the podcast can be read below. To listen to the podcast here, click the play button on the player below.
Summer, the time of year when you pile everyone into the Family Truckster and head out on vacation. When I was a kid many, many years ago, we didn’t have all of the fun electronic devices that today’s back seat occupants can use to stay occupied on the road, so we did things like play license plate bingo and annoy each other. Today we’re looking at the latest from accessory manufacturer Kenu, the Airvue car tablet mount ($49.95) — a way to hold that phablet or tablet in position on the back of a headrest and keep the kids entertained.
Design
I’ve always hated testing car tablet mounts, since they either use some sort of fabric strap and Velcro® assembly or screws and knobs to lock onto the headrest uprights, and in many cases it’s ridiculously difficult to get things attached correctly. The Airvue does away with all of the crazy hardware and just uses a very strong, yet flexible composite that is flexed, then snapped into place onto the headrest bars.
An easily adjustable set of spring-loaded jaws then holds the smartphone (4.7-inch or larger) or tablet (up to 13-inch) in place in either landscape or portrait orientation.
Function
You have to love a car accessory that takes seconds to install. It doesn’t require that much strength to bend the Airvue just enough to snap onto the headrest bars, and once installed it’s going to stay in one place. However, it’s also easy to remove!
The grip that holds the tablet or smartphone has a ball and socket joint that be adjusted up or down for the best possible angle for your young passenger. When you’re at your destination for the night and the kiddos want to play a game or watch a movie, the Airvue also acts as a surprisingly versatile stand for any device.
Finally, the Airvue also works on any roller luggage that happens to have two vertical bars on the extendable handle. That’s perfect for those times when you’re bored to tears waiting for a delayed flight and want to just watch something to pass the time.
Conclusion
It’s not often that something as mundane as a car tablet mount gets me excited, but the Kenu Airvue is so well-designed and versatile that it’s getting a 5-star rating and designation as an Apple World Today Top Pick for 2016.
Apple World Today Rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★
An AWT Top Pick for 2016
