This is the best car mount available for the Droid. It securely holds the phone in place and it's incredibly fast and easy to dock and undock -- you don't have to make any cumbersome adjustments or worry about accidentally pressing a button (sliding-arm one-size-fits-all mounts can trigger the camera button.) It can mount on the dash or windshield, rotates to support both horizontal and vertical orientations, and it has a magnet to trigger "car mode". It even allows access to the slide-out keyboard. The cheaper generic mounts just don't compare.
Why 4 stars? Well, If I had to say one bad thing about the mount, it's that you still have to plug the phone in to a USB car charger. It would be nice if you could plug in the dock instead, but it's a minor issue. The port on the phone is still easy to access.
Well worth the $30. Motorola DROID 1st Generation Vehicle Dock with Rapid Car Charger (Retail Packaging)
When attached to the windshield I experienced some vibration at highway speeds that made the screen very difficult to read. However, I attached it to the dash (using the included suction/sticky pad) and have not had any issues with vibration since. The phone is very easy to get in and out of the cradle, but is held firmly in place while locked in.
The magnetic sensor in the phone automatically detects that the phone is in the car dock and brings up the GPS navigation without having to touch a single button. The cradle still allows for use of the 3.5mm headphone jack as well as the charging slot, making it great for use as a "satellite" radio (Streaming Pandora or Slacker) and GPS unit all in one.
The unit can be adjusted to be used from pretty much any angle or mounting point. The twist clamps used to lock in the angles are very secure and do not move about once tightened.
Very good buy, do not hesitate.
Info on Car-Mode:
This mount simply has a small magnet mounted in the base-plate where it trips a relay in the back of your Droid phone. You can buy an equivalent magnet for pocket change at places like Micheal's or Hobby Lobby.
To check it to yourself, do this: get a fridge magnet, put it on the back of your Droid, and push it just to one side the center, staying on the L-R center-line on the back of the phone while you have it in Landscape mode. The phone pops into "Car" mode when the magnet is facing the proper way way, otherwise it will pop into Media Mode. Flip the magnet over, and it will go from Car into "Media Dock" mode and vice versa. Warning: Do not use a super strong magnet as it may damage the phone; you only need one that "just enough" to work through whatever protective cover you use.
Basic Info:
Most of the reviews here cover the basic functionality of the mount, and I have little to disagree with them. It fits the phone, and holds it in a good visible place. However mounting on the windshield glass means you get vibrations even in a Lexus. This is due to the design and plastic construction of the mount, so rating of 4 to start.
Issues:
The power supply still must be plugged in externally from a separate cord, instead of integrated like a true docking mount. Similar problems exist for sound cables, although I have a BlueTooth kit in my car for Music and Phone. Its enough to drop the rating from a 4 to a 3.
The biggest issue for me is: If you have a protective cover you will have problems with this mount. I own the "Body Glove Snap-On Cover for Motorola DROID A855", and have removed the belt mount tab to make it much slimmer. If you have that or similar covers, you will not be able to use this mount unless you remove the cover every time. For me, this makes this mount a non-starter. Spending a couple minutes prying the Bodyglove off and then snapping it back on every time I enter or leave the car is simply too much inconvenience. That drops it from a 3 to a 2 rating.
Summary: If you do not use a protective cover on your Droid, and can live with the power cable hanging on your car dash, have an integrated blue-tooth system for your car audio system, and take the care to mount this on the dash instead of the windshield, then this is a decent mount for you. If not, then see below for my alternative.
If you want a protection-friendly car-mode mount for your Droid you can make one yourself:
1) Buy a generic (non-Droid specific) mount into which your droid will fit in its normal configuration. WARNING: Be careful about where the bottom and top of the mount touch the phone in "landscape mode" - most inexpensive adjustable mounts will mash the volume controls on top, and on the bottom they will block the micro-USB power supply port. On the sides, they will cover the power switch or block the audio jack.
2) Get a thin small magnet at a hobby store, make sure it triggers the mount mode through your case.
3) Orient it properly (flip it and position it) to trigger Car Mode. Then super-glue it to the proper place on the mount where it will hit the right place on the back of your Droid when your phone is mounted.
There you have it: a "Droid Car Mode" mount that fits the phone without having to take off your Bodyglove.
EDIT: 3/13 Update - A friend got a Seidio case with holster, and the Seidio car mount. I tried out the mount, and its great -- good enough that I went ahead and bought all 3 from Seidio. Nice thing is the holster and cr mount all fit fine with the case on. (If you want more info, see my and other people's review on Seidio gear). - Car Mount - Droid - Motorola Droid - Dock'
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