Windows Phone Thoughts: Arkon's Docking PDA Mount Reviewed

Just Another Mount?
Arkon's Docking PDA Mount (DM300 and DM500) isn't just an ordinary mount. For years, manufacturers, like Arkon, have sold or still sell a batch of universal mounts whose charging functionality is deeply reliant on a tangle of cables running from a vehicle's cigarette lighter socket to the cradle, and around the cradle itself. Both the DM300 and DM500 series have been designed with model specificity in mind, and as a result, help minimise cable tangles. This has its upsides and downsides.

The upside? No messing around with extra charging cables. The Pocket PC simply slips right into the cradle, fitting perfectly into the charging connector. The downside? The lasting factor. Unfortunately, you can't swap the charging connector on the mount as its sealed tightly within the mount itself. So, if you're one of the few who purchases a new Pocket PC every year or so, that gives the Docking PDA Mount a similar lifespan, before being passed on to Buyer XYZ on eBay.

So, What's in the Box?
The mount is available in two flavours - one without a GPS receiver (the DM300 series) and one with a GPS receiver (the DM500 series). This review focuses on the DM300, but I will look at aspects of the DM500 later in the review.

In the box, you'll find:

• The docking cradle;
  
• A swivel windshield suction pedestal;
  
• An audio speaker cable;
  
• A cigarette lighter power cord;
  
• An instruction sheet.

Figure 1: That's an iPAQ on the box. I'm testing the Axim version. Hmmm...

On the left side of the cradle, you'll find a 2.5mm speaker socket, a battery on/off switch, and a speaker volume control. On the right side of the cradle, you'll find a power cord socket, a push button for the side grip jaws, and a privacy earphone socket (for a hands-free kit).