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Naztech MagBuddy Wireless Chargers review

REVIEW – With Google’s Pixel line finally joining the party, most of the latest cellphones now utilize wireless charging  This option can be both convenient and frustrating, but it has most certainly meant a boon for accessory makers. Dozens of new wireless charger options are now available and the list grows longer every day. Naztech is one accessory maker capitalizing on this new market with their Magbuddy Wireless Chargers. These Magbuddy chargers hold a phone in place magnetically while charging it wirelessly.

All of the Magbuddy Wireless options are priced at $59.99, which is a bit high in my opinion since there are a lot of other options out there. I reviewed the Magbuddy Wireless Vent and Desktop versions. The tech works well with both options, but the desktop version has a stability issue.

What is it?

Naztech MagBuddy Wireless Chargers allow you to wirelessly charge your phone while conveniently having it held in place by strong magnets. This is especially helpful with the car charger since you can jump in your car, pop your phone on the holder, and be on your way without fussing with cables or tricky mounting devices. The convenience isn’t as apparent to me with the desktop version I reviewed, but it’s still helpful albeit expensive. The desktop version also comes with an attachment to hold an Apple Watch, not charge the watch, just hold it.

One particular challenge with newer phones that can be mitigated with the right accessory is the lack of a headphone jack. Since wired headphones now plug into the same port as a phone’s power source, if you prefer using wired headphones while charging your phone at the same time you’re out of luck. Wireless chargers can solve this problem, and with the added benefit of magnetic mounts, these chargers become even more useful. Although, when dealing with cellphones, magnets, and power things can get tricky and design becomes a challenge. Luckily, companies like Naztech are on the case with devices like the MagBuddies.

The Magbuddy Wireless chargers work with all Qi-enabled devices or devices equipped with a Qi-Enabled receiver. The Magbuddy should be able to deliver a fast charging 10W to Qi-ready devices like some iPhones and Samsung Galaxies. All other devices, like my Google Pixel 3, will get a base 5W.

The Magbuddy Wireless chargers work by utilizing four strong magnets which cling to an included metal plate that is either placed on the outside of your phone or within a case that is no thicker than 3mm. Just above the magnets is the charging coil that transmits power to your phone.

The packaging for the Magbuddy line is pretty similar for all of the options. The product is clearly shown on the exterior along with a description of that particular Magbuddy’s specs.

I like that the front of the box opens up so you can see the actual Magbuddy unit along with the size of the metal plates for your phone. The charging unit is the same throughout the Magbuddy Wireless charger line. The only thing that differs are the mounting options, brackets, and power supplies that come with the version you purchased.

What’s in the box?

  • MagBuddy Vent
    • 1 Magnetic Head
    • 1 Vent Mount
    • 2 Adhesive MagBuddy Plates
    • 2 Clear Protective Stickers
    • Car Charger
    • USB-C Cable
    • User Manual

  • MagBuddy Desktop
    • 1 Magnetic Head
    • 1 Desk Mount
    • 2 Adhesive MagBuddy Plates
    • 2 Clear Protective Stickers
    • 1 Surface Adapter
    • Wall Charger
    • USB-C Cable
    • Optional Apple Watch Mount
    • User Manual

Design and features

The main component of the whole Magbuddy Wireless line is the charging unit or magnetic head as Naztech refers to it. This is a small little puck that holds the magnets and charging coils.

There’s a USB C port on the back of the charging unit and each Magbuddy Wireless comes with a USB C to USB A cable for power delivery.

The USB cables connect to the charging unit and then to whichever power supply your Magbuddy version uses.

The Magbuddy Wireless Vent is powered by a two port car charger.

The Magbuddy Wireless Desktop is powered by a standard USB power block.

Setup

Preparing the Magbuddy Vent and Desktop are relatively simple. Both the Desktop and Vent versions utilize a ball and socket type mounting solution.

Simply loosen the socket nut on the charging unit and pop the ball joint of the mount into place.

Both the ball and socket are made of plastic though, so do not force them too hard. Make sure the socket nut is loosened all the way before attempting to pop the ball joint in.

The Vent mount has a small clamp that has another socket nut on it to tighten the clamp on to your vent.

Both units also come with detailed instructions on how and where to place the metal plate that will hold your phone firmly to the charging unit magnets.

The metal plates conveniently have an adhesive already applied to them, which I really appreciated. Simply peel off the adhesive backing and you’re ready to mount the plate.

The Magbuddies include mounting cards to show you the ideal position for the metal plate depending on which phone you’re using. Once the metal plate is mounted, you’re ready to use your Magbuddy.

To use the Magbuddy Desktop, you must first secure it to your desktop. The bottom of the unit has a sticky-like suction cup base for this purpose.

To secure the Desktop, lift up the clamp on the base, push down hard on the unit and close the clamp.

The Desktop mount should stay in place after the clamp has closed. Although, in my testing the clamp frequently lost its suction to the table and the whole unit, phone and all, fell over. I tried it on several different surfaces all with the same result.

I feel like the overall design of the Magbuddy Desktop is to blame here. Because the arm comes up so high from the base at such a steep angle it’s inherently unstable, hence the need for the suction cup. If the arm was designed a bit differently, the suction cup might not have been necessary. Naztech must’ve realized this because they include a small round plastic sticker to adhere to the table top before mounting the suction cup base. This seems like a really inelegant solution for something that costs $59.99.

If you happen to have an Apple Watch, the Magbuddy Desktop also includes a plastic mounting arm for it.

The mounting arm attaches between the charging unit and socket nut with the use of a longer screw.

Once the arm is attached, you can hang your Apple Watch alongside your phone. The Magbuddy doesn’t charge your Apple Watch though, you still have to run a separate charging cable for that.

Performance

The Magbuddy Wireless Vent Charger worked fine for me. The mount held the unit securely to my car’s vent with minimal effort.

Every time I popped my phone on to the magnetic head it stayed firmly in place. Although I did have to move the phone around a bit to get the charger to engage. This was frustrating because my phone’s case does match the recommended thickness of less than 3mm.

I really liked that the car charger has two ports and lights up. The lights made it very easy to find in the dark.

I never got stellar charging performance from the Magbuddy, but that’s because my Pixel 3 only does fast charging with Google approved devices. The Magbuddy was able to top off my phone and keep it charged. You may get better results depending on which phone you have.

I had a similar performance experience with the Magbuddy Desktop since it’s essentially the same charging unit. I did like being able to quickly grab my phone and go, but as soon as the suction cup lost its hold I was just frustrated by the poor design and it lost its appeal.

What I like

  • Magnets hold device firmly in place
  • Charge is consistent
  • Well-built and engineered
  • Easy setup

What needs to be improved

  • Desktop stand unstable
  • Sweet spot for charger could be larger

Final thoughts

I really liked the convenience of the Magbuddy Wireless Vent Charger. The magnets always held my device firmly in place while driving and I never worried about my phone slipping off the mount. My Pixel 3 couldn’t enjoy the full 10w potential of the Magbuddy, but the unit kept my phone topped off and charged nonetheless. The Magbuddy Wireless Desktop Charger worked similarly, but the suction cup never held the unit in place for long and at such a high price, I expected more.

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Naztech and Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Naztech.

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Naztech MagBuddy Wireless Chargers review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 27, 2019 at 9:30 am.

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Use the iKlip 3 to mount your tablet on a mic stand or tripod

NEWS – Musicians, photographers, and other content creators will be happy to learn that they can now mount their 7 – 12.9″ tablets to a mic stand, tripod, or a boom arm using the new IK Multimedia iKlip 3 series of mounts. Available in 3 different styles depending on where you want to mount your tablet, the iKlip features a wide spring loaded holder that supports tablets as small as an iPad mini and other 7″ tablets, to as large as an iPad Pro and other 12.1″ sized tablets with or without a case.

The iKlip version suitable for attaching to a boom arm or mic stand has a C-style clamp, while the tripod version has a UNC ¼” – 20 threaded sockets. A third version comes with both mount styles so you’ll have all your creative bases covered.

The iKlip 3 for a mic stand, boom arms, or tripods is priced at $49.99 and the universal version is $69.99 at IK Multimedia and Amazon.

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Use the iKlip 3 to mount your tablet on a mic stand or tripod originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 24, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Use the iKlip 3 to mount your tablet on a mic stand or tripod

NEWS – Musicians, photographers, and other content creators will be happy to learn that they can now mount their 7 – 12.9″ tablets to a mic stand, tripod, or a boom arm using the new IK Multimedia iKlip 3 series of mounts. Available in 3 different styles depending on where you want to mount your tablet, the iKlip features a wide spring loaded holder that supports tablets as small as an iPad mini and other 7″ tablets, to as large as an iPad Pro and other 12.1″ sized tablets with or without a case.

The iKlip version suitable for attaching to a boom arm or mic stand has a C-style clamp, while the tripod version has a UNC ¼” – 20 threaded sockets. A third version comes with both mount styles so you’ll have all your creative bases covered.

The iKlip 3 for a mic stand, boom arms, or tripods is priced at $49.99 and the universal version is $69.99 at IK Multimedia and Amazon.

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Use the iKlip 3 to mount your tablet on a mic stand or tripod originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 24, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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NazTech MagBuddy phone mount system review

Car mounts for phones have been around as long as mobile phones have been around. With the rise of SmartPhones, their need has only grown, since the phone in your car often takes the place of that glove box full of maps (or the dedicated GPS device), your box of mix-tapes (or mix CDs), and the car club guide for your vacation spot. Naztech recently sent us three models (Vent, Dash, and Anywhere+) of their MagBuddy series to test. I’ve given them a run through and am ready to share the results with you.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The MagBuddy system consists of three parts: a holder of some type, the adjustable magnetic headpiece that attaches to the holder (which I have dubbed the MagHead, for this article), and a flat steel piece that affixes to your device or case. The last two pieces are the same for each system, but the holder varies. There is a suction mount unit with an adjustable arm to control the height and angle of the magnetic head, one that clips onto your AC/Heat vent, and one that will stick to any flat or slightly curved surface permanently. I’ll discuss each one below.

What’s in the box?

Each box contains a MagHead, two steel plates (small and large) and a holder, as well as an alcohol prep pad. You can buy plates and Mag heads separately.

Design and features

The MagHead is a roughly triangular piece of molded plastic 1.75″ across with a screw clutch socket on the back. The holder’s ball snaps into this and can be tightened so that the Mag head is steady. The face of the MagHead is covered with a soft rubbery material – not quite silicone or neoprene, but somewhere in between. The edges around the plastic under this pad are edged in a thin silver metal. Embedded within the head are strong magnets that will grab on to anything steel quite tightly. This is where the steel plates come in. The large plate is 1.75″ x 2.5″, and the smaller plate is 1.25″ square. Stick one to your phone, iPad, back-up camera monitor or whatever else you want to hold onto, and the MagHead will hold it – up to a point. If you put it on an iPad Pro and go off-roading, I don’t think it will hold for long. But I used it with an iPhone 8 and have had no problem with bumpy roads, railroad tracks and the like encountered on a normal city street. We are using it with the MacBuddy Dash stuck to the windshield, because the dash on the car it’s in is textured, and the suction cup doesn’t hold very well there. (Note the texture on the dash in the photo below.)

Setup

The first thing you’re going to want to consider is where will be the best place for your device. Note that the Anywhere or Anywhere+ model holder can be stuck to any smooth, quasi-flat surface. This doesn’t have to be in a vehicle. You could put one up in a back room for staff to use for pricing or break schedules on an iPad. Or mount your phone to your mirror in the bathroom to check the news or listen to a podcast while prepping for your day, without worrying about knocking your phone onto the tile floor – or worse. Also, the Dash model with the adjustable arm would be just as happy affixed to your monitor support or desk, so that your iPad or Phone is just under your monitor. It’s a hugely flexible system, and once you have the plate on your device, you can easily swap between holders.

Performance

As mentioned earlier, you’ll need to use a steel plate that matches the size of the device you want to be held, and any case you put over the plate may loosen the MagHead’s grip. I had the large plate inside my iPhone 8 Plus leather case (above), and the first bump I hit sent the phone into the floorboard. Even that thin layer of leather was enough to loosen the MacHead’s grip.

My wife’s iPhone 8 has Qi charging, but when it’s inside the case with the steel plate on it, the phone doesn’t charge in a Qi charger. Pop it out of the case, and it charges as expected.

What I Like

  • There are two plates included with each mount, and more can be bought.
  • Can be used by multiple devices, and each device can attach to any holder.
  • Fully adjustable for different viewing angles.
  • Sturdy, yet easy to mount device onto.

What needs to be improved

  • Larger items may break loose.
  • You have to use the metal plates, which may affect wireless charging of device.
  • The plates can be mounted to the case or your device.
  • Some cases may weaken the grip if mounted directly to the device and covered by a case.
  • Metal plates on the back of phones that have Qi charging are going to have problems. Period.
  • The Silicone band of the bicycle handlebar model would be a nice individual sale, like the steel plates. It would enable the connection through my leather case to be secure on rougher roads.

Final thoughts

Phones do everything nowadays. There are so many different uses that we can’t be without them for very long. This is never more true than when we’re driving, it seems, especially when you’re in an area you don’t know well. All the questions about routes, service stations, food, and parking that come up in any normal car trip are easily solved by using your phone. Having it in a single place where it can be referenced without taking your eyes off the road and the instrument panel makes using it for navigation safer. Having it be adjustable so that a rider can adjust audio settings is also a plus. This series of holders offers something for everyone: an adjustable swivel-arm model to attach by suction to the windshield or dash, an air vent clip model, and a model that sticks to almost any surface to offer the swivel head, magnetic snap-on mount.
If you aren’t worried about losing the Qi charging feature, it’s fantastic. Otherwise, there are compromises. You may find an area of your phone where the plate doesn’t block the charging connection, but will it hold your device securely enough over construction and off-road driving?

Pricing is reasonable, and there is a wide variety of holder styles to choose from. $29.99 for cupholder model; $24.99 for Bike mount, CD slot mount, dash mount, windshield mount, or Anywhere+; $19.99 for headrest mount, air vent mount, Anywhere, or desktop. Extra plates, $9.99 for a set of two (one of each size).

Price: Varies depending on the item
Where to buy: The Naztech website or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Naztech.

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NazTech MagBuddy phone mount system review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 20, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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VAVA E-Touch Phone Holder for Car, Electric Auto Lock iPhone Mount review

These days, our phones are an extension of our daily lives, and we take them with us everywhere we go. I am no exception, and when in my car, I usually lay mine on my center console/armrest and just have the charging cable draped wherever and plugged into my USB power jack. Whenever I need to glance at my phone, it has been an issue since I would either quickly glance down at my center console while driving, or grab the phone as soon as I am at a traffic light or stop sign. While many dash mount phone holders are available, my issue has been that I have always hated fiddling with the buttons that need to be depressed to remove the phone, or fiddling to depress the phone correctly in the holder to engage the manual mechanism to lock it in securely. The VAVA-Touch Phone holder aims to resolve these issues, so, let’s see how it did.

What is it?

VAVA E-Touch Phone Holder for Car, Electric Auto Lock iPhone Mount, is a dash mountable cell phone holder that electronically manages to secure and release your phone.

What’s in the box


1 x Phone Holder
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Instruction Booklet

Design and features

This is a typical vehicle cell phone holder, with a suction cup at the bottom, that in this design is secured by pressing the base onto the dash and turning the gray colored part of the base clockwise to secure and counter-clockwise to release.
At the bottom part of the holder mechanism, there are two ports, one USB, and one micro USB. The micro USB port is used to power/charge the battery that is built into the holder, and the regular USB port can be used to power/charge your cell phone or any other USB accessory. The built-in battery means that once charged, the holder can operate and charge your device without being plugged into a power source.


Just below the phone holder, there is the arm that holds the phone holder mechanism, that can be extended to move the phone and holder closer to you or further away from you.

 

To the right and left of the ports, you will notice a “bulge” on the surface of each side. These “bulges”, are actually the touch-sensitive areas that disengage the arms of the holder to release the phone. When the phone is placed in the holder, the arms automatically and electronically close. This is accomplished by the pressure that is placed on the back of the holder when the phone is inserted.
The picture below shows the accessory charging cable plugged into the bottom of the holder. This cable can be used to charge any accessory that can be charged via USB, or to power any such device.


VAVA E-Touch Phone Holder mounts to the dash or windshield if so desired. The following picture shows the side view of the holder, mounted to my dash with both the power cable and my iPhone lightning cable attached. On the top of the arm behind the holder is the knob that secures or releases the extension arm.

To the right of the top knob is another knob that releases and secures the arm so that you can raise or lower it to the desired position.

This next picture is just a front facing view, with the cables attached. This is what you see from the Driver’s perspective before you attach the phone. Notice the gray pad at the surface of the back of the holder. That surface is the pressure pad that is engaged when you place your phone into the holder. The pressure on the pad activates the arms to securely close onto the sides of your phone


Once the phone is seated in the holder, the securing arms automatically close. In the following picture, I have my iPhone in the holder, with the lightning cable attached to charge the phone.

What I like

I like that the holder mounts in a very sturdy way to the dashboard, and when I tested it while driving on very rough NYC roads, the vibration was minimal. It is well built, and the electronic mechanism for opening and closing the securing arms works well.

What can be improved

What can be improved and what is my biggest disappointment with this holder, is that QI wireless charging is not built-in. The ability to place my phone in the holder, and have it charge wirelessly would make this a 5-star review.

Final thoughts

The VAVA E-Touch Phone Holder for Car, Electric Auto Lock iPhone Mount is a well-made mount, and it adds ease and convenience to secure your cell phone to the dash or windshield while maintaining it within proximity for easy viewing and access. The fact that it stays well secured to my dashboard and is not very affected by vibration makes it easy and practical for me to use. I currently have it installed in my car, and I use the charging port to power/charge my iPhone. I do believe that I will continue to use it at least until one with QI wireless charging is available. However, I am not convinced that the convenience of the powered security arms makes it a great value at its current price point when compared to other available holders that while not powered, are much cheaper.

Price: $29.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by VAVA.

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VAVA E-Touch Phone Holder for Car, Electric Auto Lock iPhone Mount review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 18, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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