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

With the open street changing into an excellent stranger place every day and the vacation journey season approaching, many customers wish to file their drives, whether or not for proof within the occasion of an accident or to watch their very own driving habits. 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 won’t wish to leap straight into the deep finish of the dashcam market.

All of that’s nice and dandy. In spite of everything, there is a product on the market for nearly every part, and in order for you a funds sprint cam that doubles as a cellphone mount, I consider I’ve discovered the one you are on the lookout 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 drawback by mounting onto your rearview mirror and, in flip, can even double as a superb choice 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 prefer to stay with, nevertheless it hasn’t snagged in my pocket as soon as, reveals no indicators of ever coming off until I actually attempt, and does not stick out like a sore thumb. Granted, I’ve a black cellphone case that blends in fairly nicely, 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 anyplace 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 you do one thing exceptionally nicely with any cellphone mount, I might fairly that be the sticking level, pun supposed.

It doubles as a standard cellphone mount, too

With the ability to multitask is a should lately

Whereas the rearview mount works nice, particularly in vehicles like mine with massive entrance windshields, having the ability to concurrently perform as a vent-based cellphone mount offers the Lounge-IT just a few further props. In the event you’re in a sedan or a hatchback with a smaller entrance windshield, this could be the higher choice for you.

The most effective factor in regards to the cellphone mount is that it is adjustable to any vent measurement 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 couple of 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 practically each car comes normal 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 automotive 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 choice, the possibilities 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 subject whereas conserving 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 among the most helpful I’ve reviewed when it comes to usability and practicality.

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