Review: Samsung Google Nexus Vehicle Mount

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is an accomplished Android smartphone. Not only does it cover most features anyone would want from a modern smartphone, it also rocks the latest pure Android OS experience with 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Samsung Google Nexus vehicle mount is potentially a must-have accessory for Gnex users who drive, we take it for a spin.

Android smartphones have all the features that make them perfect devices on the road. Built in Google Maps and navigation, the ability to play back music and podcasts as well as decent voice controls for getting simple tasks done without having to fiddle with the phone by hand.

I've replaced my standalone Magellan car GPS with whatever smartphone I am using at the time.

The Galaxy Nexus did such a great job at navigating me around even if I did not have it mounted on the windshield or the dashboard that I decided to purchase the Samsung Google Nexus Vehicle Mount from Expansys.ca for $60.00.

I searched high and low in various retailers and Canadian carrier shops for a solution but Expansys.ca was the only one that had the model in stock.

There are many universal vehicle mounts available in the market but I've always believed that the manufacturers of the device you own should be trusted to make the best product even if it costs significantly higher than what third party mounts sell for. I figured with these mounts, you get what you pay for.

The Samsung Google Nexus Vehicle Mount consists of a dock that very snugly snaps around the Galaxy Nexus as well as a standard  microUSB power cord that connects to the lighter port in your vehicle for power.

In terms of design it seems sturdy and designed to look and feel seamless to both your vehicle and the smartphone.

The vehicle mount uses suction to connect to the glass on your windshield and has the ability to tilt as well as rotate the Galaxy Nexus in various horizontal and vertical positions.

An audio out port is available for users who have this capability in their stereo head units.

Popping in the Galaxy Nexus puts the smartphone in "Car Mode" which adds buttons for voice control access and also preps it for use as a GPS navigation. This isn't as specialized as other car modes we've seen which have new icons specifically designed for easier one handed operation while in a car.

GPS navigation and music playback are what I use the smartphone for while driving. I avoid taking or making calls as they are distracting but the vehicle mount does make it easier to tap to answer calls and bring the smartphone's microphones closer for clearer conversations.

Once connected, the Vehicle Mount really optimizes use of the Galaxy Nexus while managing to keep it charged so it is good to go when you arrive at your destination.

But here is where things go horribly wrong.

There's something about the design of the Samsung Google Nexus Vehicle Mount that makes it unreasonably difficlut to remove the Galaxy Nexus from the dock.

The fit is so insanely tight that you feel like you are forcing the smartphone to breaking point each time you remove it.

Whoever designed this thing just didn't leave any tolerance or conceive that users of the vehicle mount would be installing and removing the smartphone multiple times each day.

Even after a week of heavy use, it has been terribly difficult to extricate the smartphone from the mount. Removing the Galaxy Nexus with one hand is impossible, even with two hands and pushing it from behind is brutal. I've sent the smartphone flying more than a couple of times and even nearly took my own eye out just by trying to remove it.

This isn't an isolated case as even the Expansys.ca review pages reflect the same issue and so does Amazon.com  show that this is likely a universal issue with this model vehicle mount. 

This really is too bad because the Samsung Google Nexus Vehicle Mount could have been the perfect solution for mouting and using the Galaxy Nexus in a vehicle. Not only is it expensive, making it so difficult to remove the smartphone from the mount will really dampen any enthusiasm anyone might have had for this accessory.

Rating:

2 out of 5