Why You Can Trust CNET Kensington LiquidAUX Deluxe review: Kensington LiquidAUX Deluxe
This iPhone cradle for vehicles with a 3.5mm auxiliary port is a great buy. The adjustable design fits well in most cars and the wireless, mountable remote control will make song skipping while driving safer.
The Kensington LiquidAUX Deluxe is a car cradle for iPods and iPhones designed specifically for vehicles equipped with a 3.5mm auxiliary port. While not the prettiest iPod car cradle on the market, it is one of the most flexible we've tested. It worked well on a variety of car dashboards, thanks to its range of mounting options and configuration styles. The supplied wireless remote control also sets it apart from many of its competitors in the market.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Design and Features
In the LiquidAUX's box is a power adapter that fits into your car's cigarette lighter port, a 3.5mm audio cable that plugs into your sound system's auxiliary jack, a handy 1.2m audio cable extension, the cradle itself and the remote control.
The wireless remote control is one the highlights of the LiquidAUX Deluxe. It can be attached to the steering wheel, so you can operate your iPod/iPhone while keeping your eyes on the road as you drive — a handy safety feature. As the remote is wireless and easily unclipped, it can be shared around with your passengers. The range of the remote should be adequate for all but the most stretched limos. During our testing, the remote worked fine from the boot of a Datsun 180B station wagon. The remote's only fault is that while it can skip, pause and play the precious tunes stored on your iPhone or iPod, it can't adjust the volume.
Performance
The cradle of the LiquidAUX Deluxe has a gooseneck which allows your iPhone, or iPhone if you're feeling a bit out there, to be positioned in either portrait or landscape mode. This is ideal for users wanting to read maps on the iPhone while driving or allowing passengers to view multimedia functions on the device.
The cradle docks your iPhone/iPod to the cigarette lighter port via Apple's proprietary connector, which charges the device. With its adjustable arms, all full-size iPods from the third generation onwards, as well as all manner of Nanos, fit the LiquidAUX Deluxe without too much of a problem.
Conclusion
Overall the Kensington LiquidAUX Deluxe is one of the best and most flexible solutions to connect your iPhone to the car stereo around, but only if your car has a 3.5mm auxiliary jack.