Seidio Innotraveler is a screwy car phone mount
The Seidio Innotraveler's hinged structure proved difficult to adjust, and its screws were prone to come loose in our testing.
A smartphone mount for your car's windshield should have a good range of adjustability and sturdy construction, both attributes lacking in Seidio's Innotraveler mount. This suction cup relies on a complex set of hinges for positioning, and a sticky pad to hold the phone in place.
The Innotraveler's problems became apparent when I first stuck it to a windshield for road-testing. I had tried out its range of adjustment at my desk, and when I brought it out to a car, I noticed the nut holding the main hinge had fallen off, leaving just the screw securing the suction-cup base to the mount.
As that screw sat loose in the plastic hinge joint, it fell out and became irretrievably lost when I pulled the suction cup loose from the windshield.
Limited mobility
The mount consists of its suction-cup base attached to its main arm by a hinge, and the phone holder attached to the main arm by a sideways hinge. The phone holder mounts on a screw, so it can rotate 360 degrees. A backing nut locks it into place, but it can too easily come unscrewed completely from the main arm.
At only 4 inches long, the main arm kept the phone fairly close to the windshield, which would make it difficult to access in cars with deep dashboards. The lack of a ball joint on the Innotraveler greatly reduced my ability to set the phone in an optimal position.
The suction cup includes a lever to increase its hold on the windshield, keeping that end securely mounted.
Hold the phone
Two sticky pads hold the phone to a piece of flat plastic, and an arm hanging below has two tabs hanging out for extra support. The lower arm has a set screw so it can be adjusted up and down slightly. However, even in its highest position, the phone holder proved too wide for my iPhone. With the phone resting on the tabs, it left about a quarter of the sticky pads exposed.
Small tablets, such as a Nexus 7, would be a much better fit. However, I would hesitate to stick anything larger to the windshield because of the visual obstruction.
Given that the Innotraveler's tabs only run along the long edge of the holder, it is not really designed to hold a phone or tablet vertically, limiting further limiting its flexibility.
Out road-testing it, the sticky pads did an excellent job of holding my phone in place. It did not slip as I drove over a variety of roads. I also slapped my phone into place unevenly, yet the pads still held on. However, after a couple of days the pads felt less adhesive.
A quick wash restored adhesion, but that's a level of maintenance I don't want to have to perform for a car mount.
The mount lacks any advanced features, such as a power cable pass-through or any sort of dock.
After putting the Seidio Innotraveler through its paces, I came away unimpressed. The sticky pads will require occasional washing; I prefer a clamp-style mount. The adjustment screws were prone to slipping out of their hinges, and the lack of a ball joint limited flexibility.
Too big for most smartphones, the Innotraveler could work for a small tablet, but there are better options available.
