Going on car trips with kids can be rough. Hearing “are we there yet” too many times can make the trip seem endless. Electronics companies, and even car manufacturers, recognize this and make a variety of entertainment devices to keep those little backseat passengers occupied and entertained. If your car doesn’t have the built-in DVD players and you don’t own a portable DVD player, you could just let your kids use your iPad for entertainment. Get yourself a Rear Seat Headrest Mount and Custom-Fit Protective Holder from Arkon first, though. Arkon Resources Inc. was kind enough to send the headrest mounting system to The Gadgeteer for review.
The iPad mounting system consists of two parts. There’s a universal headrest mounting pedestal and a protective cover for the iPad.
The protective cover is a black plastic back cover. The inside is flocked with a black velveteen-type fabric. The outside has a textured surface that looks like carbon fibers. There’s a black plastic mounting plate on the back of the cover.
Cutouts leave all controls and connectors completely accessible on the iPad. You can use this as your daily-use iPad case, but the mounting plate is raised and will prevent your iPad from laying flat.
The mounting pedestal is made of black plastic, and it attaches to the headrest posts. The two legs remind me of scissors handles. They are laterally adjustable to fit most any headrest. To install, simply pull the headrest off the car seat, slide the mounting pedestal onto the posts, and then replace the headrest. Use the adjustment knob on each leg to tighten the mount on the headrest posts.
The mounting head is a square with two raised, rectangular tabs. The tabs lock into the back of the protective cover to hold the iPad in place. To use, simply insert the dual tabs on the mounting pedestal into the openings on the mounting plate on the cover and slide until the tabs lock into place. After you attach the cover to the mounting head, adjust the lateral angle of the mounting head, then tighten the adjustment knob.
The mounting head is attached to the pedestal with a ball-and-socket joint. You can tilt the iPad up and down or side-to-side for best viewing. You can also rotate the iPad from horizontal to vertical orientation with the ball-and-socket joint. Unless the passenger in the front seat is virtually lying flat, you should be able to easily adjust the iPad for comfortable viewing.
Rachel was able to watch videos with her iPad mounted on the back of the passenger seat. She’s 15, so her arms were long enough to reach the iPad and make adjustments or use the controls. She could even read books on the iPad.
If you already have an iPad, the Arkon Headrest Mounting System for iPad is an economical way to provide your backseat passengers with entertainment during long car trips. My only concern is I wish you could fold the mounting pedestal out of the way when it’s not in use.
Product Information
| Price: | $39.95 |
| Manufacturer: | Arkon Resources Inc. |
| Retailer: | Arkon Resources Inc. |
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In an accident, this may be what kills your child when it slams into their face…
@kryptik : my thoughts exactly. There was a review of another similar mounting system, and I said the same thing. I have been in a car accident where the rear seat passenger smashed her face against the back of the front seat despite wearing a seat belt. The seat belt prevented more serious injury, but it was not enough to prevent a bit of face-mashing.
Smashing her face into a gorilla-glass panel of the iPad would have disfigured her for life, blinded her, or killed her. This is such a bad idea I’m surprised nobody has sued the manufacturer yet.
I don’t see what the difference from having a DVD player in the headrest from this product. I love this idea, because when we go on road trips my kids like to watch TV from my Ipad. I work at DISH Network and have the TV Everywhere with them. The kids love to watch all their shows live and all their recordings. The one thing they always hated was when they would have to take turns holding the Ipad. Now with this they won’t have to.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you…
By the way, I’ve seen the damage done firsthand when somebody I know was in an accident and their aftermarket mounted DVD player became an in car missile. I refuse to place anything like this in front of my daughter’s face when driving. A media player that is actually installed in the headrest is one thing, this product is a tragedy waiting to happen. I’ll never have either, however.
I plan to purchase this easily installed and precisely adjustable device despite the fear mongering helicopter rants of a few.
Then again, my child is in a secure car seat. Sounds like failing seat belts are to blame. You should probably be more worried about the texting while driving teens you’re incubating back there. The probability is fairly grave with that one. You’re in a two ton box at 55+ mph careening down the highway and you’re not worried? P lease!!!
I like it is very simple and could be easily adjusted. There is no need to buy a dvd player.