I’ve been on the hunt for the “perfect” iPhone dock (for me at least) since I first got my iPhone 3GS. The stock Apple dock seemed OK, but I’ve always kept my iPhones in a case of one type or another, and none of them have been compatible with the Apple dock. No dock over the last several years has excited me until I saw the Elevation Dock from ElevationLab. It’s a Kickstarter project, so it isn’t actually available yet, but it looks simply awesome.
For those not familiar, Kickstarter helps inventors, artist and other folks with creative ideas to make them a reality by providing a site that facilitates collecting funding for their projects to get off the ground. Funds are pledged by average Joes and Janes like you and me, and in exchange (and depending on the pledge amount), “backers” can get exclusive first shots at the products when they go into production—that is, if the project receives the minimum amount of funding.
The Elevation Dock is machined from a solid block of aluminum and the basic version is finished to match an iMac or iPad. The hefty weight, as well as a “special low-friction connection” helps make insertion and removal of your iPhone or iPod touch quick and easy. It is also compatible with virtually any iPhone case thanks to a “clever movable support pad.” The base version goes for a pledge of $59 and the price and added features increase from there. As of this writing, the Elevation Dock already has exceeded its required pledge funding, so it is virtually a sure thing that it will be made. But you only have until February 11, 2012 to get your pledge in—after that, the prices will jump up when it goes retail. It’s a bit pricey, but I just might be willing to pay for what the Elevation Dock is offering.
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That is one beautiful piece of aluminum! Just placed my order in!
I will be ordering the matte black one.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
The only thing I’m trying to figure out is, should I order the Elevation Dock or the Elevation Dock+? Oh, and that I’d like to have one for my desk at work and one for my nightstand, but that would be a lot to shell out.
@Andy if you want a similar dock now, here’s another option: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/01/02/get-100-of-your-us-recommended-daily-allowance-of-zinc-with-this-cool-iphone-dock/
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Thanks Julie, I didn’t know about the ZDock. Although the lower price (thank the Elevation Dock) is appealing, I am dubious of the angled orientation of the iPhone in the ZDock. Seems like there would be an unnecessarily odd loading condition placed on the iPhone’s connector port at that angle. :/
@Andy – yea the ZDock does look like the connector port will put a strain on the iPhone’s port.
I ordered the Elevation Dock. I just hope it’ll be compatible with the next iPhone I get or else it would be literally one expensive paper weight.
I just pried off the white outer shell of a standard Apple Universal Dock. I can dock everything from an iPod Nano 6G to an iPhone with a case.
Although it’s not as elegant as the Elevation Dock, an inexpensive substitute is to take any ol’ dock like Apple’s that’s too light to remain stationary and plop a glob of “museum putty” underneath to hold it tight to the surface. Also called “blue tack,” this stuff is very sticky but with most surfaces (test first) will come off cleanly even years later. Museums use it to keep vases, small statutes, etc. firmly anchored in their display cases–hence “museum putty.”
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
@Jackie – Agreed, that does make me a bit nervous too, but I don’t expect Apple to deviate from their dock configuration in future devices. At least I hope!
@Eric – So what you are left with is just the guts of the Apple dock? Does it provide any support for the device you are docking on it, or is it just free-standing?
@David Conrad – That could help with the dock sticking when you lift the iPhone off it, but it doesn’t help with the problem of using a case with the the dock, which the Elevation Dock apparently solves (at least for the vast majority of cases).
@Andy Jacobs – You’re right. The problem I have with MANY docking stations and similar accessories is that they don’t work with anything but a naked i-device. If the Elevation Dock can work with different cases, it’s a lot more valuable.
@Andy Jacobs – the bottom of the device rests on the dock, is attached to the connector and stands upright without any problem. My family has a couple of iPhones, iPod Touches, an iPod Nano 6G and an iPad. Over the years we’ve gone through an iPod Nano 1G, an iPod Mini and a Video iPod. All but the iPad, of course, fit in the dock and work great. I simply keep it next to a central PC in the house running iTunes. Whoever, needs to sync up or charge up can plug into the dock. I’d venture that it has been used several hundred times.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Well, I’ve held out about long enough. I placed an order for the Dock+. Excited to get my hands on this–expect a review in the future!
@Andy I look forward to hearing more!