I've been looking for a way to secure my iPad while driving. The iPad, is my ultimate travel companion second to the bus itself and when equipped with 4G is a powerful tool not just for entertainment, but for keeping in touch with family, it serves as a great aide in navigation, finding places to eat and stay (street view also helps to check out an area first to make sure it's not a dump) as well as giving selected friends and family (note the order there) the ability to track the bus remotely on their iOS device or online which is a great safety net.
Typically, the iPad just sits on the passenger seat. But that becomes less than ideal when a person wants to sit there. Even then, leaving the iPad (filled with countless hundreds of dollars in music and apps not no mention many memories in the photo gallery) teetering precariously on the in dash drink caddy is less than ideal.
I had been familiar with RAM mounts from my time in the fire/ems field. We utilized these mounts to hold laptop computers in the vehicles. I recently found that RAM makes ipad hardware too. I did some research, and didn't want a cumbersome aluminum arm occuding the walkthrough of my bay. I wanted something that cold be bent or turned out of the way so as to not hinder the space when camping, or when the seat is turned around in my Westy. RAM kits are modular, and you pick the pieces you need to make a solution for your space.
I picked these:
The cradle, with charger dock and locking mechanism
http://rammount.com/Gallery/images/RAM- ... P8DLU1.jpgThere ARE slimmer cradles for the iPad, several options from RAM are available. They range from basic cradles (that just hold the iPad in place) to others that are docks (to allow charging and music play) and others that have built in locks. I wanted one that had a dock, and a lock. This was the only unit to have BOTH. I also like that while it appears a bit bulky, there isn't another key to carry or loose.
The flex arm that mounts to the passenger side seat stand with one-way theft deterrent hardware
http://rammount.com/Gallery/images/RAM- ... 1-202U.jpgThe theft lock to keep the arm and the cradle from being unscrewed (preventing someone from walking off with the iPad, locked inside the cradle)
http://rammount.com/Gallery/images/RAM- ... NOB3L2.jpgThe plan is to run the wiring down the flex arm, and either back to the spare battery under the floor in the back, or under the rubber mat (maybe under the bus) to get back up power to the iPad, and allow the radio to interface with the iPad for music (on the iPad, or streamed like from Pandora) as well, as to allow for hands free phone and video calls through Skype, and navigation to play through the in car speakers.
The GPS Drive HD Motion X app, makes a great "dashboard" that gives you access to navigation, with turn by turn directions and speedometer and altimeter. As well as one touch access to real time traffic, reroutes, favorite locations (as well as addresses in my iPad's contact list) You can store maps, for travel, change between a day and night view (screen colors that effect your vision less at night) Flag favorites along the route, and even work my iTunes playlists from within the GPS ap and check-in to places on my Facebook and Twitter accounts.
I'll be looking into external GPS antennas to give a bit better range with the iPad though the iPad's native Google Maps is quite efficient.
I'll be looking in the near future of a smaller less theft deterrent solution for securing the iPad in side the roof so I can watch tv or a movie while relaxing before bed.
More later!
