Ever since I got my (first generation) iPad I was fascinated with the prospect of having it mounted in my car and used as a navigation device. Back then a 10” tablet screen somewhere on your dashboard seemed like a mildly crazy idea. Since then we’ve all gotten used to the carrying relatively large-screened devices everywhere with us – I’ve been using 4.8” screened Samsung Galaxy S III for a few weeks now, and many manufacturers are now coming up with smartphones that are pushing 6” in diagonal. (Some call these devices “phablets.”) At the same time my 5” screened Garmin navigational device is starting to look small and puny in comparison. So the time has finally come to get my iPad in my car and get all the info on a gloriously large screen.

This Satechi car tablet mount is an almost perfect lightweight car mount for tablets. It’s sturdy, easy to mount, very stable, hangs over the dashboard, and it brings the tablet within the reach while driving. The large, sticky gel suction cup ensures a very firm and reliable grip to the dashboard. I’ve been using this mount for a few weeks and I had to deal with any flying iPads during that time. The spring-loaded tablet holder makes inserting and taking your tablet out a very straightforward procedure, although I do have to fiddle with the positioning a little bit for the proper alignment.

The ball grip that connects the holder to the base of the mount affords several degrees of freedom, which makes the adjustment of the position and the tilt of the iPad very convenient. I’ve discovered that tilting the holder slightly forward gives me the best view of the iPad, and it also prevents the problems with the sun glare that I’ve had in the past with some other mounts.

I use this stand and my iPad primarily with the Waze app – it gives me a very clear and up-to-the-moment indication of the traffic conditions, sometimes a few miles ahead. It has certainly helped me save lots of time from being unnecessarily stuck in traffic. That alone makes this a very valuable mount to have and use with your large tablet.