The first thing I needed was an improved holder and charger. You can get the entry level G4100S CAR KIT from Seido for $50, and the phone will slide right in, you get a DC charger included, and DC output, plus a couple mounting options, no-brainer. That caught my eye, but I also spotted the G4500M kit that would give me my speaker phone, , audio out,a mic, and the option to window mount it. The window and vent mount caught my attention for the times I have to rent a car, or drive my rallyX car to an event. This would be the first part I needed in my quest to unlock the potential of the PPC6700.

The cradle arrived and I bolted straight to my existing AMPS compatible bracket, I dont recall where I got it, but bracketron.com or
pro-fit sell them. By bolting to the car you have a very stable platform on which to work.

Right away the improvement was obvious, the phone slid right in, making contact for power and audio, no messing about with wires each time. I was afraid it would look big and clunky in the small interior of my car, but the proportions match the phone, and an added bonus the silver/grey is a very close match for the WRX trim. A quick drive around the block, with BBC WorldService streaming through the speaker phone confirmed the sound level for voice was plenty, and adjusting in the side of the holder proved easier than trying to do it on the PPC, a nice touch.

I have attached pics of some of the details of the unit.
The audio out jack, allows me the option to pipe audio out to my car stereo, as you would expect the sound quality is as good as going straight from the PPC, but no wires to plug/unplug each time. This allows the GPS commands, music, phone calls or any other PPC audio output to connect to the aux inputs on my car stereo. The result, crystal clear streaming radio, phone calls you can hear over the loudest road noise.
The DC output allows me to power accessories, including the BT GPS. You can pickup 4mm to mini USB cables, and the common 4mm to 4mm ("iPaq connector").

I actually use a BT headset, so I didn't test the microphone and speakerphone functionality in depth yet, I realize this is important to many of you ( So I will add when I do). But in the couple calls i did try the caller could hear me perfectly, and had no problem listening to them over the speaker. And as I test later, the speaker was flawless with GPS directions.

Each mounting option has it's benefits and drawbacks.
The gooseneck mount allows you to position the phone to your liking. The suction cup attaches to any glass (or hard smooth) surface. Once attached it will not fall unless you unclamp it (as tested in RallyX car )
The vent mount worked in both cars I tried. It would be my preferred piece to carry on business trips, to switch between rental cars. You are however limited to positioning where vents are located, and some modern cars may have vents that are not suitable.
360 degree swivel, I used this at first, it gives you the ability to aim the screen right at the driver, and rotate to landscape mode. After a weeks use I found I never rotated the screen, and the angle of the pro-fit mount was already perfect.
So, I ended up bolting the included AMPS bracket straight to the pro-fit mount, and the G4500 simply slides in and out. This brings up a limitation however. Because the AMPS adaptor is attached to the car, I have to unbolt it each time I wanted to use the gooseneck or vent mount. So I would like to see Seidio include 2 adaptors, or offer one for sale. I have also read of people forgetting or losing the little adaptor on trips.

The cradle looks to be a little larger than it needs to be for what's inside. But Seidio appears to use the same form factor for all their car kits, and some include a built in GPS, where I am sure the space is utilized. However, I'd rather have a $99 cradle that’s a little bigger than it has to be, over a $200 one that has it's own production, and added costs.

In day to day use the functionality is there. The simple fact you can just slide your phone out of your pocket and into the cradle cannot be over estimated. No dragging out cables, no plugging in adaptors, it's ready to go each time you get in the car. Couple that with the fact you can move it from car to car and you have a great solution. Not that you have any other choices out there, but unless some else copies all the functions of the G4500 it is the unit to add to the car. And for not much more than a generic holder, you can pickup the G4100 with built in power included.




+ves:
Perfect fit for phone.
360 rotation for landscape mode.
Clean look, and solid construction.
Easy installation and mounting options.
Multiple audio options, mic out, clear speakerphone and audio out.
Ease of use, just drop in your phone.
Ability to slide the whole cradle on and off.
Price.




-ves:
Could be even smaller (but would cost more).
Some paint rubbing from sliding phone in and out.
Extra mounting adaptor please, or option to get one.