Mobility Digest Review: DZ Dock version 1.1 & 1.2

I have reviewed a lot of products for you guys here at Mobility Digest. From the latest and greatest smartphones and tablets to all the accessories you can think of that fit on them. I never stop getting excited when the UPS or FED EX driver show up to my door. And so it was yesterday when I had a small little package on my desk that I was pretty excited to open it. It wasn’t something a huge company sent me to review, rather it was something I bought. Yes, I dug out my old paypal account and ponied up to buy an accessory I really wanted to have without sending a request. That product was a DZ Dock version 1.1 specifically for my iPad 2. I really was diggin’ how the product was made out of actual metal, made here in the United States, and made by an 11 year old and his Dad in Bethlehem Pennsylvania.

Dino Zaharakis is an 11 year old who started out by customizing lacrosse sticks by dying the head. Dino’s buddies loved it so he came up with a business plan that included some order forms, a websites, and charging 5 bucks a stick. Pretty slick huh? But it was when his parents were sending him to summer camp and reviewing them on an iPad with a stand his dad “rigged” up that he got his start. Of course I am only guessing here, but it says that Dino found several design flaws and suggested he could do better, which to me means he dogged the ol’ man for a pitiful stand and said he could do better blindfolded! (that part isn’t mentioned). so his dad challenged him that “If he could design an iPad dock and web-site to market it, he could get a phone.” Turns out his Dad did well to inspire Dino.

So as I wrote a couple months ago, Dino and his DZ Dock has won multiple design awards and has set some folks back on their heels with his bold and fresh design solving the dilemma of how to display you iPad and iPhone. but as it turns out, the DZ Dock pretty much works on everything.  It is when we get into the review and you check out the pictures that one thing stands clear, this is made out of metal, made in the USA, and made by an 11 year old.

So lets jump right into another exciting edition of Mobility Digest Reviews with Dino’s DZ Dock version 1.1 and version 1.2. The DZ Dock is made from a very thick gauge of recyclable solid aluminum and has a very sturdy feel to it. The versions I got were anodized black and it had a very cool brushed metal look to it. I tend to prefer black because of how it makes the stand disappear into the background while watching movies which is precisely why I do not care for the white iPad 2 I have. It too clearly defines the 9.7 inch viewing area while the black version makes the images (to me) seem bigger.

There are 4 version available from the retail side of DZ Dock which are red, blue, black, and silver. Various other colors are available with even laser etching logos if that’s your thing. Quantities of 50 will get anything you want on the front of the DZ Dock Version 1.2 in a 2.5” x 1” area. Seems they only need a week to deliver too.

One of the coolest things about the DZ Dock is how it works for both smartphones and tablets. The DZ Dock incorporates the Patent Pending  “No fishing” wire management system that you can see below in the photos. Another problem that devices owners run into is that they have to remove the case in order to use a docking stand, but not with DZ Dock. The sitting area of the device is very wide and will accommodate the iPhone 4S in an OtterBox Defender Case as well as the iPad 2 in an OtterBox Reflex Case. The front of the sitting area is raised so that the device can’t fall of the front.

The bottom side of the DZ Dock have some very cool silicone feet that really do a nice job holding the stand down and not allowing your device to walk around the table even on the slickest of surfaces. Check it out:

In portrait mode the DZ Dock has the very cool “No Fishing” wire management system that allows you to stand your device straight up and have the plug and wire plumb from the bottom to the back through a slot to make your wire run straight and true to the ac outlet. This makes conference calling with the iPad 2 really nice. And the DZ Dock also works in landscape as you can see here. I used my HTC Titan in the picture because the power/sync plug is on the side so you can see how easy the DZ Docks works with devices that have different plug locations.

As a tablet docking solution the DZ Dock does a great job. Just as in the case with the smartphone, the tablets all sit nicely in the DZ Dock and never wobble. The DZ Dock has enough weight and strength to display your tablet in a very nice viewing angle. The “No Fishing” wire management system works just like before with the smartphones in that all wires can be plumbed through the bottom and routed out the back to an AC outlet or USB port while syncing.

So there you have it. I am going to let the pictures finish telling the story and wrap it up by simply saying the DZ Dock is a winner. It is incredibly well made, innovated, and universal. This is not just an iPhone and iPad docking solution. almost any smartphone or tablet in or out of a case will work with the DZ Dock version 1.1 and version 1.2. The DZ Docks run $29.99 but I noticed that there is still a black version 1.1 that you see in the review that is still priced at $19.99. that is a heck of a good deal and I would highly recommend it. I actually prefer the look of the version 1.1 over the version 1.2 but I think those who want engraving will obviously like that one better. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to DZ Dock right now and grab one for you or for a friend, they make great gift ideas. Here’s the link:

http://www.dzdock.com/

Make sure you check out the videos and background on Dino and how the whole concept came together. It is really cool to see a success story like Dino and then keep America working by having them made here in the USA. That link is here:

http://www.dzdock.com/aboutus.php