Apple Watch Travel Stand
I really like the concept of the Apple Watch Travel Stand. I used to travel one hundred percent of the time for work and this would have been great to have while I was still doing that. That being said, this is still a great product to use at home. It’s a simple product; you place the charging portion of your Apple Watch cable into the center of the travel stand and run it through the base to where it plugs in. If you’re worried about needing extra battery life or staying overnight somewhere, you can wrap your cable into the base and it becomes a carrying pouch for it. Then you unwrap your cable, plug it in, and you’re charging. Belkin makes it very clear on the package not to pull the cable out of the base, but rather unwrap it manually. I would definitely recommend this to protect your cable.
Here’s where things get good. If you prefer to just lay your Apple Watch down to charge, go right ahead. If you prefer Nightstand Mode, just flip the center up and there you go. Now your Apple Watch is a bedside clock and alarm clock. This design is simple and effective. I love everything about it. I used to dismiss Nightstand Mode because I have dedicated alarm clocks, however, after using it just once I immediately saw how nice it is. I think I will be using Nightstand Mode a lot more often just because of this stand. So if you travel a lot, I definitely recommend getting one. If you live at home and don’t want to spend nearly $100 on some other dedicated Apple Watch stand that doesn’t have Nightstand Mode or standard charge only mode, then I again recommend this stand to have both options. I think it’s a little pricey at $40, but that’s your call to make. I will be using this every night.
The Good
The Bad
3.5mm Audio + Lightning RockStar
You’ve probably heard about this product already because it’s the go-to product for headphones and charging your iPhone 7/8/X at the same time. It’s a simple product, in that it’s a dongle that has a 3.5mm audio jack and a lightning port on it. The lightning cable end that connects your phone is roughly three and a half inches long while the main dongle portion is roughly one inch by one and a half inches. This is my biggest issue with this device and why I’ve been a little hesitant to get it. It just seems a little bulky for the function and I’m worried the cable portion is going to wear out or break fairly quickly if used often. It would be great to see a much smaller variant in the future. The box does say you cannot plug headphones into the lightning port, or in other words, it’s not a headphone splitter. I have tested this myself and confirmed that is the case. The big question is, does it do what it’s supposed to? Yes, it does let you listen to music while charging your phone. As far as audio quality goes, I didn’t notice any differences. You’re going to get the same audio quality you’re used to. Am I convinced it’s worth $40? Not for me, but if you need to use an audio cable or headphones while charging your phone regularly then it is definitely worth it.
MIXIT↑ DuraTek Lightning Cable
This one is going to be pretty brief, it’s a lightning cable. The MIXIT↑ lightning cables, however, comes in black, silver, gold, or rose gold so you can...mix it up. What sets the DuraTek cable apart from other cables is that the wires are Kevlar reinforced. This is to enhance and protect the wires inside. Like Apple’s own lightning cable, the MIXIT↑ DuraTek lightning cable has a drain wire inside for protection. The wires are also insulated for even more protection and added flexibility. Belkin claims the MIXIT↑ DuraTek cable can withstand five thousand plus bends. There is a braided shield cable inside as well as metalized Mylar shielding to help prevent external interference. The jacket of the cable itself is a TPE cable that is soft, pliable, and eco-friendly. The outermost jacket is double braided nylon which helps resist abrasions, reduce fraying, and increase the lifespan of the cable.
Where does Apple fall short? The cable boots. No need to worry here as the MIXIT↑ DuraTek lightning cable has an aluminum boot for extra protection where you bend the cable the most. My only gripe with this cable is that it’s not as malleable as I like my cables. Which is to say, it’s just a little stiff, but I’m okay with it for all the added protection it gives. And here’s the thing, Apple’s cable is $20 and this extra defensive cable is only $30. One last thing to mention about the MIXIT↑ DuraTek cable is that it’s only available in a four-foot length option. This may not be long enough for some people, but it would definitely work great for a dock, car charger, or battery pack. While I tend to mostly use a ten-foot lightning cable, I do really like this cable.
Conclusion
I may have been really excited to try the Apple Watch Travel Stand, however, I like all these products more than I thought I would. I don’t need to charge my phone and use audio at the same time often, but when I do, I’m glad I have the option now. Having a really strong cable is absolutely great for my usage in my truck to charge my phone as I think it’ll handle the weather much better. As I mentioned the Travel Stand is $40, the RockStar is also $40, and the cable is $30. You can always buy them directly from Belkin. You can buy the Apple Watch Travel Stand right here, the 3.5mm Audio and Lightning RockStar here, and the MIXIT↑ DuraTek Lightning Cable here.
I really like the concept of the Apple Watch Travel Stand. I used to travel one hundred percent of the time for work and this would have been great to have while I was still doing that. That being said, this is still a great product to use at home. It’s a simple product; you place the charging portion of your Apple Watch cable into the center of the travel stand and run it through the base to where it plugs in. If you’re worried about needing extra battery life or staying overnight somewhere, you can wrap your cable into the base and it becomes a carrying pouch for it. Then you unwrap your cable, plug it in, and you’re charging. Belkin makes it very clear on the package not to pull the cable out of the base, but rather unwrap it manually. I would definitely recommend this to protect your cable.
Here’s where things get good. If you prefer to just lay your Apple Watch down to charge, go right ahead. If you prefer Nightstand Mode, just flip the center up and there you go. Now your Apple Watch is a bedside clock and alarm clock. This design is simple and effective. I love everything about it. I used to dismiss Nightstand Mode because I have dedicated alarm clocks, however, after using it just once I immediately saw how nice it is. I think I will be using Nightstand Mode a lot more often just because of this stand. So if you travel a lot, I definitely recommend getting one. If you live at home and don’t want to spend nearly $100 on some other dedicated Apple Watch stand that doesn’t have Nightstand Mode or standard charge only mode, then I again recommend this stand to have both options. I think it’s a little pricey at $40, but that’s your call to make. I will be using this every night.
The Good
- Compact
- Cable holder
- Dock mode or standard
The Bad
- Price
- Cable may catch inside
- TPU may be a little thin
3.5mm Audio + Lightning RockStar
You’ve probably heard about this product already because it’s the go-to product for headphones and charging your iPhone 7/8/X at the same time. It’s a simple product, in that it’s a dongle that has a 3.5mm audio jack and a lightning port on it. The lightning cable end that connects your phone is roughly three and a half inches long while the main dongle portion is roughly one inch by one and a half inches. This is my biggest issue with this device and why I’ve been a little hesitant to get it. It just seems a little bulky for the function and I’m worried the cable portion is going to wear out or break fairly quickly if used often. It would be great to see a much smaller variant in the future. The box does say you cannot plug headphones into the lightning port, or in other words, it’s not a headphone splitter. I have tested this myself and confirmed that is the case. The big question is, does it do what it’s supposed to? Yes, it does let you listen to music while charging your phone. As far as audio quality goes, I didn’t notice any differences. You’re going to get the same audio quality you’re used to. Am I convinced it’s worth $40? Not for me, but if you need to use an audio cable or headphones while charging your phone regularly then it is definitely worth it.
MIXIT↑ DuraTek Lightning Cable
This one is going to be pretty brief, it’s a lightning cable. The MIXIT↑ lightning cables, however, comes in black, silver, gold, or rose gold so you can...mix it up. What sets the DuraTek cable apart from other cables is that the wires are Kevlar reinforced. This is to enhance and protect the wires inside. Like Apple’s own lightning cable, the MIXIT↑ DuraTek lightning cable has a drain wire inside for protection. The wires are also insulated for even more protection and added flexibility. Belkin claims the MIXIT↑ DuraTek cable can withstand five thousand plus bends. There is a braided shield cable inside as well as metalized Mylar shielding to help prevent external interference. The jacket of the cable itself is a TPE cable that is soft, pliable, and eco-friendly. The outermost jacket is double braided nylon which helps resist abrasions, reduce fraying, and increase the lifespan of the cable.
Where does Apple fall short? The cable boots. No need to worry here as the MIXIT↑ DuraTek lightning cable has an aluminum boot for extra protection where you bend the cable the most. My only gripe with this cable is that it’s not as malleable as I like my cables. Which is to say, it’s just a little stiff, but I’m okay with it for all the added protection it gives. And here’s the thing, Apple’s cable is $20 and this extra defensive cable is only $30. One last thing to mention about the MIXIT↑ DuraTek cable is that it’s only available in a four-foot length option. This may not be long enough for some people, but it would definitely work great for a dock, car charger, or battery pack. While I tend to mostly use a ten-foot lightning cable, I do really like this cable.
Conclusion
I may have been really excited to try the Apple Watch Travel Stand, however, I like all these products more than I thought I would. I don’t need to charge my phone and use audio at the same time often, but when I do, I’m glad I have the option now. Having a really strong cable is absolutely great for my usage in my truck to charge my phone as I think it’ll handle the weather much better. As I mentioned the Travel Stand is $40, the RockStar is also $40, and the cable is $30. You can always buy them directly from Belkin. You can buy the Apple Watch Travel Stand right here, the 3.5mm Audio and Lightning RockStar here, and the MIXIT↑ DuraTek Lightning Cable here.
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