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I recently came across a company called Mobio at an IT event.  This company has launched itself with the strap line of “The smart way to use mobile devices”.  With its headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, this American company has set itself the task of developing innovative, high-quality products that have been designed to enhance the use of mobile devices.  The initial batch of products emerging from the company consist of three pieces of kit, namely the Mobo Grip, Mobo Pivot and the Mobo Go.

While this report will concentrate mainly on the Mobo Go which I have been using in my car, a brief mention of the other two products will not be out of place especially as all three are based on the same technology.  The close connection between these three products can be judged by the fact that the company has produced a single concertina style instruction booklet that covers all three products.  Each of these offerings consists of a base unit and an attachment that link together magnetically.

The Mobo Grip has been designed for use with any of the larger tablets that you might struggle to hold in one hand while using the other hand to activate the various features available from the touch screen.  You need to attach the small base unit on the back of the tablet using the industry grade adhesive pad that forms part of the base unit.  If your tablet has a “jelly” case or other soft material covering then you might need to cut a small hole to ensure the adhesive can make a better contact. 

The second part of this kit is a bit like a miniature egg and cup holder.  This can be magnetically attached to the base unit so giving you a small knob-like feature that you can grip rather than attempt to hold onto the tablet itself.  Using this method you can quickly switch between displaying the tablet in portrait or landscape orientation.  You can also use this grip feature to ensure that when you place the tablet on a table or other flat surface, it is displayed at an angle making it easier to view the screen.

The Mobo Pivot is a desktop product that can be used with a variety of devices such as tablets or phones.  As before you need to attach the base unit to whatever device you intend using.  This device can then be mounted, held firmly by the magnetic force, on the supplied stand.  You will be able to interact with the mobile device in hands-free mode and, especially if your work space is anything like mine, give your mobile device a high profile so that you know where exactly it is rather than having to sort through the various items covering your desk.

In conjunction with the Mobo Go product, Mobio has come up with some facts that relate to the dangers of using a mobile phone on hand-held mode while driving.  Admittedly most, if not all, of the results are based on American data but it does make for some relevant points.

According to the research supplied by Mobio, over one million accidents are caused by distracted drivers brought on by technological devices.  You are four times more likely to get into an accident when using a mobile phone while driving and 23 times more likely is you are actually texting while driving – and still there are those willing to take a risk with their and your life for their immediate convenience.  Data released by the National Safety Council (http:/www.nsc.org) reveals that 23% of all traffic crashes in 2011 involved mobile phone use.  These crashes resulted in 3331 fatalities with a further 387,000 injured.  Just think yourself fortunate that you do not drive in California where the police issued 425,041 tickets in 2012 to those caught talking on their mobile phone while driving.

While the use of the Mobo Go will not totally alleviate this problem of drivers believing it will never happen to them, it does allow the driver to make use of their handset in the legally hands-free mode.  By attaching one of the elements making up this kit to the car dashboard and the other to back of your mobile phone, you can link the two elements together magnetically so that the view can be viewed and used without the need of any hands-on intervention.  When leaving the car you simply need to break the magnetic connection and take the handset with you.

All three of these Mobio devices come with a lifetime warranty.  The Mobo Pivot is priced at £39.99 while the Mobo Grip and the Mobo Go are both priced at £29.99.

http://tradingwise.co.uk/mobile_accessories.html