Strike Alpha Cradle

MOUNT YOUR HANDSET IN YOUR CAR AND WIRELESSLY CHARGE AT THE SAME TIME.

THERE ARE COUNTLESS dashboard and windshield mounts for phones available on the market, but how many of them will wirelessly charge your device while it sits in its cradle? That’s what Australian company Strike has set out to do with its Strike Alpha Cradle, and while it’s a little cumbersome in terms of its design (the picture doesn’t quite show how stocky this thing is), it does exactly what it says on the box.

A modular piece of kit which allows for both self installation (via an adjustable mounting arm with a windscreen suction cup) and professional installation (it can be screwed directly to your dashboard with an additional mount purchase), the Cradle will juice your handset via Qi wireless charging technology, so you won’t have to slot it into any ports. With the use of rubberised rails, it will hold your phone firmly in place, so you won’t have to worry about it slipping out or getting scratched on hard edges.

Admittedly, the Alpha Cradle is quite bulky when its charging pack is attached (it’s roughly the thickness of a Big Mac), though it can be removed (with some difficulty) and turned into a regular mount, but what would be the point of that? Charging is done via microUSB, and there’s a handy extension cable in the box that can be plugged into your car’s 12V socket. We also like its internal passive antenna booster with male FME connector, which can be used in conjunction with the Strike Antenna (sold separately) to boost your mobile signal.

If you’re the type of person who drives a lot, you may find the Cradle an essential part of your travels. We just hope a less clunky version will show up somewhere down the road.