Those of us who have highly protective cases on our iPhone find that not all docks, or even some brands of Lightning cables, can’t reach the lightning port on the iPhone without first removing the case. CableJive, makers of the previously reviewed dockStubz Lightning adapter, has a solution: The dockXtender.
Overview
From the dockXtender website:
“Made for folks using protective cases at home, small businesses using iPads or iPhones in protective cases, or car audio integration, dockXtender lets you keep your case on to charge, sync, or deliver content. dockXtender passes through all audio, video, and application data to the phone.”
The dockXtender is available in 2 foot and 6 foot lengths, allowing users to connect their iPhone or iPad to a dock, while still leaving their protective case on, and even allowing them to handle the device and use it while it’s charging or docked to a speaker dock.
When CableJive sent me a 6 foot dockXtender, my wife called “dibs” on it the moment I took it out of the box. She keeps a waterproof case on her iPhone at all times, as she works around water at her job. She also likes to charge her phone while we watch TV, and the Lightning cable is plugged into a charger on the far end of the couch, so she was continually having to stretch across me to check notifications. (Yes, we have “assigned” spots on the couch, but we’re nothing like Sheldon. Now be a lamb, and read the rest of the review.)
While the dockXtender is promoted as a docking solution, we found that by daisy-chaining it with a standard Lightning cable, we were able to stretch the cable all the way down the couch for easy from both ends. (The dockXtender has a male Lightning connector on one end, with a female connector on the other, so it’s perfect for daisy-chaining.)
We never received the hated unsupported accessory message on our devices when using the dockXtender, and we were able to use it to both charge our phones, and to dock with our Lightning speaker dock.
Verdict
The CableJive dockXtender is perfect for anyone who would like a little extra flexibility when docking or charging their iPhone or iPad. It particularly comes in handy if you have a highly protective case such as models from Lifeproof or Otterbox.
While the dockXtender isn’t cheap, (The 2 foot model is $25.95, and the the 6 foot model is $32.95), It is an excellent solution for people who need the added flexibility the dockXtender supplies.
The dockXtender is available in both Lightning and 30-pin models. We tested the Lightning model.
Rating: 4/5[rating:4.0]
Price: $29.95 for 2 foot, $32.95 for 6 foot. – Available at the CableJive website. (Also available at Amazon.com.)
Pros:
- Worked with every case we had on our iPhones and iPads.
- Gives much needed flexibility when charging your device via a dock.
- Also allows you to easily use your device, even when it’s docked in a speaker dock.
Cons:
- The price seems a bit high.
