The creative minds at Antsy Labs are at it once again with the new Trio universal phone, tablet, and smartwatch dock, now live on Kickstarter.
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This time around, they’ve included pledge levels for the individual tablet, phone, and watch docks, as well as the full trio of chargers in one box. Much like its predecessor the Duet, the Trio packages a solid charging platform in a durable aluminum housing. Each machined aluminum dock rests on nano suction pads designed to stick repeatedly to multiple surfaces, giving a stable base for even top-heavy gadgets. The same neodymium magnet design that held the original Duet phone and watch docks together helps organize the Trio, but the magnets in the base of the tablet dock are now reversible, allowing multiple configurations. This time around, the docks not only support Apple devices, but will work with nearly all tablets, phones, and soon several smart watches. The designers implemented a new cable management system that allows for customized cable heights with each dock, adding a unique level of flexibility. The Trio will include three docking stations with the tools for attaching the included charge cables.
Antsy Labs provided a review unit, which I’ve been using for the last two weeks. There were no significant surprises, good or bad. All three docks are solid, stable, and don’t slide around on even the smoothest surfaces. Both the tablet and phone docks have a new adjustable height cable system, which can support either a micro-USB or lightning cable at adjustable heights to accommodate multiple phones and tablets, in or out of cases. The watch stand has cable channels cut into the frame, as well as the aforementioned magnets in the base, allowing the docks to be lined up side by side. I currently use an iPad Pro, which is a bit wider than the tablet dock, but fits comfortably with the included padding strips. This does, however, keep me from placing my tablet, phone, and watch in a row. Instead, I’ve had the tablet dock in the back with the watch and phone dock in the Duet configuration up front. With my wife’s iPad Mini, the three docks lined up perfectly, and the PR photos show Android tablets and an iPad Air in that configuration as well.
My only problem came with trying to use the phone dock with my iPhone 6 Plus in an Otter Box Defender case. I understand that not only is it a sizable phone, but the case adds significant width and a rubber flap over the charging port that made using both dock and case impractical. Without the case, though, even the bulky 6 Plus fits in the dock like a dream. As I’ve yet to find any dock that accommodates the 6 Plus in a case, this seems like a systemic problem not just specific to this dock.
Overall, these docks are solid with an interesting and functional new cable management system that allows for near universal phone, tablet, and (if they meet stretch goals) smartwatch charging, and it’s worth a look if you like the organization that a dock can provide. Check out the Kickstarter or visit the Antsy Labs home page for more details.
