We've seen plenty of smartphone mounts for bikes, along with a lot of handlebar-mounted speakers. The Allo speaker/case, however, is claimed to be the first device to combine the two in one unit.
Created by Santa Monica teen Benji Miller, the Allo quickly clips onto the handlebars via a quick-release lever, and can be easily removed by the user when the bicycle is left unattended. In the current version, an iPhone 5 slides down into the case from the top, its headphone jack engages the Allo's 3.5-mm speaker plug at the bottom, and the phone is then secured in place – the speaker is powered by two AA batteries, and puts out 80 to 90 decibels.
Users can subsequently ride while listening to music, taking and placing phone calls, or following navigational audio cues, while still also being able to touch and see the screen. Needless to say, they would certainly be less distracted if they were to just leave their phone turned off and stored away, although the Allo appears to be aimed more at people who would otherwise be riding with their phone in one hand, wearing earphones.
Miller is currently raising production funds for the Allo, on Kickstarter. A pledge of US$40 will get you one, when and if they're ready to go. More information is available in the pitch video below.
If you know of any other all-in-one speaker/phone mounts, by the way, please let us know in the comments. So far, all that our Googling has revealed is the non-electronic Horn Bike.
Sources: The Allo, Kickstarter
