Kensington BungeeAir Power

One of the most common, niggling afterthoughts when leaving the house or office goes something like this: “Where’s my iPhone? It’s not in my bag! When did I have it last? Where could it be now? What am I going to do without it?”

More often than not, the phone is close by – like in your hand. Crisis averted. But it certainly pays to keep a close eye and short lease on your iPhone when you consider the consequences of losing it.

So we were curious to review Kensington’s BungeeAir Wireless Security system, a two-part product designed for the iPhone 4 and built to perform three main functions: Wireless security tethering, protection and battery support.



First, you attach the battery case to your iPhone. Insert batteries (provided) into the BungeeAir key fob and turn it on. Then download the free BungeeAir app from the App Store and you’re ready to get started.

Once the system is in place, inbuilt wireless technology instantly creates a connection between your phone and the fob, tethering the two devices.

When you are separated from your phone, the battery case will send a command to the iPhone, automatically locking the screen and sending an alert to the fob.

The app acts as a control panel where you can adjust settings to determine the distance at which the tether is broken and activates the security lock. You can also tap into the two-way ‘find’ feature, allowing you to locate the iPhone or keys (with fob attached) by pressing the ‘find’ button via the app on your iPhone or on the fob itself. An alarm will then sound from the corresponding device to notify you of its location.

It’s an effective system that worked without any noticeable hiccups. We tested the tethering functionality using a variety of distances. Each time, the security lock was activated immediately, ensuring that all data and access to contacts on the phone was protected. The alarm sounds are loud (and we mean loud!) but do the job in terms of locating both devices in a variety of ‘lost’ scenarios.

Our biggest gripe would be the bulk of the case component. Attaching this to an iPhone detracts from the sleek, compact form of the device. Despite the added four hours of battery life that it provides, the design of the case is not stylish and this is probably the system’s greatest flaw.

The Kensington BungeeAir Power is a handy system, if it’s something you think you really need. But at $99.95, it’s not cheap. If you are prone to losing your phone or keys and want a gadget to help you find both at the touch of a button, this is a viable product.