Kensington BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether for iPhone review

A wireless case and keyfob combination that sounds an alert if an iPhone 4 strays out of reach. But is it just another gimmick or a viable business accessory? Jennifer Scott aims to find out in this review.

IT Pro Verdict

Kensington’s Bungee Air Power Wireless Security Tether is a simple way to add an extra layer of security to an iPhone 4, whether it’s for people seriously concerned about who might have their hands on their smartphone, or just for forgetful types. The extra bulk added by the case will cause problems for some accessories and anyone who prefers to see the sleek lines of the naked gadget, but the extra battery power it provides should make it tolerable.

Protecting the contents of a lost or stolen iPhone is all well and good, but it's obviously better not to part company with it the first place

Apple beefed up security in the last major release of iOS to make the iPhone more appealing to business users who deal with sensitive data, but strong passwords and secure encryption are only one line of defence.

Protecting the contents of a lost or stolen iPhone is all well and good, but it's obviously better not to part company with the device in the first place and that's just what the Kensington BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether is designed to ensure.

Kensington BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether for iPhone

The BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether is a two-part set-up that consists of an iPhone 4 case and an electronic fob, which attaches to a keying.

Wireless proximity alerts

The two are wirelessly paired and if the fob is taken beyond a certain range of the encased iPhone or vice versa an alarm sounds and the iPhone screen is locked. The idea is that this prevents an iPhone being left behind or from being moved without the owner's knowledge assuming the owner has remembered to bring the fob with them in the first place, of course.

Kensington BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether for iPhone

Kensington BungeeAir Power Wireless Security Tether for iPhone

The case component is matte black and clips around the iPhone, covering all four sides and the back. External volume buttons press through to the ones on the iPhone itself, but there's a cut-out to access the ringer silence switch and a microUSB port in the base rather than a Dock connector. So, this isn't a case that's suitable for use with certain iPhone accessories.

Jennifer Scott

Jennifer Scott is a former freelance journalist and currently political reporter for Sky News. She has a varied writing history, having started her career at Dennis Publishing, working in various roles across its business technology titles, including ITPro. Jennifer has specialised in a number of areas over the years and has produced a wealth of content for ITPro, focusing largely on data storage, networking, cloud computing, and telecommunications.

Most recently Jennifer has turned her skills to the political sphere and broadcast journalism, where she has worked for the BBC as a political reporter, before moving to Sky News.