Kensington BungeeAir Power

There are cases that simply protect your phone, and then there are cases that do a bit more. The Kensington BungeeAir Power ($99 list) is the latter?and then some. Not only does the BungeeAir add on-the-go juice to your power-hungry iPhone 4, it also adds a few neat security features that set it apart from other battery-only cases. An included key fob acts as a wireless security tether, allowing you to locate your phone with your keys and vice versa. Stray too far from one while holding the other and it will alert you with vibration or a beep and lock your phone. With so much personal information stored on smartphones these days, security is a must. If you can handle the added bulk, the BungeeAir Power is a great way to extend battery and add peace of mind if you're prone to misplacing your keys or phone.

Compatibility, Design, Features, and Performance
First things first: The BungeeAir is designed to work with the iPhone 4. However, we were able to use it with the iPhone 4S as well, but Kensington could not confirm compatibility at the time of this writing. The case measures 5.25 by 2.57 by 0.67 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.47 ounces, making it slightly longer, but slightly thinner and lighter than our current Editors' Choice battery case, the Mophie Juice Pack Air?($79.95, 4 stars). The two cases look very similar, with slightly extended bottoms.? The case is constructed of a rubberized black plastic that feels good in your hand and provides a solid level of protection for the delicate, mostly glass iPhone. The case comes in two pieces, with cutouts for the headphone jack, Mute switch, and camera. There are plastic Power and Volume buttons, rather than cutouts, which makes them easier to press given the thickness of the case.

The battery function can be toggled on and off by pressing and holding a button on the back of the case. That same button can be pressed to display how much battery charge remains in the case. The case connects to computers via its micro USB port, which allows for simultaneous charging and synching. The key fob has two buttons, one to trigger the alarm on the phone and one to mute the alarm on the fob itself.

Without the added battery the iPhone 4 recorded 9 hours, 6 minutes of talk time. The BungeeAir's battery brought that total up to 14 hours, 17 minutes of talk time. Kensington claims the case adds 4 hours of talk time, so the extra hour was a pleasant surprise.?I did notice one annoying bug, where the case would randomly lock the phone while I was using it.

The security features worked well, helping me find both my keys or my phone and also alerting me if I left my phone at my desk. Simply snap on the case and attach the key fob to your keys and you are all set. Press the alert button on the key fob and your phone will play the most recent song you listened to, as well as beep and vibrate. Walk too far away from your phone and an alarm will sound on the key fob. The free BungeeAir app for iOS makes it easy to trigger an alarm to find your keys, as well as change security settings like the length of the wireless leash. You can also remotely lock your phone using the key fob alarm or wireless leash.

Conclusions
For those who like to keep their phone and keys on them at all times, the BungeeAir Power case is a solid choice. If not, the BungeeAir is still a good case for extra battery, but the Mophie Juice Pack Air is our current Editors' Choice, nearly doubling the battery life of the iPhone 4. But with so much personal information on smartphones, from bank account information to passwords for all your online accounts, having an extra bit of security makes a lot of sense. If you misplace your phone, the BungeeAir will not only help you locate it, but it will ensure that your information stays safely locked away from prying eyes.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/jSQFX5N-yIM/0,2817,2398159,00.asp

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