TECH SPOTLIGHT

Stocking-stuffer products protect phones, find valuables

The Kensington Proximo security system starter kit includes the free app for iPhone 4S or 5, a key fob and a tag.
The Kensington Proximo security system starter kit includes the free app for iPhone 4S or 5, a key fob and a tag.

— I have a couple of products this week that would make nice stocking stuffers, but I also have one that won’t be available by Christmas. We get a special sneak peek, though.

All of the products are from Kensington, a company known for making a variety of accessories for smart phones and gadgets.

The first is the Kensington Portafolio Flip Wallet for iPhone 5. The Portafolio is slim and holds the iPhone well. It comes in several colors and textures. I tried out the “Coffee Snake” model, a beige snakeskin-style cover. The interior has a white hard case, but the exterior has a soft, leathery feel. It makes it very nice to hold in the hand.

The case has an opening for the camera and flash, the buttons, the speaker and the headphone jack. The flap protects the screen and the strip of material between the front and back folds over the dock connection to protect it as well. A little magnetic tag on the top folds over and holds the Portafolio closed.

The secret to the Portafolio is the two slots on the inside cover. They can be used to hold a driver’s license, money or a credit card. That way, you can carry all you need for a quick trip in your pocket. It’s a smart design idea.

Similarly, the Kensington Soft Case and Gel Case for the Samsung Galaxy S III also provides good protection for the phone, though there is one flaw with these. Aside from a lip that protects the screen from flat drops, the cases leave the screen exposed. However, the cases do protect the rest of the phone while leaving access to the ports, buttons and camera. They also provide a nice grip for the phones. Personally, I like the feel of the Soft Case better. Otherwise, the cases are nearly identical and do their jobs nicely.

Finally, we come to the sneak peek. Kensington was nice enough to let me take a look at a product that won’t formally be announced until January, but it’s definitely worth checking out now. It’s the Kensington Proximo system.

The Proximo system consists of a key fob, little tags and an app that works with iPhone 4S and 5 (for now). The Starter Kit comes with a key fob and one round tag, plus the batteries and even a tiny screwdriver to put the batteries in the fob and the tag. It also includes access to a free app that controls every-thing. The app helps you set up the tag and the fob quickly. I had both ready to go in less than 5 minutes.

The key fob, naturally, is meant to go on your keys. The tags can go anywhere. I put one in my camera bag, but I could also just slip it into my purse or stick it in my car. Basically, put the tag on or in anything you don’t want to lose.

The key to this product is the app. With it, you can program the fob and the tag to sound an alarm whenever you need to find them or when they’re out of a certain range of the iPhone.Ever spend several minutes searching the house for your keys? With this, you just pull out your iPhone, pull up the app and tap the “Find” button on the key fob. The fob starts sounding an alarm, and the phone displays a person in several circles of different colors. As you get closer, each circle disappears, guiding you right to your keys. I tried this out several times, and it worked perfectly every time.

One of the suggestions for the Proximo tags is to keep one in your car so when you go to the grocery store, you can find your car when you exit the store. How many of you have gone into the store, come out, and spent 10 minutes feeling like a dork while walking around trying to make your car beep so you can find it? That’s me, folks.

The Proximo takes care of this. Put the tag in the car, then come out of the store and find the tag by hitting the location button. It will use a map to get you into range, then the proximity circles will come up and will guide you right to your car.

Brilliant.

The best part is, you can turn these alarms on and off, so they’ll only sound when you need them. So your iPhone won’t start screaming if you leave it in the living room and you go to your bedroom. But with the alarm set, it will sound off if you leave a restaurant table without the iPhone in your pocket.

The Proximo is a rare gem - a great idea that’s well-executed. It won’t be available in time for Christmas, but it will be available for pre-order on Jan. 8. Keep an eye out. It will be worth it.

Melissa L. Jones can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

Where it’s @

The Kensington Portafolio Flip Wallet for iPhone 5 retails for $24.99. The Soft Case for Samsung Galaxy SIII and Gel Case for Samsung Galaxy S III each retails for $19.99. The Proximo Start Kit will retail for $59.99 after Jan. 1, and each Proximo Tag will retail for $29.99. More information is available at www.kensington.com.

Business, Pages 21 on 12/17/2012

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