The Zomm is, according to its creators “an alien device”. They’re right: Zomm takes some explaining. This little blue and white puck is a wireless smartphone leash, a rape alarm, handsfree unit and personal safety device. It’s been available in the US since the middle of this year, and will be headed to our shores come the new year.
Zomm started out as a wireless leash, and the other features added into its tiny body. It connects via Bluetooth to your phone, and if your phone goes out of range, an alarm goes off. The idea is that you attach your Zomm to your keys, and provided you remember your keys, Zomm will stop you forgetting your phone.
It’s also got an SOS alarm, which will go off if you hold down the central button for around nine seconds. Hold it down for longer and the Zomm will use your phone’s Bluetooth to put a call in to emergency number of your choice, whether it’s your parents or 999.
The third feature is as a handsfree kit. You can use the Zomm in the car and on the go, or if you clip it to the outside of your bag you’ll can route the call through the Zomm, without rooting around in your bag to find your phone, only to miss it. One click of the button routes the call back through your phone, and back again. The battery is rechargeable, and will last for around three days on standby.
We found all the features worked well, and the controls are easy once you get the hang of them. It’s a lot like learning gesture controls for the first time: different combinations of clicks and holds do different things. The Zomm is easy to pair, and to customise. The battery charges form your laptop as well as the mains power, and a dud monotone alarm sounds when the battery is getting low.
The Zomm seems expensive, at £80, but it comes completely free of any contracts or extra charges, putting it way below single function devices that do just one of these three things.
There’s no official retailers confirmed for the Zomm when it launches in the UK in January next year, but we’ll be updating you with news as soon as we hear. If you’re itching to get one, you can order online from Zomm.com, but there’ll be extra shipping charges of around £40 on top of the RRP.
Out Jan 2011 | £80 | Zomm
Do you want a Zomm for Christmas? Drop us a line in the comments and tell us what you think!
