Work on the ZOMM wireless leash has finally wrapped up, and Henry and Laurie Penix’s creation is shipping out across the nation.

The basic idea behind the ZOMM's keystone function — pair the device with your cell phone via Bluetooth and it sounds an alert if the two become separated — is brilliant; it’s one of those “why on Earth didn’t I think of that” concepts that are simple yet tremendously useful.

But how does it work in reality? I’ve carried one with me for a week and put the Tulsa creation through its paces.

The ZOMM is meant to be carried with your keys or purse at all times so you’ll get a reminder if you wander off without your phone. It’s the size of a poker chip and right at half an inch thick, so it fit comfortably in my pocket without taking up much space at all.

A single button on the device’s face controls every function, but since it’s slightly recessed I never accidentally set it off with my butt.

Pairing the ZOMM to my iPhone was a quick and painless process, and it should be the same for any other Bluetooth phone. Once activated, the ZOMM will occasionally flash slightly to let you know it’s active.

The alert kicks in when you leave Bluetooth range, which for me was about 50 feet. First the ZOMM will pulse, then it will flash brightly, then it will sound a somewhat loud alert. It’s not ear-splitting, but the alarm will definitely get your attention unless you’re at something like a rock concert.

Once the alarm goes off, you can silence it with the click of the ZOMM's button. Thankfully, the device automatically re-pairs with the phone once you get it back with a quiet, subtle chirp, so there’s no need for a complicated reset and no wondering whether it’s re-paired.

The ZOMM's second function is as a remote speakerphone, so you can answer your cell while driving without having to dig through your pocket or purse. One click answers the phone, two sends the call to voice mail. And yes, the ZOMM will ring along with your phone.

While driving on the Broken Arrow Expressway, I found the speakerphone volume was just loud enough for me to hear it over the roar of the road, and my callers could hear me fine. Thanks to some impressive noise canceling, the people I talked to didn’t hear the driving noises at all.

In fact, when I talked to one of my editors while going from full speed on the BA to a complete stop at an exit, he didn’t hear any of it. That’s on par with any of the best noise canceling tech I’ve used.

The sole drawback to this function is that the ZOMM will ring fairly loudly every time your phone does. If you have to put your phone on silent, you’ll have to remember to turn off the ZOMM as well.

It was easy enough to test the panic alarm; just hold down the button long enough and it’ll go off. The panic alarm is much louder than the ZOMM's other functions and sounds like a police siren, so people from well over 50 feet away will know you’re in distress.

Finally, hold down the button even longer and the ZOMM will have the phone dial 911. The phone has to be active for this to work, though you can of course use the ZOMM as the speakerphone.

The ZOMM's instructions will direct you to “activate” it via your computer, but for now the registration only works if you’re using OS-X for Mac or the 32-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Henry Penix said support for other operating systems is coming, but I was able to use the ZOMM's functions just fine right out of the box even without activation.

But that and the need to remember to mute the ZOMM, both minor annoyances at worst, were the only drawbacks I could find. The device is easy to use, unobtrusive and very handy. I’m sure plenty of people outside of Oklahoma will come to love the ZOMM.

Read more from this Tulsa World article HERE