When you're building a smart home, you'll spend most of your time thinking about the things that are inside the walls of your home, like smart lamps Light up your home with smart lamps:Here are your options Light up your home with smart lamps:Here there are your options What exactly is a smart lamp and what is out there? Read more and smart TVs What is a smart TV? 6 of the best on the market today What is a Smart TV? 6 of the best on the market today Most of the TVs you look at right now are smart TVs, but what is a smart TV and which ones are the best on the market right now? Read more . But there are also some great things you can do when you're outside! One of those things is unlocking your front door. Why not take the keys out of the equation and use a smarter solution? Here are 5 different locks that you can unlock with your phone.
The August lock, while not out yet, packs a lot of great options into a small package. It's easy to install (just requires a screwdriver and a few AA batteries), doesn't need WiFi or power from your house, uses Bluetooth to automatically unlock your door when you approach with your smartphone, and will even lock the door behind you when you walk away. you go.
August also gives you a lot of control over access to your home:you can send invites to other August app users, and they can use it to unlock your door. Those invites can be extended for a limited time, so you don't have to worry about canceling your home sitter's access to your home. You can even get notifications when someone opens the door, so you'll know if your friends from out of town showed up.
Many people will be worried about replacing their keys with their phone; What happens if you lose your phone or run out of battery? Agosto only replaces the inside part of your deadbolt, so you can always use your keys outside. And because you open the lock with an app, you can download the August app on someone else's phone, log in, and open the lock.
You can pre-order the August smart lock for $199, with a projected ship date of “2014.”
Lockitron offers a number of the same features as the August smart lock, albeit in a slightly different package. The lock itself is much larger on the inside, though it does include a physical lock switch, much like the one you probably already have on your door. The Lockitron actually fits over your existing lock rather than replacing it, and the motor inside simply turns your existing lock. The outside of the lock is not affected, so you can still use your keys.
You can issue permissions for others to lock your door, and you can also receive notifications when the door is locked or unlocked to control your home security. Although the lock is operated via Bluetooth or Near Field Communication Feel like a billionaire with the latest uses of Android NFC technology Feel like a billionaire with the latest uses of Android NFC technology Mansion 2.0? Visitors to the Gates estate receive a wearable NFC tag, which comes programmed with visitors' weather and hearing preferences. By… Read More, you can also connect to your home WiFi network, allowing you to lock or unlock your door from a distance. You can also connect the lock to IFTTT, giving you a number of options to allow access to your front door.
The Lockitron app appears to be very slick and easy to use, with simple lock and unlock controls. The lock isn't shipping yet, though it's supposed to come out sometime this fall for $179. Lockitron promised to ship many of these units after an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign, but as of January, many backers were still waiting to receive the lock. your lock. It might be better to wait until it is released to place an order. If you don't want to wait, you can get the first edition of the lock from Amazon for $299.
One of the manufacturers on this list that you may recognize, Kwikset has been making high-quality locks for a long time, and the name carries a lot of credibility. Your entry into the smart lock game, the Kevo is a really cool piece of equipment that combines the familiarity of a regular deadbolt with the ease of a smart lock.
Kevo's lock looks just like any other Kwikset lock, except for the glowing blue circle around the inside edge, which lights up when the lock is used. If you have your iPhone (no Android option yet) or the included keyfob near the door, all you have to do is touch the lock and it will open. You can give access to other users; all they have to do is download the Kevo app (you can also purchase additional fobs that you can give to your neighbors or friends). And of course there is always the option to use the key.
Kevo locks come with two free electronic keys that will allow access to the lock. Additional keys can be purchased for $1.99 each, and provide unlimited access for a single user; Guest keys are free. The lock itself is $219 on Amazon.
The Goji lock is a bit different than the others on the list in that it is meant to be more of a home security device than a simple lock. This is evident in the fact that it allows you to see who is at the door on your mobile phone before letting them in. Visitors' photos are recorded on the mobile app, so you can see who's been to your door whether you're home or not.
Goji also makes fobs that you can clip to your keychain, backpack, purse, or other item so you can go home without your phone. The lock also comes with two metal keys that you can use as backups in case you can't use any of the other methods. And, like the other locks on the list, you can give others temporary access through the app.
You'll notice that Goji has a screen on the lock that will welcome you home when you return; While this has no practical purpose, it does add to the modern and futuristic look of the device. The inside of the lock looks a bit like the Lockitron. The Goji lock is available in silver, copper, and gold finishes and can be purchased for $278 on the Goji website. Fobs for the lock are $40 each.
One of the most affordable smart locks, the Danalock can be yours for just $159. This lock comes in both Bluetooth and Z-Wave versions, as well as one that works with both, so you can get a lock that works for your lock. home system. Provides the same benefits as most locks; Guest access, registrations, lock and unlock from anywhere and automatic lock.
An interesting feature of the Danalock is that it can be connected to other systems, making it a viable option for businesses, hotels and other professional applications. While the aesthetics of the lock don't compare to the other locks on this list, this is a versatile and very affordable option.
Interestingly, Danalock's website says it's ready to ship, but Amazon is still listing it as a pre-order. This could be of concern to interested customers; We'll have to wait and see how it goes.
Door locks are a great place to start to improve your home, and can be set up with minimal effort and time. Most of them just screw into the door instead of the regular lock. And there are plenty of options available, and while these five are some of the most popular right now, the market is expanding rapidly and we're likely to see a lot more options in the near future.
As smart locks become more popular, we're likely to start hearing about their security merits and drawbacks, much like we do with smart TVs. Smart TVs are a growing security risk:How to deal with this? Imagine being hacked through your smart TV. It sounds silly and mundane, but it can be quite serious. This is what you need to know. Read more . There are several sites online that fall for both sides of this argument, so we'll be waiting for more stringent tests.
Have you used a smart lock? How did you find? Feeling nervous about a Bluetooth-enabled lock? Share your thoughts below!
