No more house keys needed (?)

[Chris Padilla]

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/05/08/unikey-kevo-aims-to-turn-apples-iphone-into-the-ultimate-secure-wireless-house-key

Hmmm....

[David Weaver]

File in the category of how a $20 lock that lasts decades becomes a $250 lock that needs to be replaced every few years.

[Erik Loza]

I wonder what you do if your phone runs dead/locks up/otherwise dies? Would an iphone fit under the rock I keep my spare key under?

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[David Weaver]

Guess you have to carry your keys, even though you generally don't need to use them. I've got some friends who will probably end up with these if their neighbors get them (someone in the neighborhood will get them, and then they'll all have them within 6 months). It'll be interesting to see how long they'll last.

[Eric DeSilva]

Guess you have to carry your keys...

After exclusively using remote key entry for my cars for the past 25 years, I had a remote that finally died. I actually stood there for a second wondering how I was going to get into my car, until my brain kicked in and I realized the lock still had a key hole and my key fob still had a key...

[Brian Elfert]

Is it really that hard to carry around a key and stick it in a lock? I see some value in a number pad lock, but they all depend on batteries so you still need a backup key. For me, I don't have a smart phone so I couldn't buy this if I wanted to.

I have a Dodge vehicle where the remote is also the key. There is something electronic in the remote that interacts with the car. I need to ask the dealer about what happens if the remote battery dies. There is a backup key in the remote, but I believe it only unlocks the door and won't start the vehicle.

[Chris Padilla]

Brian, I can only speak to how BMW key fob/remotes work, but the ability to open the car (either remotely or with physical key) is separate from the ability to start the car. The key is coded with the car to allow that key to start the car. For example, the remote ability on my key recently died but I can use it manually no problem. I can buy key fobs off eBay that I can program to open the car/trunk/etc. but that key will NOT start the car.

As to it being hard to insert a key and open the door: a couple armfuls of groceries make it challenging. :)

Cars are now being introduced that allow one to open the truck by waving one's foot in the right spot under the rear bumper (assuming you have the key/remote/fob on you). I think that is just brilliant and bravo!

[Eric DeSilva]

Is it really that hard to carry around a key and stick it in a lock?

No, not at all. I grew up with cars that didn't have power windows, much less electronic key fobs. I can't tell you how long I said to myself "what's wrong with these people that can't use a key"? Then I got one. And started using it. Now its just totally wired in (so to speak). I especially like being able to hold down the door open button and have all the windows and sunroof roll down on hot days. Necessary? No. Convenient? Heck yeah.

I could totally see doing this. Except for the part about having to somehow run a 115V line to my doorframe.

[Ryan Mooney]

Is it really that hard to carry around a key and stick it in a lock? I see some value in a number pad lock, but they all depend on batteries so you still need a backup key.

There are some that are purely mechanical like: http://www.nokey.com/wimepuloforg.html - note I am not endorsing that lock (and have no real knowledge of whether its good ot not), simply giving it as one example :D There appear to be a fair number of others (I remembered seeing some from some previous work that involved places needing locks that couldn't rely on electronics so I knew it was possible and did a quick search..).

[Todd Burch]

There is no way on God's green earth that would I resort to depending on, or allowing, my phone (or any other "device" attached to a network that could be controlled by someone other than me) to be the keyholder to my assets. I mean, no "shut the front door" way!! Evar.

[Pat Barry]

What happens when you lock your Iphone in your house?

[Myk Rian]

Dumas, who has appeared on ABC's "Shark Tank" to pitch his system, said UniKey decided to go iPhone-only at launch because of Apple's established support for the Bluetooth Low Energy profile. As a result, the Kwikset Kevo will be compatible with Apple's Bluetooth 4.0 mobile devices: the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, third- and fourth-generation iPads, iPad mini, and fifth-generation iPod touch.


"Apple is just so much further along with their low energy protocol," he said.

That's a load. They're just too lazy to do a simple port to Android.

[ray hampton]

then you will need to call yourself to open your house door
power windows are nice if you are driving and a storm happen to pour down rain
cranking a passenger window by hand while driving are a no-no

[Eric DeSilva]

There is no way on God's green earth that would I resort to depending on, or allowing, my phone (or any other "device" attached to a network that could be controlled by someone other than me) to be the keyholder to my assets. I mean, no "shut the front door" way!! Evar.

Do you have a garage door opener? I'm not sure I see the difference for most people.

[Eric DeSilva]

Bluetooth is a pretty complex suite of standards ("profiles"). And low energy Bluetooth ("Bluetooth SMART") adds another set. It seems like it is quite plausible to me that one manufacturer could be more advanced than another when it comes to a specific subset of the profiles. God knows I had issues years ago finding something that supported BT OBEX.

[Todd Burch]

Do you have a garage door opener? I'm not sure I see the difference for most people.

Good point and good question. Actually, I don't! (And I haven't seen a "garage door opener" (as opposed to a home automation device) that was network-enabled yet, but maybe they exist)

[Chris Padilla]

No worries, Todd, I have a colleague at work who still gets paper checks and deposits them himself as he doesn't trust electronic deposit! Each to their own!

[Brian Ashton]

File in the category of how a $20 lock that lasts decades becomes a $250 lock that needs to be replaced every few years.

And the battery runs out and you've forgotten where the key is...

[Brian Ashton]

Is it really that hard to carry around a key and stick it in a lock? I see some value in a number pad lock, but they all depend on batteries so you still need a backup key. For me, I don't have a smart phone so I couldn't buy this if I wanted to.

I have a Dodge vehicle where the remote is also the key. There is something electronic in the remote that interacts with the car. I need to ask the dealer about what happens if the remote battery dies. There is a backup key in the remote, but I believe it only unlocks the door and won't start the vehicle.

I have one of these on the front door. Love not having to worry about keys or dying batteries...

[Rich Engelhardt]

After exclusively using remote key entry for my cars for the past 25 years, I had a remote that finally died.The battery on my 2004 Honda Odyssey died one day after I'd been using just the remote for a couple years. When I tried the key, it wouldn't turn in the lock - the lock was frozen. It wouldn't work in the passenger side or the rear hatch either.
I finally fiddled around with it enough to get it to work in the rear hatch so I could at least get in to release to hood so I could jump it.
I hosed all the locks down with lock free trying to get them unfrozen and couldn't.

I took the van to Honda and they wanted $1200.00 per lock to fix it.
I'll no longer buy a Honda product because of the way the dealership and Honda handled that issue - but - that's a whole different story.

[Brian Elfert]

There are some that are purely mechanical like: http://www.nokey.com/wimepuloforg.html - note I am not endorsing that lock (and have no real knowledge of whether its good ot not), simply giving it as one example :D There appear to be a fair number of others (I remembered seeing some from some previous work that involved places needing locks that couldn't rely on electronics so I knew it was possible and did a quick search..).

Most or all of the number pad type locks sold at Home Depot or Lowes or similar require a battery. I am aware there are mechanical alternatives. The average homeowner is probably going to pick up something at their local home improvement center which means having a battery. For a lot of folks the style and design of the lockset is more important than is it needs batteries or not.

For the person who asked, yes there are network capable garage door openers where you can monitor the open/closed status of your garage door on your phone and even open or close it remotely.

[Eric DeSilva]

I wasn't actually thinking of networked garage door openers--I was thinking about the parallels between transmitting codes over an open radio frequency energy and transmitting over a quasi-public network. There are devices for monitoring both, and the security protocols that are used in both contexts probably aren't all that different. And an awful lot of people I know routinely leave the door between the house and garage unlocked and depend solely on the garage door for protection.

In that regard, the garage door isn't bad security... I had an ex girlfriend once that managed to lock herself out on her patio--somehow closing the sliding glass door managed to drop the latch down and lock that door. She had the front door dead bolted, so the only hope was getting the locksmith to somehow open the garage door, since the door into the house from the garage was open. Locksmith basically said "no way," and advised breaking a window instead. Since I lived nearby, she called me to break her window for her (which was oddly difficult, and required a full swing with a tire iron). So I got to break my ex's window, which was sort of therapeutic.

Edit: Having gone back to read the article, the lock doesn't use any network--it is Bluetooth, which is a local device-to-device radio communications protocol. D'oh.

[Brian Elfert]

No worries, Todd, I have a colleague at work who still gets paper checks and deposits them himself as he doesn't trust electronic deposit! Each to their own!

My employer is going to replace our HR software system soon. At that time supposedly everyone will need to do direct deposit. I've heard we are down to 1% or less with a paper check. Right now, everybody gets either a check or a paper statement every pay day. We don't have electronic payroll statements right now.

[Eric DeSilva]

Most or all of the number pad type locks sold at Home Depot or Lowes or similar require a battery.

I had said something earlier about having to run a power line to this and that being a disincentive... Reading the article carefully, however, I'm wrong--the link says it uses four AA batteries and lasts a year. I can see that for the RF interface, but I'm scratching my head how they manage to throw the actual bolt using a battery and have it last that long. Color me puzzled. I wonder if there is something involved like manually turning the outside ring of the lock to actually throw the bolt.

[ray hampton]

I had said something earlier about having to run a power line to this and that being a disincentive... Reading the article carefully, however, I'm wrong--the link says it uses four AA batteries and lasts a year. I can see that for the RF interface, but I'm scratching my head how they manage to throw the actual bolt using a battery and have it last that long. Color me puzzled. I wonder if there is something involved like manually turning the outside ring of the lock to actually throw the bolt.

I doubt that RF interface batteries will last much longer than a year and the bolt may be a trick set-up that require a slight voltage draw

[Chris Padilla]

My employer is going to replace our HR software system soon. At that time supposedly everyone will need to do direct deposit. I've heard we are down to 1% or less with a paper check. Right now, everybody gets either a check or a paper statement every pay day. We don't have electronic payroll statements right now.

I think I've been on paperless payroll statements for almost a decade. I've gone paperless wherever I can in the bill department and I still get too much junk mail. :rolleyes:

[Tom Fischer]

I'd rather live in a place where you don't need door locks.
And there are still places like that.