

August’s Smart Lock Goes on Sale Online and at Apple Retail Stores for $250 - tdrnd
http://techcrunch.com/2014/10/14/august-smart-lock-on-sale/

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no_future
The problem with this type of thing is that by removing one inconvenience it
creates a host of others. The lock needs to be wifi connected which requires
power, so I have to put batteries in it and change them every 6 months to a
year, which I don't want to be bothered with. Changing batteries in smoke
alarms already bothers me enough. And I don't need yet another web interface
bothering me and sending me push notifications for something that should
essentially require next to no thought, locking and unlocking a door.

From their FAQ page:

>What if there’s a stranger at the door, and I approach to answer, will the
door automatically unlock?

>The auto-unlock feature is also optional and can be disabled at any time,
depending on your behavior and use pattern. The August Smart Lock uses
proprietary techniques to mitigate false unlocks from the interior side of the
door.

Seems like it would be more annoying than convenient. I would rather take a
simple NFC enabled lock without fancy lights and internet connected bells and
whistles on it, since NFC chips consume very little(or no) power and a ton of
smartphones ship with NFC connectivity. NFC, unlike Bluetooth, which this lock
relies on, requires you to actually touch your phone(or put it very close) to
the receiver, so the scenario mentioned above wouldn't be a problem, nor would
encryption be a problem since the transaction would be nigh impossible to
eavesdrop on since the communication is so close range. Would also be cheaper
to manufacture, with a cost of 10c per NFC receiver tag compared with $5 for a
low energy Bluetooth one.

Just something that would make it easier for my family to get in and out of
the house without worrying about whether they remembered to take their keys or
lost them, since they are all glued to their phones anyway.

