The Front Door of the Future – August Smart Locks
Technology is constantly innovating and changing the way we live day to day. The home is getting smarter and the way we interact with everyday objects is changing. As far as gadgets go, a new lock isn’t exactly as exciting as they come. In terms of life-changing technology though, it could be set to change the future of our daily routine.
Everyone uses their front doors daily, going in and out, locking and unlocking. Yves Belhar, in collaboration with entrepreneur Jason Johnson, has developed an innovative way of managing the people that come and go in your household. The August Smart Lock is set to revolutionise the front door.
The device fits over existing deadbolts and replaces the use of keys with the humble smartphone. Locked out of your house? There’s an app for that. Using the Bluetooth technology in modern mobile phones, the lock can detect when a phone is approaching the door and unlock it, without the need for finding your keys.
What’s more, anyone with a smartphone can be handed the keys to your house. It’s not as dangerous as it sounds; When an August Smart Lock owner sends an invite to someone, they can control which days and times the invite will unlock the door. For example, a cleaner that comes on a Tuesday at 9am could be sent an invite to only allow her to unlock the door at that time, on that day. Want to add that personal touch? Guests who visit August Smart Lock addresses can enter a note to the virtual guestbook via the app, meaning that you can keep in contact with whoever comes and goes from the house.
It’s understood that old smartphones and new, including the Samsung Galaxy S4 (Which was reviewed by Visopix) will be able to run the August Smart Lock app.
The security doesn’t end there either. When anyone uses one of your invites, a message is sent to your phone to tell you who has unlocked your front door and when. Invites can be withdrawn quickly and easily, giving added peace of mind. Also, because the lock doesn’t run from the mains, the front door will remain secure even in a power cut – and when the batteries get low, a warning light is displayed and an e-mail sent to you to remind you they need changing.
The stylish metal cylinder, which goes over 90% of modern door faceplates, has LEDs to easily see if the door is locked or unlocked (Green for open, red for locked). The door will also chime when it is unlocked, so that it is easy to know when someone is coming or going.
Of course, if you want to lock the door the old fashioned way, you can still use your existing old-fashioned keys with the lock. Soon, only hipsters and technophobes will be using their front door keys.
August Smart Locks are set to go on sale later this year for a retail price of £130.
Paul is a keen cyclist and writer from London who loves reading