AppleInsider Staff
At the D11 conference on Wednesday, fuseproject's Yves Behar announced August, a new Bluetooth-connected smart lock that lets owners use a smartphone as a wireless key.
Following in the footsteps of other home automation products, August is yet another entrant into the door lock category set to be populated with upcoming products like Kwikset's UniKey-powered Kevo and a Kickstarter project called Lockitron.
Designed by Yves Behar, August attaches to a door's deadbolt and leverages the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol to create virtual smartphone keys, allowing users to lock and unlock the mechanism without physical contact. The device runs on four AA batteries and is completely self-sufficient, meaning it will work even in the case of a power outage. Charges last up to six months.
What makes August different is its design, which resembles a chunkier Nest Learning Thermostat. On the front is an array of lock status LEDs, while a rotatable collar acts as a physical backup in case batteries fail or something goes wrong with the Bluetooth connection.
Users can issue time-based key codes to friends and family, who can accept the invitations via email to turn their smartphones into virtual keys. Whenever a guest opens or closes the door, the owner is alerted to the activity. Since the system relies completely on Bluetooth, and is not connected to Wi-Fi, it most likely sends out these alert messages via a guest's smartphone.
In comparison to competing products like Kevo, Behar's August mounts on the inside of a user's door without the need for a complete lock replacement. Installation is supposedly simple, but perhaps not as easy as Lockitron, which requires no screws or tinkering as it sits directly on top of the existing lock handle.
August can be pre-ordered from the company's website for $199.
Andrew Orr
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Wesley Hilliard
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23 Comments
Okay, it'll work in the case of a power outage...but will it work in the case of a power outage on your phone? Yikes.
Okay, it'll work in the case of a power outage...but will it work in the case of a power outage on your phone? Yikes.
Never mind. I see that the key is on the outside.
Sweet!
This one looks better designed than the other two in the sense of being both more attractive than the Kevo, and far more practical than the Lockitron. However, it's kind of disturbing how little information there is on the website. It's very flashy and smooth looking but there is no real (detailed) information on how it works. There isn't a single picture of the *outside* of the lock for instance. There's also no addressing of obvious questions like how does it know what side of the door you are on, or really much detail on anything at all. Whoever they hired to communicate the value of the product doesn't seem very good. I certainly wouldn't "reserve" sight-unseen, based on this and I'm actually in the market for a new door lock for my front door at the moment.
Actually Gazoobee, the website states that only the *inside* portion of your deadbolt is replaced with the unit. They don't show the outside of the lock because it would be your lock. The diagram shows that the device plugs into the lock and is automated there, replacing the manual knob.