CES 2015: 'Schlage Sense' Smart Lock Allows Siri Voice Commands to Unlock Doors

[rdlink]

After seeing this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR-h64WwfW8&spfreload=10

I'm not sure I trust any of these new "smart" locks.

Comparing Schlage to Kwikset is like comparing Ft. Knox to a cardboard box. The reason I didn't get a Kevo was largely because it's Kwikset. Instead I waited for the August, and attached it to my existing Schlage lock.

But unless this one is ridiculously expensive when it hits the market I am buying it. Period.

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I can't wait until the day we determine all of this stuff is a bit too much.

I'm all for home automation in most ways -- but some things "aint broke"

You have no idea what you're talking about. This is a solution that many, many people, including myself need.

I installed an August lock last month. I went on a 10 day trip over Christmas/New Years. I had to tap three different friends to look after my cat. Without ever having to be in the same location as any of them I was able to provide each of them with temporary, revokable access to my house. One of them was 2000 miles away when I set it up.

It worked like a charm. I didn't have to give out keys that could get lost, or get them back. And had one of them not been able to get there I would have had the opportunity to recruit someone else while 1000 miles from home. Plus, I was able to open my app anytime I wanted and tell exactly when they came and went.

Just because you have no need for this doesn't mean "it ain't broke."

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I don't know why anyone would want to rely on electronics to control their car or house. Electronic devices will FAIL sooner or later. Your device fails you won't be able to open your door.

Hmm... I guess you skipped the article and went straight to the bashing. But if you had just glimpsed at the article you'd see a physical key slot attached to the lock itself.

So, when the device fails, you can use your key. These e-locks give a bump up in convenience. But common sense dictates that you still hold a physical key. Also, I can't see people outfitting every exterior door in their house with one of these. The rest still use a physical key as well. I know that is the case with my August lock.

 

[rdlink]

Am I the only one who wants my location services to be so good that the door just unlocks as I walk up to it?

My August lock does that now. Uses bluetooth.

 

[Keirasplace]

These responses crack me up. Like your old fashioned lock is going to keep me out of your house if I want to get in. A nice fat brick through a back window does the job quite nicely. You don't need to hire a hacker to get in someone's house.

The reality is that if someone has a reason to get into your house they're going to get in. This solution is all about making it less inconvenient for you to get in your house. It's still just as inconvenient for someone else. And there are enough convenient places to steal stuff that you don't need to go to all the trouble of working on defeating any effort to slow burgers down.

Well, it also makes it less convenient for people to get thing out of your house (getting large objects through a second floor window is a bitch (even if they came through a window, which the alarm should have picked and started the fog horn ;-), especially if all the doors are locked solid.

All my jewelry, loose cash and valuables or any kind are locked in a bolted, in wall, 250 pound safe and they're not moving this out quite easily (door or window).

In fact, not sure what they'd steal if they got into my house (outside the safe). I'd be more afraid that they'd trash it because they can't find anything... A 70 inch TV is also quite hard to move without breaking ;-).

 

[LostMyiPhone]

Actually home locks are the one area that needs a tech upgrade, especially after years of enjoying keyless unlocking on cars. One can go grocery shopping, haul out two hands of bags and either touch the trunk or swipe there foot underneath, and it pops open. Yet when they get home they have to pull out there key to open the door, then get the groceries.

I have an August lock myself. It's OK, but functionally isn't all there yet. Clearly the category is in its infancy. I don't think this Schlage is the answer -- looks bulky and imagine the home-side mech. is similar to it's past endeavors. One of the reasons I chose the August was its large, but at least it dose not take up half the door or look like a commercial type lock.

I guess you're right -- there is room for improvement over the old physical key thing. I just don't ever see it because I typically enter through a garage. Heck, I don't think my deadbolt on my front door will UNLOCK using a key anymore... I think it's broken and has been since we moved in. We simply never enter through this door.

But I hear what you're saying. I just think a lot of these new technologies aren't quite up to snuff yet for mass adoption. Then again, I have zero firsthand experience with them so perhaps I need to just keep my opinion to myself until I get one

 

[palmerc2]

Would be even better if you needed Touch ID to open the lock for extra security incase someone else was in possession of your phone.

 

[Nunyabinez]

Isn't there are a key hole for just that reason?

It used to be that some MR posters would respond to a story without actually reading it. But apparently some have become so lazy that they can't even be bothered to look at the pictures.

 

[occollegeboi420]

You have the wrong kind of "smart" lock. The lock you are showing isn't a newer "smart home" lock discussed here -- Kwikset's version of that goes by the Kevo name and has a blue LED circle around the lock.

The lock here allows the owner to rekey the lock with a special key and w/o the need of a locksmith. These locks have been a big fail. Schlage was forced to take its version off the market a few years ago after Kwikset's parent company sued for patent infringement. No loss to Schlage though b/c the locks would frequently freeze up w/o warning, effectively locking the owner out.

My point exactly. I don't need no "convenient" electronic unlocking of my doors! lol. These things are so pointless and people are too stupid to think that any electronic device is bound to fail at any given time. Take, for instance, my macbook's old hard drive failure! lol! At least I have a back up for that, but a back up for being locked out of your house?

 

[Liquorpuki]

Am I the only one who wants my location services to be so good that the door just unlocks as I walk up to it?

You don't need location services for this. Just use bluetooth

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My point exactly. I don't need no "convenient" electronic unlocking of my doors! lol. These things are so pointless and people are too stupid to think that any electronic device is bound to fail at any given time. Take, for instance, my macbook's old hard drive failure! lol! At least I have a back up for that, but a back up for being locked out of your house?

How about automatic locking after 5 minutes if you forgot to lock the door. How about remote verification of the door's status when you're on vacation.

If someone tries to screw with the keypad, have the lock trigger a drop camera to take pictures.

If your family member needs to come over, you're not there, remotely unlock the door for her through your phone.

Far as a backup in case of electronic failure, that's why that keyhole is there.

 

[Daalseth]

Cool but...

Part of me likes it. It's cool, and slick, and really should work well.

Part of me wonders if it would still work at -20 degrees, or with gloves, or if it gets wet, or if the power goes out, or if it gets hit by lightning.

I may like it but I don't think I'd get it. I wouldn't get it for the same reason I won't get any of those fancy electronic, touch sensor faucets either. A key just works. A valve just works. I know it will work every time. I might be showering in the dark but the water will still come on. It might be sleeting with wind chills way below zero but I know my key will open the door. While these electronic devices are really cool, when the chips are down, when something HAS to work, I'll take proven technology.

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Isn't there are a key hole for just that reason?

Do we know if the key mechanically retracts the bolt or does it just trigger the electronic mechanism? I've run across locks that work in each way, the latter though still leaves you locked out in case of power failure.

 

[Supermule]

But can you trust Siri...

 

[Beerstalker]

Once again why not offer a version keyed on both sides? If you have a door with windows in it, or windows next to it, having a thumbturn on the inside makes the deadbolt pretty much worthless.

 

[nws0291]

Once again why not offer a version keyed on both sides? If you have a door with windows in it, or windows next to it, having a thumbturn on the inside makes the deadbolt pretty much worthless.

Wouldn't pass fire code. People would not be able to get out in an emergency.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Touch screens make sense when you'll want to change the layout of buttons.

When will this thing ever want to display any buttons other than a keypad? Why not just have physical buttons which will consume far less energy than a backlit touch screen?

Because physical buttons will eventually wear on the buttons used for the code. And the screen will allow randomizing the placement of the numbers so they don't wear in those places and can't be viewed from behind. It's actually quite common around the more secure places I work.

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Also, breaking that display could possibly give someone even vaguely familiar with the lock's innards, full access to unlock.

But it does look appealing and 2015.

Right, because the display wouldn't sit on top of a layer of steel...instead they'd purposefully make it insecure.

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Schlage is definitely a very reputable name in locks, so they've more than likely addressed those 'screen' reservations I had.

But for me at least, there's still that nagging realization that any codes or voice commands transmitted wirelessly, could potentially be intercepted, so while these locks are most definitely convenient, they are (until someone comes up with Secure Element/Secure Enclave type encryption technology, with unique, once-only security codes) no safer than any 'pickable' mechanical lock.

That's kind of the point, same safe-ness but now more convenient. Don't get too excited over owning a super lock when you have glass windows right next to your door.

 

[76ShovelHead]

So how long until we are able to unlock our doors with TouchID? I can't imagine this to be too difficult. They could allow you to register the phone to the lock, and connect via bluetooth upon approaching the lock where you can tap your thumb on the home button until it verifies.

 

[jw2002]

Am I seeing things, or does this hi-tech lock have a keyhole that can be picked by anyone with access to YouTube and eBay?

Yes! And back in my lock picking days, Schlages were among the easiest. On average one could be opened in under 10 seconds. And I wasn't even all that skilled.

 

[Andrei90]

Can someone explain me why this has a keyhole?

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Yes! And back in my lock picking days, Schlages were among the easiest. On average one could be opened in under 10 seconds. And I wasn't even all that skilled.

But why? It kind of makes all that technology seem a little useless if someone can force the lock.

 

[NY Guitarist]

This is the stuff I think about when my home automation system goes bonkers.

 

[Beerstalker]

Wouldn't pass fire code. People would not be able to get out in an emergency.

I've never heard that before. They sell old school manual ones all the time. How could that pass fire code but these not just because they are smart locks?

Here's one from Schlage on Lowe's website. There are tons of them, just search for double-cylinder deadbolt.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_108974-352-...t_qty_sales_dollar|1&page=1&facetInfo=Schlage

 

[BvizioN]

After seeing this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR-h64WwfW8&spfreload=10

I'm not sure I trust any of these new "smart" locks.

A video from the company who sees smart locks as a thread for their business? Totally credible

 

[silvetti]

A video from the company who sees smart locks as a thread for their business? Totally credible

Just use google and find for yourself how easy is to open a single simple lock like that.

Don't complain later when your house gets broken into.

 

[BvizioN]

Just use google and find for yourself how easy is to open a single simple lock like that.

Don't complain later when your house gets broken into.

Actually my house got broken in to and it had a manual lock from locksmith. I don't have smart lock and they may not be to secure for now. But like anything else, they will get improved/perfected. My point is, it's totally understandable from a company like Locksmith to sh.. their pants. Because locking unlocking things in the future is gonna be on a smart way so they either adopt or do things on a Blackberry style.

 

[nws0291]

I've never heard that before. They sell old school manual ones all the time. How could that pass fire code but these not just because they are smart locks?

Here's one from Schlage on Lowe's website. There are tons of them, just search for double-cylinder deadbolt.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_108974-352-...t_qty_sales_dollar|1&page=1&facetInfo=Schlage

It's against fire code in rental properties in a lot of areas. It's permitted in some areas for owner occupied homes. Thieves kick in doors and the door jamb is the weak spot. They don't waste time smashing the window and reaching in to unlock. A double key deadbolt really only makes it a hassle for yourself/family and potential deadly safety hazard if everyone in the house isn't aware.

 

[Tech198]

oh,,, i can't wait till 'voice changes' come into the mix

That will upset the market.

 

[Beerstalker]

It's against fire code in rental properties in a lot of areas. It's permitted in some areas for owner occupied homes. Thieves kick in doors and the door jamb is the weak spot. They don't waste time smashing the window and reaching in to unlock. A double key deadbolt really only makes it a hassle for yourself/family and potential deadly safety hazard if everyone in the house isn't aware.

OK, so maybe it is against fire code in some areas/situations. But, the simple fact is they have a lot of different versions of standard double cylinder deadbolts out there that they are selling right now, so some people must be buying them. If enough people are buying them to justify that many different versions, then how can there not be a market for a double cylinder smart deadbolt.

I have double cylinder deadbolts on both of the doors to my house since both have windows in them. When we are home the key stays in the cylinder, so if we need to open the door it is easy to unlock. If someone breaks the window while we are home the dog or someone is going to hear it and we can investigate. When we leave the house we take the key out of the cylinder so someone can't unlock the deadbolt by breaking the window.
I have a lot of friends that do the same thing.