Schlage announces web-enabled Z-Wave door locks

The Z-Wave standard for home automation has already proven itself to be a pretty versatile bit of technology, and it looks like its now set to ensnare yet another part of your house, with lock-maker Schlage set to introduce some web-enabled Z-Wave door locks. Those will let you lock or unlock your door from your PC, cellphone or any other wireless, web-enabled device -- or, of course, from the lock itself. That's done with the aid of a Z-Wave gateway that connects to your router, which relays the RF signals to and from the lock (or one of up to 256 other Z-Wave devices), and gives you the added benefit of extending the life of the batteries in the lock, which Schlage says should last for up to three years. Otherwise, the details on the locks themselves are pretty light, with the folks at Schlage only going so far as to say that they'll look "pretty similar" to their non-Z-Wave locks (pictured at right), and that they'll be "affordable," though presumably not less than the $150 their current locks go for.

[Thanks, Steve]

[Wes @ May 19th 2008 2:49PM]

So now, you don't have to worry about someone 'bumping' your locks, they can just be hacked?

[Low Ranked @ May 19th 2008 2:53PM]

This isn't really any different than your garage door opener or your cars remote locks.

[Picky Fingers @ May 19th 2008 3:11PM]

If someone tries unsuccessfully 5 times to break in electronically does the lock ... uh ... lock?

DoS here we come!

[Darkroom @ May 19th 2008 3:12PM]

honestly... i think i'd rather have only a key to get into my place, thanks anyway Schlage.

[d @ May 19th 2008 4:05PM]

I agree - anyone buying these is (clears throat)

Asking for a Hacking
(I was so proud of myself for thinking of that)

[crho85 @ May 19th 2008 2:51PM]

is it really so hard to carry/remember a key?

[Jared @ May 19th 2008 2:57PM]

For some kids it is, I cannot imagine for a parent how nice it would be to unlock to door from work when the kids get locked out of the house

[Blaine Oliver @ May 19th 2008 3:02PM]

This product is just as good for grounding kids when you arent at home also :D

[superpotential @ May 19th 2008 3:27PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/mit-student-hacks-his-dorm-room-door-lock/

[Joshua @ May 19th 2008 2:56PM]

My thoughts exactly. I can't think of a less secure way to protect a door, well other than not putting any lock on at all...

[John @ May 19th 2008 2:56PM]

give a lock 5 ways to be opened legally, ya give a lock 5 ways to be opened illegally as well

[T.H. @ May 19th 2008 2:56PM]

Much like the BMWs, can't wait till someone is sitting outside people's houses and innocently "using" their laptops...to hack into your house door. Just ask David Beckham how secure these things are.

[txdesign @ May 19th 2008 2:58PM]

Please get an industrial designer. These are absolutely hideous.

[blade417 @ May 19th 2008 3:00PM]

now you can leave home without your keys, come home drunk from the club, and instead of spending 5 minutes trying to get the key in the door, you can focus on sending the correct code through your cellphone, and hope that you still have cellphone service.... if you didn't lose your phone.

[Dan Davis @ May 19th 2008 5:17PM]

"now you can leave home without your keys, come home drunk from the club, and instead of spending 5 minutes trying to get the key in the door..."

If you left w/o your keys, what key are you trying to fit into the door?

[Rick @ May 19th 2008 3:03PM]

What happens when I get a Blue Screen of Death when i try to open the lock, don't have my real key, and can't get in?

Order a bagel with lox and cream cheese to be delivered by a "Lox-smith" with battering ram?

[Aintno Safelock @ May 19th 2008 3:20PM]

I once witnessed a real locksmith at work.

My neighbor on one side accidently closed his locked front door with his keys still inside. My neighbor on the OTHER side worked as a locksmith.

The locked-out neighbor knocked on the locksmith neighbor's door to get help. The locksmith neighbor poured himself out of his house - he was, literally, falling down drunk. The locked-out neighbor CARRIED him to reach his locked door, the almost unconscious locksmith took out two tools (pick and lever) and had the locked-out neighbor back inside his house within something like 5 seconds of VERY drunken fiddling.

Just amazing.

And a real statement on the "security" of locks.

(the same locked out neighbor once threw a party. One of the party goers returned one evening and smashed in the back sliding-glass door apparently using a blanket to quiet the noise - he walked away with a very expensive audio system; none of us neighbors heard it. Who cares about locks?)

[Rick @ May 19th 2008 8:19PM]

Google "Bump-proof" and "Pick-proof" locks.You can unlock most widely used new construction builder-supplied lock sets with a simple plastic tool.

[nanobis @ May 19th 2008 3:11PM]

Ive seen simailtr locks before, but these are Interesting. I'd consider having these along with the H.A.L system.

But for the moment i'll stick wiht my good ol' lock and key.

[Idlemind @ May 19th 2008 3:16PM]

The Fingerprint reader model they have was cool, until someone got melted gummibears and duplicated a finger.

How much easier is it going to be to "stumble" someones door open?

[Jeff Jochens @ May 19th 2008 3:21PM]

I personally love it. Its great if you can give guest access. Like if i fire my housekeeper can i just change the code and not have to worry about copied keys. Or, heres an example last winter my dumbass sister in law lost our key while she was watching our pets while we were on vacation...had to call a locksmith. As far as security goes, if you think ANY lock is going to stop someone determined to get in you are nuts.....and these arent going to be popular enough to make people drive around trying to hack them, and if they are trying to hack Id rather have them do that than bust my door or window

[Dan Davis @ May 19th 2008 5:32PM]

Agreed... nothing will stop the most determined thief.

My two LARGE labrador retrievers will sure make someone think twice, however.

[andrew @ May 19th 2008 3:43PM]

I have the one pictured with the numeric keypad and can say its very handy. how hard is it to carry a key, I agree its not hard at all, but I drive a prius that I dont have to put a key in and my home I just have to have the access code to. I put my car key in my pocket when I leave home and never have to use a key all day. also going for a run is easy because no key is needed to get back in the house.

you can set up temp code that only work for a day or 2. thats nice when you have someone watching your pets. they cannot duplicate your house keys because all they have is a code that wont work after so long.

I love mine, but to each his own I guess.

[Tim Rosencrans @ May 19th 2008 3:54PM]

I have the regular version of this lock and i love it. Why? Because the key is always in my head. And since I don't have to worry about ever getting locked out running down to get the mail or what ever, I have never unlocked my door since installing it. Thats right 24/7/365 that door is locked. Entering the code gives you 5 sec to open the handle then the door is locked again. The best lock in the world is useless if you forget to lock it.

[T.H. @ May 19th 2008 4:00PM]

Ok, so the combination is 24/7/365, got it. Can I get the address as well?

[Dan Davis @ May 19th 2008 5:33PM]

123 Fake Street :)

[Root @ May 19th 2008 4:18PM]

My wife and kids could never be troubled to lock the doors until I installed the programmable Schlage locks. Best $140 per door I ever spent.

[Yeah right @ May 19th 2008 4:36PM]

Yeah because someone is going to wardrive around for months to find someone with one of these locks, break the WPA2 they probably have on their wireless, run some complicated hack to unlock the door without the password to the web interface, and then go steal a Wii, instead of just finding an unlocked house or breaking a window to get in.

What a bunch of overreacting nerds.

[Low Ranked @ May 19th 2008 5:49PM]

That would still be easier than finding a Wii.

[Dan Davis @ May 19th 2008 5:20PM]

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave"

[Dan Davis @ May 19th 2008 5:21PM]

^^ Yup, that was meant for nanobis...

Love you, Engadget comment system!

[Zorque @ May 19th 2008 6:35PM]

I just hope these aren't susceptible to buffer overflows.

[benstanton @ May 19th 2008 8:46PM]

So when can I use my Wii remote to "virtually" unlock my door?

[Jeff P. @ May 19th 2008 10:34PM]

I'll chime in as well on nice these (the regular keypad version) locks are. I put one on my garage entry door last year and I love it. My wife didn't want to spend the money but I persisted and put it in anyway. I asked her the other day if she liked it and she agrees that it was $140 that was well spent.

[AssassinWarrior @ May 20th 2008 12:46PM]

wouldnt that can enable hackers to hack into ur comp and unlock your door? that is it if you have no firewall >.>

[Brian @ Sep 3rd 2008 6:02PM]

A lot of you seem to be implying that these are meant for home use. PLEASE tell me i'm misinterpreting.