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Schlage's latest smart lock works with Apple's virtual home keys
Schlage has unveiled a smart lock that opens using the virtual home keys on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Schlage's WiFi deadbolt lock can open the door for Amazon couriers
You now have another (and potentially better) option if you want a Schlage lock that can let Amazon couriers into your home. The company has unveiled the Encode, the first WiFi-equipped deadbolt that supports Key by Amazon. Unlike the Connect, you don't need a hub -- you just install the lock and fire up the app. It unsurprisingly plays well with Ring's devices, too. You now have the option to let people in when watching live video from a Ring doorbell or camera.
Amazon's Key delivery service is coming to businesses
Amazon first introduced Key because porch piracy is a thing, but many folks were shocked with a system that would let couriers enter into their homes when they were out. Amazon has slowly reduced those fears by bringing in new smart lock manufacturers like Schlage and beefing up security. As we roll into 2019, Amazon is now expanding the service (renamed to Key by Amazon) with garage entry, smart doorbell support and the latest feature, Key for Business.
Schlage's new smart lock lets Amazon into your house
Locks are usually meant to keep people out of your house, but Schlage and Amazon are letting people in -- as long as they're dropping off a package for you. Schlage's new Zigbee-certified Connect Smart Deadbolt is the latest smart lock to work with with the Amazon Key service that allows packages to be dropped off inside your home.
The new Ring Stick Up Cam works with Ring Alarm security system
Amazon is rolling out a bunch of new gadgets today, a few of which are focused on home security. Among those is a new Ring Stick Up Cam, which will come in both wired and battery-powered versions. It can be used indoors or outside, comes in black and white and will be able to work alongside the Ring Alarm security system when used indoors. These are the first cameras from Ring that are meant for indoor and outdoor use and they'll feature motion detection, 1080p HD resolution, night vision, two-way talk, a siren and a wide viewing angle. Users will be able to program them to start recording once Ring Alarm is triggered.
Google Assistant can lock Schlage's Sense deadbolt (updated)
Schlage's Sense Smart Deadbolt is now compatible with Google Assistant, giving users with enabled devices voice control over their lock. By saying, "OK Google, is my door locked?" or "OK Google, lock my door," Sense owners can check on the status of their deadbolt or lock it using Google Assistant. The company announced that Google Assistant support was on the way during CES earlier this year.
Alexa can open Schlage smart locks
Schlage announced today that users of its Sense and Connect smart locks will now be able to unlock them with Alexa. Users have been able to lock and check the status of their smart deadbolts with Amazon's digital assistant since October, but unlocking them still required a phone. Now Sense and Connect owners can use any Alexa-enabled device to unlock their doors for them.
Google Assistant will unlock Schlage Sense deadbolts
Schlage's Sense smart deadbolt now works with (almost) any virtual assistant under the Sun. The lock maker has revealed that Sense will support Google Assistant early in the first quarter, letting you check on your door (and, of course, lock it) from your Google Home or mobile apps that use the AI helper. You'll need the Sense WiFi adapter to make this work, but it'll give you the choice of Assistant, Alexa or Siri (via HomeKit) -- not bad when some rivals only offer one or two options.
Schlage Sense now locks itself with an Alexa voice command
You can already lock and unlock Schlage's Sense smart deadbolt with your voice through Siri, but you now have another choice if you're not a fan of Apple devices. The smart lock is now compatible with Amazon Alexa, so you can lock (but unfortunately, not unlock) it or check out its status by barking out voice commands through an Echo speaker or any of the e-retail giant's Alexa-enabled devices. If you want to play with the integration a bit more, you can fire up the Alexa app and create "routines" for your smart devices triggered by key words. For instance, you can create a sequence that automatically locks your front door and switches off the lights when you say "good night."
Android phones can now open Schlage's premium smart lock
Android users in search of a smart lock now have another option available to them. On top of its existing iOS (and HomeKit) support, Schlage is adding compatibility for Google's OS to its top-of-the-line Smart Deadlock. That's not all, if you're willing to fork out an extra $70 you can also grab the company's new Sense Wi-Fi adapter, allowing you to control the smart lock from anywhere.
The best smart lock
By Jon Chase This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here. After spending more than three months researching and testing eight leading models in both side-by-side tests and real-world everyday use, we feel that the Kwikset Kevo with the optional Kevo Plus module is the best choice for most homeowners. It's the most versatile lock we tested—you can control it via a standard key, a wireless key fob, or a smartphone (at close range or remotely, over the Internet). It consistently had the fastest unlock/lock response times of all the locks we tested, and the mechanical whir of its moving parts was among the quietest.
Engadget giveaway: win a smart home starter kit courtesy of Wink!
The changeover to smart homes seems inevitable, but you do have to make a reasonable investment in networked gear or you'll be stuck building a smart(ish) home one lonely, Bluetooth item at a time. This week, though, one lucky Engadget reader is going to get a boost into the future with a selection of Wink and other compatible smart home items. There's a Wink Relay so you don't always have to dig out your phone to control settings and a Wink Hub to unify the system -- compatible with WiFi, Z-wave, ZigBee and Bluetooth frequencies. That will cover the lamp dimmer, LED lightbulbs, connected lock and sensor pack in this prize bundle as well. If you get hooked, it's easy to expand your smart home's abilities by adding more items to the network as you go. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this IoT starter pack courtesy of Wink. Winner: congratulations to Luis B. of North Miami Beach, FL!
Schlage's new smart lock lets you open your door with your voice
Smart locks are starting to become big business, with even Sony (Sony!) muscling in on the action. If, however, you'd like to buy a model from a company with any sort of reputation for security, then Schlage Sense might be the door furniture for you. Simply bolt this thing onto your front door and cram in four AA batteries and you'll almost instantly be able to access your home, either with your key, a four-digit PIN or your smartphone.
Lockitron now offering low cost easy-to-install hardware for iOS lock control
We've previously reported on Apple patents that cover unlocking doors using iOS, and we've mentioned the Lockitron system -- a device that covers a deadbolt lock and allows remote locks and unlocks from iOS devices. Lock compatibility was somewhat limited. Today, the company announced a lower-cost and more direct feature. Partnering with lockmaker Schlage, the company is now offering a single cylinder replacement deadbolt lock for US$29.00. Coupled with the Lockitron hardware and recently updated iOS software, most doors can be opened remotely from any location in the world -- as long as you have a data connection. The first production units are being shipped next month to people who made early reservations for the original product. Now customers can add the Schlage lock that works with the remote access system. The company maintains a compatibility page if you want to see if your existing locks will work. The system allows you to control multiple door locks with an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5. The software is available at the App Store.
Charles Walton, father of RFID technology, dies at 89
We have some somber news to bring you today: Charles Walton, the man who pioneered the rise of RFID technology, has died at the age of 89. The Cornell-educated entrepreneur garnered more than 50 patents over the course of his career, but it only took one to cement his legacy -- a 1973 patent for a "Portable radio frequency emitting identifier." It may not have been the first RFID-related invention, but Walton's breakthrough would prove to be foundational, spawning many similar patents, including ten from the creator himself. It all began at the Army Signal Corps, where Walton worked after studying electrical engineering at Cornell and earning a Master's degrees in electrical engineering and economics of engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. In 1960, he accepted a position at IBM, where he conducted research on disc drives before founding his own company, Proximity Devices, in 1970. It was at Proximity where many of Walton's patents came to life, including his initial design, which he developed alongside the Schlage lock company and eventually licensed to other firms, as well. He would go on to earn millions from his technology, though as Venture Beat points out, he may have been a bit too far ahead of the curve. Many of Walton's patents expired by the time RFID devices caught on with big spenders like the Department of Defense and Wal-Mart, thereby excluding him from any subsequent windfall. But that didn't seem to bother him too much, as evidenced in a 2004 interview with Venture Beat: "I feel good about it and gratified I could make a contribution."
D-Link DWM-351 turns the doorbell into a 3G video intercom
In lieu of a cost-effective, consumer-friendly home automation standard being available, products like the D-Link 3G Door Phone have emerged to address ad hoc automation needs. This suped-up, waterproof doorbell allows home owners to monitor the front door over a 3G cellphone or PC via the unit's integrated 0.1 megapixel camera, SIM card, speaker, and mic. Home owners can then see the visitor as a snapshot or over one-way 3G video while interacting over a two-way voice call. Unfortunately, it won't allow you to remotely unlock your door; for that you'll need something like a Schlage lock and a fussy Z-Wave network to go with it. Alternatively, devices like the Siemens Gigaset HC450 intercom has the option to control your electronic door lock from your home landline (accessible via your mobile phone) but lacks video and direct 3G data access. Hey, nobody said home automation was going to be easy.
Schlage LiNK web-controlled Z-Wave door locks priced right out of consideration
We first spotted Schlage's web-controlled Z-Wave door locks back in May, but Schlage was still working out details on everything from the name to pricing, and it looks like ditching that key for online access will be pretty pricey: a LiNK lock "starter kit" will run $299 for a lock and Z-Wave Ethernet bridge that enables network control, with additional locks going for $199. On top of that, you'll be charged $12.99 a month for access to the LiNK portal and mobile apps, including 100MB of video storage if you add a video camera to the system. Good luck with that, Schlage -- turns out regular keys don't charge a monthly fee to keep doors locked.
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]
