Smart Lock Lets Users Open Doors With A Mobile App
(Najamuddin Ghanghro, Karachi ( Original from Larkana))
The smart home has grown in
importance over the years, with new technologies being used to connect users
with what used to be dumb objects. Products like the Nest thermostat show how
wireless technology and mobile apps to better manage the temperature of your
home. Now similar technology is being deployed by a startup called August, which
provides a $199 keyless lock system powered by a mobile app.
August was founded by tech entrepreneur Jason Johnson and industrial designer
Yves Behar. They were searching for a new way to give users access to their
homes. The result is a keyless lock system that hooks onto your existing dead
bolt and lets you unlock doors through mobile applications. For homeowners, the
hardware will enable easy access to a house for themselves, as well as other
approved visitors.
Johnson believes that the solution is perfect for users who want to give
conditional, temporary access to people who might be coming by their house to
clean or fix it while the owner isn’t home. It’s also a way for users to let
friends, family or Airbnb guests to enter the house with a complete log of
whomever has come in at any given time. That will allow users to see who’s
entered and when.
In addition to the ability to turn on and off access to the home through an app,
users will be able to send invitations to friends or family that have been
connected on Facebook or on their mobile contact lists. Johnson gave the example
of a dinner party where visitors could be invited and let themselves in without
having to ring the doorbell.
The August smart lock is powered by Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology, which
will enable it to work without connecting to a Wi-Fi network. The team claims
that the smart lock is the smallest electronic door lock on the market, and they
say that it only takes 10 minutes to install. While the hardware costs $199, the
service will remain free once the device has been purchased.
While Behar is well-known for industrial design work he’s done on products like
the Jawbone Up, OUYA game console, and other devices, this is the first time
he’s been a co-founder on one of those projects. Johnson, meanwhile, has been
the CEO and co-founder of AirCover, as well as co-founder of BookShout.
August has raised $2 million in seed funding from a bunch of angels, including
Jay Adelson, Matt Mullenweg, Rick Marini, Zack Bogue, Matt Ocko, Aileen Lee,
Mike Marquez