Technology
UniKey Keyless Entry System » Some phone-based door products enable you to use your phone much as you would a key. You walk up to the door, pull out your phone instead of your key, then unlock the door with your phone. One offering in this category is the UniKey, which uses Bluetooth wireless technology to unlock the door. You just touch the UniKey deadbolt, and it unlocks if your phone is within a few feet of the lock. (Anyone can lock the door without a phone.) But the UniKey system also does another neat trick. From the UniKey app, you can send an electronic copy of the "key" — for example, if you want to let a friend into your house while you're away, you can send the key over the Internet, then the friend can use it to unlock your door. You can also revoke keys using the app and send keys that work only during certain hours of the day. Pricing hasn't been announced for the UniKey, but the company says it will be less than $199.
Edison Junior DoorBot Smart Doorbell - $169.00 » Another crowd-sourced phone-controlled door project is called DoorBot. The DoorBot, made by a company called Edison Junior, installs next to your door with four screws. It has a doorbell and a camera, and runs on AA batteries that last a year, according to the company. The camera is infrared capable, so you can even see who's at the door at night. The way it works is that when visitors ring the doorbell, your phone alerts you and you can see who's there, even when you're not at home. And you can speak to them through your phone. Perhaps best of all, the DoorBot is designed to work with the Lockitron, so not only can you see and speak with whoever's at your door, but you can let the person in, too.
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