The beauty of having a connected home is when products come together that ultimately make our lives easier. With HomeKit-ready devices popping up at many online retailers, now is the time to invest in upgrading your home with the latest internet-connected gear.
Smart locks for our front doors are not a new invention by any means. Schlage has been at the forefront of this movement for sometime. Westinghouse is now making the jump as well with a new product that has an integrated camera, door bell and many of those same smart functions that we’ve seen before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stwh66pp8Xg
Westinghouse’s Nucli Smart Lock was launched on Indiegogo a few weeks ago as a means of stirring up interest. Although it’s a rather bulky looking deadbolt, it is filled to the brim with features. On the front is a touchscreen, camera, microphone and speaker. When someone arrives at your home, they can press the door bell or begin a voice and video call.
You’ll be able to unlock the door with your phone or by pressing a special code to enter, using a keyfod or the fingerprint scanner. That’s a lot of different options for one device but it does offer quite a bit of flexibility for allowing guests to come and go. Users can store up to 50 different access codes for one-time visitors or someone that comes more often with keys, like children or other family.
Of course, there is an iOS and Android app that provides a full control panel for the lock and door bell. This will allow users to see who is at the door, communicate with them, and manage other settings like ring volume, tone and more. There is a 9-volt battery slot that powers Nucli, which is expected to last about six months at a time.
As we noted before, there are plenty of smart door lock options available. The inclusion of biometrics is another area that differentiates this product from the rest of the market. Combining all of these features into one product makes this lock particularly intriguing. No word on Homekit compatibility yet but the final product has yet to be released, so there is still hope.
The Westinghouse Nucli has already raised over $90,000 through two weeks. An early bird pledge of $299 will deliver a lock in November with a choice of Bronze, Brass and Chrome finishes. Not interested in fully diving in with Westinghouse? Other similar options are available on the market. The upcoming Schlage Sense Deadbolt has HomeKit compatibility, while the August Smart Lock is already available. Ring’s Video Doorbell can send a live feed from your door to an iOS or Android device. We positively reviewed it last winter as a viable option for Internet-connected homes.
More New Toys of the Day:
- The new Gamevice MFi game controllers will fit your iPad Air and iPhone 6s just right
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- The Raspberry Pi touchscreen display we’ve been waiting for is now available
- Parrot’s new Zik 3 Wireless Headphones look like a crocodile with inductive charging
- Sphero brought the BB-8 Droid from Star Wars to life and we all want it
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