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Bluetooth is the key to this smart lock

You can use an app or a touchpad to unlock Master Lock's Bluetooth Smart Padlock, which was on display at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Ashlee Clark Thompson Associate Editor
Ashlee spent time as a newspaper reporter, AmeriCorps VISTA and an employee at a healthcare company before she landed at CNET. She loves to eat, write and watch "Golden Girls" (preferably all three at the same time). The first two hobbies help her out as an appliance reviewer. The last one makes her an asset to trivia teams. Ashlee also created the blog, AshleeEats.com, where she writes about casual dining in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ashlee Clark Thompson
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The Master Lock Bluetooth Smart Padlocks comes in two models: an outdoor version (center) and an indoor model (right).

Ashlee Clark Thompson/CNET

It can be a pain to keep up with keys, especially the ones for rarely used padlocks. But with Master Lock's Bluetooth Smart Padlock, you only need to keep your phone on hand.

Master Lock displayed its entry into the smart home Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The nearly 100-year-old company released its two smart padlocks in November: The larger outdoor model costs $60 and the indoor model is $50.

Shop for Master Lock Bluetooth Smart Padlock (Outdoor)

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After you download Master Lock's app, you can use the Bluetooth in your phone to connect to and unlock the padlock. You can also crack the padlocks if your phone isn't handy. Each smart lock has a touch keypad on which you can set a directional code (think "down, down, left, up, right") to open it.

We've seen similar technology with the Quicklock, which supports both Bluetooth and NFC. But the Master Lock has almost a century of security experience that could make its presence in the smart lock market formidable.

The smart-home products of CES 2016 (pictures)

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Features

  • Can use the app to provide temporary and/or timed access to the padlocks
  • Can use website to track when and how many times the padlocks have been unlocked
  • Battery powered