Okidokeys Smart-Lock: Feature-packed, obtrusive
Okidokeys Smart-Lock offers tons of options, but you might not get past its looks.
LAS VEGAS -- A spin-off project from hotel smart lock provider OpenWays, Okidokeys has what looks like a comprehensive line of smart-lock products on its hands. Not only will the company be selling its Bluetooth-enabled Smart-Lock, but it also has an in-home gateway to sync up control of multiple locks, an electronic gate/garage door opener, as well as a door-mountable reader you can use to swipe your way inside your home.
Where other smart-locks companies have pursued a home-decor-friendly aesthetic for their products, though, Okidokeys' hardware is big, features multiple components, and has some obtrusive design elements.
You can buy a snap-on cover for the smart-lock housing in one of a few color options, and there's even one you can paint yourself, but the color change won't mitigate the size, and the covers are only available for the lock, not Okidokeys' other components.
Get past the design, and Okidokeys Smart-Lock sounds pretty appealing. Like many other smart locks, this one works with your existing ANSI Grade 1 and Grade 2 deadbolt, and is designed to be user-installable.
The Smart-Lock will then let you lock and unlock your door via your Bluetooth 4.0-equipped smartphone, with a traditional key, or, with the optional Smart-Reader, via wristband, a wallet card, and key fob accessories, all equipped with RFID chips.
All those options can grant hands-free, proximity-based access. They also make it easy for you to distribute access to different people, including non-smartphone owners. And as with Okidokeys' competitors, you can restrict each credential to a certain time frame, and also log your users' comings and goings.
As standalone products, the Smart-Lock base kit costs a competitive $179. The Smart Gate/Garage opener will sell for $99, and the Smart-Reader and the Smart-Gateway will each retail for $79 by themselves. Okidokeys also sells various packages, of which the $269 Connect Pack seems to be the best deal. That gets you the lock, the reader and a handful of RFID accessories, and the gateway. The latter is especially important if you want to control and monitor your lock set up remotely over the Internet (the lock and reader have no Wi-Fi component) or use multiple locks.
If you can live with Okidokeys' looks and want to make a purchase, the company says it will start taking orders for its various Smart-Lock products this month, and it will ship in the US in the early spring, with a European version to follow soon thereafter.