Motorola Skip clip unlocks your phone's lock screen
Available for the upcoming Moto X, the new clip-on gadget lets you unlock your phone with a simple tap.
Motorola has cooked up a device that lets you dispense with PINs to unlock your smartphone.
Known as Skip, the thumb-sized gadget can clip on to your pocket, belt, shirt sleeve, or other area. Using near-field communications, Skip pairs with your smartphone. After the pairing, just tap Skip with your phone to unlock the screen.
Three Skip dots are also part of the package. You can stick the dots on any surface, such as your nightstand, your car's dashboard, or your desk. To unlock your phone, just tap it to the dot.
Only the Skip gadget and dots paired with your phone can unlock it, Motorola said in a blog post Friday. You can still unlock your phone with your PIN if Skip isn't around and unpair the gadget if you lose it.
Skip will be available only with the new Moto X, at least for now. And for a limited time, the device and dots will be free with all Moto X phones ordered through Motorola's online Moto Maker tool.
Motorola didn't reveal the price of Skip after the free promo ends. But Phandroid and a couple of other blog sites spotted it selling for $20 before Motorola took down the order page.