If you've been intrigued by the idea of smartphone-activated door locks but aren't quite ready to get out the drill and install one, the ultra-simple Sesame might be for you. It lets you unlock the door through an app or a secret knock on your phone or the door itself, and an optional Wi-Fi dongle lets you admit or deny visitors from afar. The company claims its interface is simpler, and the connection time faster, than the competition.
Sesame sets itself apart with an ultra-simple installation process: You literally just stick the device, which resembles a kitchen timer, to any lock that uses a rotating latch, and a mechanism inside adjusts to fit it (or so Sesame claims). A competitor, Lockitron, attempted this method a couple years ago, but found it problematic and recently moved to a full lock replacement. Hopefully Sesame has found a way to avoid the fit and finish problems that plagued early Lockitron models.
At $99 on Kickstarter (the price will rise to $149 when Sesame goes to retail), Sesame is the same price as Lockitron's Bolt, but looks considerably easier to install (and remove, if necessary). If you've been looking to dip your toes into the Internet of Things without jumping in, this could be a painless way to do so.
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