The appeal of a smart lock becomes evident the moment a user crawls into bed and realizes they forgot to lock the front door. With the addition of modern voice-control platforms and smartphone apps, locking that pesky door becomes even easier. August Home has partnered with Alarm.com, fully integrating its smart lock with security panels like DSC, Interlogix, Nortek, and Qolsys. That means you’ll only have to tap your smartphone in order to lock, unlock, and otherwise control access to your front door.
Thanks to this new partnership, you can also access features like timed auto-lock, location-based locking reminders, one-touch remote locking, unexpected activity notifications (if your door is unlocked at an odd time), and integration into Alarm.com’s scenes so that one tap triggers a host of smart home actions — all from your August or Alarm.com app.
Last year, August announced last year that its Smart Lock is compatible with the Google Assistant on Google Home, making August the first smart lock on the market to support all three major voice-control platforms. Whether a user prefers Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant, the August Smart Lock will work alongside the respective platform. At Mobile World Congress 2018, August Home revealed Google Assistant now includes support for DoorSense, the company’s door sensor. And now, August has announced expanded capabilities with another smart assistant in the form of the new Alexa Smart Home Skill.
Now, if someone rings your August Doorbell Cam, you’ll be able to see live footage of what’s happening at your front door on your Echo Show, Echo Spot, or FireTV device. You’ll simply have to say, “Alexa, show me my front door camera.” Taking things a step further, you can also let people in with your voice — just call out, “Alexa, unlock the front door,” and Alexa will ask for your secure PIN code. Once you’ve satisfied this security requirement, the August Smart Lock will open up.
This functionality builds upon August’s existing Google Assistant capabilities, which include the new August Smart Lock and August Smart Lock Pro telling you if your door is open or closed. If you have DoorSense installed on your door (along with one of these new locks), you can just say, “Hey, Google, is my door closed?” August has also made it easier to interact with your entryways via voice. If you want to lock your door or check if it’s open, simply say, “Hey Google, lock my front door” or “OK, Google, is my front door locked?” You won’t have to add the “Ask August” portion of the command any longer.
“Voice control continues to be a significant driver of smart home adoption, and the Google Assistant on Google Home is a key partner in delivering a great user experience,” August Home CEO Jason Johnson noted previously.
On its own, the August Smart Lock allows users to lock or unlock their door with their smartphone. Virtual keys can also be created for guests, and an activity log keeps track of anyone who activates the device. By pairing it with the Smart Keypad, owners can come up with unique entry codes for family, friends, and service providers. Completing the ultimate home access setup is the Doorbell Cam. Whether they’re at home or not, users can see and speak with visitors at the door using their personal smartphone.
Third-generation August Smart Locks introduced a new Auto-Connect technology, which automatically detects if you’re in front of your door or remotely accessing your lock. Now that your August Lock is truly location-aware, you can control your door from absolutely anywhere — when you want to check the status of your smart lock or let someone in from afar, all you have to do is open the lock screen within your August app. The lock no longer has to wait to connect to Wi-Fi — instead, the whole process is seamless and automatic. As August notes, that means “no more waiting for a connection or wondering if you locked the door when you left the house — now you can instantly confirm your door is locked from the August app.”
The August Smart Lock Pro and Connect package is now available for $279.
Updated on June 20: Added news of August’s integration with Alarm.com.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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