We normally try to steer clear of crowdfunding projects, but we like the concept here, and the company has demonstrated working prototypes and sufficient knowledge that we feel confident in its ability to deliver. With that said, there is always risk involved in crowdfunding, and of course the wait as the products aren’t projected to ship until September/November, so take that into consideration.
With that out of the way, let’s talk about the TappLock. There are two models, the TappLock and TappLock Lite, which offer the same basic functionality. The headline feature is the ability to unlock via a fingerprint sensor on the front of the lock.
You program the fingerprints into the lock over Bluetooth using a companion app. Up to 100 distinct fingerprints can be saved to the device, and once they are saved to the lock, the smartphone is no longer necessary. The fingerprint sensor is the same one used by the Huawei Mate 7 and is designed to stand up to use and abuse. You can also give others access to your lock using the app, with the ability to customize the time and/or location of that access.
Your first question is probably going to be, “What if my fingerprint fails to open the lock?” The answer is that the fallback is unlocking using the app again over a Bluetooth connection.
The TappLock is a bit larger than the TappLock Lite and can go 3 years on a charge (even with daily use), while the TappLock Lite lasts for 6 months and relies on user replaceable batteries. The locks will give you a notification when they drop below 5% battery life and, given the lengthy life on both, that still leaves you with months for the TappLock and days for the TappLock Lite before a charge or battery swap is needed.
The TappLock does offer a couple tricks over the TappLock Lite. It can also serve as a charger for your smartphone, which isn’t probably going to be something you lean on often, but could be handy in an emergency. It also features an alarm that will be triggered if someone completely severs the lock.
Both TappLocks use steel frame construction and are weather resistant, in case you are looking for a lock that can be outside year-round.
The TappLock has already crossed its $40,000 funding goal with 28 days left, so this project is going to go ahead. There are still a number of early bird options left as of publication, with the TappLock Lite as low as $29 and the TappLock as low as $49.
If the TappLock sounds interesting, hit the Indiegogo link below to check it out for yourself.
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