Lockitron Bolt Grants Access With A Touch of the App

The best part of a good gadget is how well it can ameliorate, or eliminate, a pain from our lives. It could be something that allows us to cook more creatively or even a better way to monitor our pets. Lockitron has developed Bolt to ease one last pain – your house keys.

Bolt is the latest genius lock gadget from Lockitron. It’s a smart lock that retains security, increases accessibility (when you need it), and lets you control it all. The best part? It makes it nearly impossible to lock yourself out.

The kit comes with two parts: Bolt, which attaches directly to your door, and Bridge, which provides low energy Bluetooth to Bolt. Lockitron chose this so that Bolt will always work even when the power goes out.

The locking system is controlled with your phone. Supported by both iOS and Android, the Lockitron app is free and allows you to lock or unlock however many Bolt systems you have at any time. This is perfect for those that rent out their places, like with services through Airbnb, with a high volume of guests and the nagging requirement to hand over keys. The app also lets you have people on your list that are granted access. Just as easily as deleting an email, you can also remove people from your access list. Additionally, you’re able to see a log of who is entering your home and at what time.

The device itself is rather compact with its modern design. It is 6.7” tall, 4.1” wide, and just 1.65” deep. It’s powered by four AA batteries, which should last about six months. Luckily, you’ll get a notification when the batteries start to get low.

Bolt has location measurements requirements to be used. It requires about 4” of space around your deadbolt to stay in place. The Lockitron team realise that no two doors are going to be identical, such as the distance between the deadbolt and the doorknob, so they provide a template, which you can print out and measure up against your door. If there is any apprehension about whether Bolt will fit, the team encourage you to send photos of your door so they can professionally assess it.

The smartest part of Bolt is the sensor ability. You can choose to enable either Sense Proximity Unlock or Sense Notifications. These allow you to have keyless entry and Bolt can unlock the door as you approach. This is perfect for when you’re hauling your groceries in and refuse to take more than one trip. Additionally, Key Match allows you to still use your original key even with Bolt in place. This works well so your landlord will still have access to your flat despite your (slight) gadget obsession.

Bolt isn’t the first smart locking system from Lockitron and the public aren’t quick to forget. Stephanie Mlot of PCMag.com remembers that the original Lockitron needed a 30 minute sleep from Wi-Fi, which clearly nullified the ease of use. The new and improved doesn’t miss a beat. Rich Brown of CNET.com notes that the price of Bolt has gone down considerably from the first version but Bridge will cost an extra $80 to accompany Bolt.

In the future, Lockitron are determined to get more devices to work with Bolt such as smart watches or even other smart home gadgets. Lockitron encourage users to develop integrations on their own. Get developing and perhaps your configuration will be available to everyone. Lockitron hope to add more colours to the range as well. Currently, Bolt is available in Polished Brass and Satin Nickel.

Production for Bolt will commence this spring. It is available for pre-order direct from Lockitron for $99.