You’ve got your key in your back pocket, grocery bags in both hands, and your front door is locked. Now you have to set the bags down, hope to not spill anything, just to get your keys. Don’t you wish this problematic situation would just go away? With the new and improved August Smart Lock, it just might.
Let’s take a look at what makes this new smart lock so special.
Visual Appeal
If you like a minimalistic and clean design, you’ll be delighted with the August Smart Lock. Modern in its concept, the August Smart Lock is circular so it differs from most rectangular smart locks. And unlike most smart locks, the August’s hardware is installed on the interior side of the door. On the exterior, there’s the smooth, cylindrical face that has a small ring of light that will either blink green or red to indicate the lock’s status. The lock is available in a bevy of subtle colors, namely, champagne, red, silver, and dark gray, too.
Ease of Use
Pair the August Smart Lock with the August Connect (which acts as a bridge between the lock and your Wi-Fi connection) and you can open it in few different ways. Of course, you can open the deadbolt the traditional way: keys. Only the interior hardware is replaced by August.
You can also open the smart lock just by being within 100 yards away. A function available only to Apple consumers (via iOS’ Home app), Auto-Unlock will unlock August when the device senses that you’re nearby.
Or you can use Siri (or Alexa if you paired the lock with an Amazon Echo Dot) to unlock the door via voice command. But when you neither have keys nor access to a Wi-Fi network, open August using your phone’s Bluetooth. Simply turn on the Bluetooth connection, allow it to find the smart lock, and it can unlock the door for you.
The August Smart Lock comes with a handful of nifty features, too. For starters, there’s the Everlock. Enable Everlock and the deadbolt will automatically lock 30 seconds after you’ve opened and closed the door. You may also provide an unlimited number of guest access (or keys) to the lock through your smartphone. Not to mention that you can schedule curfews for certain “keys” on the app.
August is also one of the few smart locks that pair with Nest products. Consequently, you can program your Nest Learning Thermostat to turn on the moment you unlock your August Smart Lock.
Installation Process
Compared to other smart locks, the August Smart Lock is relatively easy to install. You only need to install hardware on the interior part of the door. In other words, you may continue using your current exterior deadbolt, minus the thumb turn on the inside. Typically, the process of aligning your lock with August takes about 15 minutes.
If you’re worried that your deadbolt may not match August’s, the installation kit comes with several color-coded adapters and mounting plates. This way, it’ll be easy figuring out which kit will fit your door’s bolt. The smart lock even comes with painter’s tape so you leave no marks when you secure the lock in place.
On the software side of things, the app installation for August is pretty much a breeze regardless if you’re an Apple or Android user. Just go to the Apple Store/Google Play Store to download the free August Smart Lock app. From there, you will be asked to upload a picture and authenticate your account via SMS and email codes.
Degree of Security
To be clear, the degree of protection your deadbolt provides neither increases nor diminishes with the addition of August. It’s the same old bolt, except that it now responds to digital access. It may even seem like some sort of oversight for August not to have built-in alarms like its smart lock peers. Nevertheless, you can grant, change, or remove guest access remotely through the device’s app. You can also view a history of when the door was unlocked and who did so through the same mobile app.
Verdict
Although it may not be the newest smart lock on the block, the second generation August Smart Lock does bring awesome updates to an already amazing gadget.
Automating the process of locking and unlocking doors may not qualify as a necessity to some, but it sure adds a whole lot of convenience. For busy folks who don’t want to have to search for keys, the August Smart Lock will be a boon. Even if you’re not that busy (or forgetful), this cool smart home device will give you a glimpse of the comfort you get by incorporating technology into the domestic space. And you don’t even have to be a serious handyman to set it up!
