Otto - Digital Door Lock Manufacturer Introduced In August 2017 - Closes Up Shop 5 Months Later

Breaking News: OTTO Closes Down.

Otto displayed their new entrant to the digital deadbolt market back in August 2017 with a great deal of hype.

The system purported to be a high quality top end system aimed at the residential home security market.

Promising features and high quality manufacturing priced the new product at the upper end of similar offerings.

The IoT (Internet of Things) industry has brought a great many new players into the market and industry in recent years and home security products purports to be a $20 Billion - $30 Billion dollar industry and constantly growing.

There are no end of new products coming to market to whet the appetites of consumers, each with varying product features and uses. WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, Deadbolts, Door Handles etc all vying for a piece of the pie.

But to corner a part of the market requires some capital and longevity in an industry that is truly dominated by few worldwide corporations that essentially own the market. Assa-Abloy is well known as the worldwide leader in manufacturing of access control, locking systems, hardware for commercial and residential entry systems. They have many competing companies under their umbrella and are well known as a builder of high quality products. They have the resources to continue to offer many of the leading and most desired products in the industry, across the planet..

Otto have become the latest startup to fall victim to a crowded market. They were just in the process of finalizing a corporate takeover of their company, when the buyer pulled out.
The ensuing damage damned the fate of this Silicon Valley startup, before they could get their product out to the market. They now have a warehouse full of product unable to be sold and are facing complete shut down.

Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock - Inventory Dwindling

Demand for this high quality product, the Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock is remaining sufficiently high and we are seeing increasing movement in inventory.

Our last shipment from late October is already half depleted and demand doesn't appear to be diminishing any time soon.

We envisaged a slight price increase around the start of 2018 and we still expect that to occur.

We are entering new arrangements on shipping services with USPS that may bring down the domestic shipping cost slightly, but we will maintain the ability to ship overnight with UPS or Fedex too.
If you dont mind waiting 10 days to get it by USPS, then that might be a cheaper shipping option for you.

With only 4 days left in 2018, we suggest would be fence sitters hurry to purchase before the January 1st price increase.

View the installation video and purchasing options in the source below.

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Pattern Door Lock - Concept Concealed Code Entry Lockset

 Here is a new concept from an Asian designer that bears some merit.

Have you noticed that using the common digital keypad entry set, available across today's market including any of almost 100 different manufacturers, use a front facing keypad that people in your vicinity may be able to peer over your shoulder and watch as you enter in your credentials?

Have you tried to shield your entry technique by moving your body to block their view, or used your hand to shield their eyesight?

This Pattern Door lock puts the combination on the rear of the handle, effectively blocking another person from seeing your code.

 Simple to operate and effective, this concept could see the light of day in internal environments. I suggest that due to the limited type of lock types, it may be better suited to an internal office environment or even residence doors inside an apartment complex (not exposed to weather). The pictures here show how the locks are operated.

This is a concept only at this time, but I suggest that it is a concept that has a future.

What do you think?

Would discerning building managers and contractors consider installing these types of access control systems for apartment buildings or offices?

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Haven - New Application By Edward Snowden Suggests A Use For Your Retired Android Phone

Y'all may remember Edward Snowden, the former NSA employee who spilled the beans a few years ago about goings on at the NSA.

He has been busy recently developing all manner of things including this new application he calls Haven.

Haven is an application you may be able to store on your Android phone that can turn that phone into a security camera system for personal use.

There are not many intricate details released just yet, but essentially the application enables you to install a sensor and video/sound capture system on your used Android mobile phones, using the already built in camera, microphone, light sensors and messaging services to provide a sensible use for your used devices and get more life out of your used product.

Using a previous cellphone (mobile phone) or a "burner phone" often means that you could have a very inexpensive method of increasing your personal security without purchasing new hardware.

There are a few articles explaining about this new concoction of Snowden's and like him or not, he is considered by many to be on the cutting edge of security technology.

Check out the article in the source below for more details.

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Blink - Wireless Peep Hole Camera Systems Agrees To Be Acquired By Amazon

Breaking News: Blink, the wireless, battery powered peephole camera system manufacturer announced on Friday that they have agreed to be acquired by Amazon.

There are many players today in the peephole market, some of whom you may be familiar with like Ring or Brinno and Blink have just been acquired by Amazon in an attempt to further their recent product and service offering called Amazon Key.

Wireless peepholes are quite the rage today because many dwellers desire to know whom is actually at their door, whether they are home or not.

With the Internet Of Things (IOT) constantly evolving to make our lives more technological and easier, smart home technology is still in it's infancy. Many competing products, vying for our dollars, are coming to market. Many smart home products, including wireless battery powered deadbolts, entrance sets, door bells etc are a common method for people to get their feet wet with the latest smart home technology.

Amazon announced their Amazon Key program 2 months ago, to enable Amazon product deliveries to your residence or office, even when your abode is unattended. This service by Amazon is an ambitious attempt to thwart the increasing crime known as "porch theft" or "porch piracy". See this New York Times article from December 19th.


Personally, while I understand the desire of some to constantly be visually aware of "goings on" at home, especially at your entry, I am bewildered that many customers of this technology would allow their properties to be viewed over the web, through cloud services. Combine that with the recent announcement about the KRACK wifi virus that we wrote about here about 2 months ago and perhaps this is another recipe for disaster in the making.

I believe consumers should protect their privacy more and perhaps think about storing their security camera pictures on their home server or hard drives, rather than a web based system.

I'm sure opinions vary and would like to know your feelings on this matter.
Feel free to comment in the space below (and include a link to your website if you desire - REMEMBER all comments are subject to moderation)

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Minute Key Kiosk Produces Keys That Often Do Not Work...

Big box store patrons may have noticed the Minute Key Kiosks popping up at various Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart and other hardware stores over the last couple of years.

Key duplication is a service not only provided by locksmiths, but also hardware stores, shoe repairers and some gas stations too.

We have mentioned the Minute Key Kiosk in this blog previously, but were asked to remove the post by the distributor because the product hadn been officially released at that time.

This story comes about thanks to a post from a colleague in the Society Of Professional Locksmiths.

The machine in question, located in a Lowes store on the east coast, recently suffered a malfunction where the store manager was unable to open the machine up to remove money and replace the metal stock for continuing to make keys.

The manager had the operating key and could turn it in the access lock, but couldnt get the lock to function, requiring him to call a locksmith technician to fix the ailment.

My colleague attended and performed his miracle save, quickly and efficiently, allowing for the machine to be put back into operation quickly.

Normally that would be the end of the story, but there are a few things worth noting about these machines.

Reports are coming in from customers and other technicians who have paid to have their keys duplicated by these machines, with most of the commenters indicating that the keys do not work.

One store, even decided to offer all staff a free duplicate key when they first got their kiosk and every staff member reported back that the duplicate key did not work at all.

Shawn Duckett, of SOS Security Solutions in Ohio and another fellow member of SOPL, wrote, "I've had a few customers come out to my shop after getting a key cut from one of those machines and complaining that the key didn't work. I also had a customer who worked at Lowes and they had a key machine like that installed. They gave everyone in the store a Free cut key of their choice. NONE worked."

Tom Gorham, of Lockdoc in Longview Washington and another fellow member of SOPL wrote, "My wife just purchased a key at Lowe's 
that has a ‎carabiner clip built in as the head of the key. 
They asked if she wanted it cut, she said no. 
They talked her into getting it cut there...it did not work. 

I was able to salvage the key...The spacing was 1/2 cut off. 
What can you expect ? The AXXESS machines they use are not Idiot proof."

Check out some reviews from customers on the Menards page...

Feel free to post your feelings about your experiences with Minute Key Kiosks in the comments section below, (you are welcome to include a link to your website - NOTE comments are subject to moderation)

Trident Multi Point Lock Products - Putting Strength Back Into Security

Trident Solutions are a great company who provide surprisingly strong multi-point lock systems for industrial and commercial applications, that are considered at the top of the chain for their security, ease of installation, strength and ambience.

Sensational products that suitably secure your premises are often much better than electronic alarm systems, because unlike alarm systems, physical security products directly prevent destructive entry techniques. Alarm systems make a noise, which is great if you want to be informed, but they do nothing to stop you getting broken into.

I have personally installed 2 of the Trident Solutions and the clients are very happy, even 4 years down the track.

If strength and confidence in your security system is a integral need for you, look no further than Trident to appease you.

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Foley-Belsaw Closed. 90 Year Old Training Company And Correspondence Course Leader Shuts It's Doors

Breaking News: December 19, 2017.

Unsubstantiated reports are coming in that Foley-Belsaw, the almost 100 year old company repsonsible for providing correspondence courses that enabled many entrepeneurs to build businesses, has closed down yesterday December 18, 2017.

FB has been providing unique training courses in locksmithing and other vocations for almost 100 years. A great many businesses across many cities, states, country towns, counties and across the world were formed using FB as their mentor and training regime.

FB gave a start to many small business people in the locksmith arena, where others failed.
Their unique correspondence course provided would-be students with an affordable and straightforward course to learn many of the basic aspects of the trade.

Based in no small part on the mail order industry, I suggest that they may have fallen prey to the ever expanding World Wide Web.

There are a number of respected organizations today that offer training course in locksmithing and other vocations. Some of whom we are happy to recommend, especially the Society Of Professional Locksmiths SOPL, North Bennet Street School, Lockmasters and others abroad.

Keep It Yours - Lock Your Doors