St Louis Home And Garden Show - March 3 - 6, 2015 Booth #3511

We are very pleased to invite our many customers and friends to come and visit with us at the St Louis Home And Garden Show, to be held at the America Center in downtown St Louis from March 3 - 6, 2015.

This 4 day event provides local and interstate homeowners, residents, architects, home builders, interior designers and renovators with the opportunity to view, in person, many of the time tested and latest products and services available to improve your home, garden and office environments and buildings. The ability to chat with experts about their offerings can help to learn first hand, the benefits of many modern products and services available in the greater St Louis region.

We will be very pleased  to greet you at our Booth #3511, located to the right of the main entrance as you walk in.

We will be particularly showcasing our range of modern contemporary Meroni Door Hardware displaying many color options and styles including...

Nova

Combina

Forma

Pigio 1

Pigio 2

Pigio 3

many of the above products can also be embossed with personalized logos or artwork, further increasing the unique and personalized look of your chosen hardware.

The Nova, Combina and Forma models can also be ordered in SC1 keyway, making them compatible with standard Schlage products. That means you can use them with some of your existing house keys.

Smartlocks - New Generation Lock Products Need Mechanical Backups

Smartlocks appear to be all the rage today. We have written about many different offerings that have come about in the last few years including August, Goji, Lockitron, Yale and others.

Many of these "startups", have sought funding through crowd-funding campaigns and few have successfully released to the market.

An article we read today explains about the lack of foresight from many of these "new-age" manufacturers. Specifically, the deliberate removal of mechanical override cylinders from offerings. Mechanical override is a vital component in intelligent smart locks because, if the batteries are flat or there is a weather related malfunction or other issue, NOT getting locked out would seem to be an integral backup plan, no?

Customers across the marketplace are quickly understanding and appreciating the benefits of smart locks but may seem to be returning in droves to the old and time tested mechanical security options that have proven to maintain reliability.

I have installed multiple wireless access control deadbolts for particular customers over the last few years and I have always strongly recommended a mechanical key override, just in case. Glad i did so too, especially with one particular customer who let their batteries run flat and resorted to just using the override key. (effectively defeating the purpose of the "smart" function)

In the source below, find the article i read. There, the author explains how his wife was locked out of their home due to a malfunctioning product. Now, she refuses to use the "smart" component and only uses her mechanical key.

The author also explains how the established industry manufacturers also realized the benefits of the mechanical override backup and include them deliberately with their offerings.

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Knock-N-Lock Padlock - The Ultimate Keyless Padlock Prevents Picking or Bumping

This is the Knock-N-Lock PL554 padlock. This super-intelligent product is designed to work with the unique Knock key fob that allows opening only by authorised fob users.

The unique method of operation requires the technician to contact their home base for their access code, which is usually texted to their cell phone. They enter the code into the knock key and place the fob against the padlock body.

The designated knock pattern signals the padlock to unlock.

Pictured next is the Knock key fob. This is the device used for operating all of the products in the Knock-N-Lock range. Simple to operate and totally secure.

The fob uses a 10 digit keypad and an Enter button. The user contacts their control center who confirms their identity and proceeds to send their unique opening code to the user.

One fob can be used to access multiple devices, so carrying one fob only minimizes the need for multiple devices.

The fob is about 2-5/8" long x about 3/4" wide x about 1-3/4" thick, not much bigger than a typical automobile remote control.

The increasing quantities of interested users of these fabulous new-age products has taken us by surprise. Other products in the range include hardwired safe locks, cabinet locks, Euro style key cylinders, Swiss style entrance sets and a unique wireless standalone deadbolt for versatile uses.

More pictures to come in future posts here. Stay Tuned!

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Knock-N-Lock - New Horizons In Access Control

We have talked about Knock-N-Lock a few times in the last year and we see this technology as the future in access control for the obvious reason. No keyhole or visible access.

Coming Soon : Meroni Wireless Hidden Access Control System

The Knock-N-Lock revolution is starting to blossom with more and more facilities converting to this unique access control technology that combines cutting edge technology with superior physical locking components to provide the ultimate in security and access control.

Imagine being able to secure your entire office using one control key to operate the hidden keyhole that lets you in.

Preventing burglars and stopping home invasions is the aim of the rapidly improving quality of wireless access control technology that can also benefit discerning homeowners wanting to lock out unwanted intruders while not alerting them as to your secret keyhole.

If you dont know that there is a lock on the door, how can you determine the easiest non-destructive method of entry?

Stay tuned for more updates on this fabulous technology

Goji - Crowdfunded Wireless Smartphone Controlled Deadbolt Fails To Launch

I'm not sure if you have seen or know about the Goji Smart lock that was being crowdfunded via multiple separate crowdfunding sites in the last couple of years, but a report out a couple of days ago indicates that this particular product has failed to launch.

The Smart Lock market has been evolving for a number of years now and according to sources, is expected to rise from the current fledgling $8 Billion market to $120 Billion by 2025.

There are a number of entrants that have evolved in recent years and we have written about a few of them. Products like the August Smartlock, the Lockitron and others. We have found that many of these "new breed" of stand alone wireless smart locks are being developed by entrepeneurs who lack industry knowledge, experience and longevity.

The large industry players like Assa-Abloy, Yale, Schlage, Kwikset, Master and others who have been in the security product manufacturing industry for a great many years, are also firmly entrenched in the Smart Lock market. But the difference between these industry stalwarts and the current breed of new entrepeneurs has much to do with their successes developed over many years of R&D, interaction with their customers and tried and proven manufacturing practises that continue to produce the high-quality requested by the consumer driven market.

Goji, obviously was seen to have merit and raised about $800,000.00 through multiple crowdfunding sites including Indiegogo and Fundable.

This news is not surprising really. there are many entrants to the smart lock market that appear to not have done their due diligence and market feasibility studies prior to launch. Goji had developed a promising looking product that operated with Android and iOS operating systems, but I suggest that the actual integration of these sophisticated smart phone operating systems proved too much for the Goji team to master.

Goji CEO Gabriel Bestard-Ribas is quoted in a letter written earlier this week,

Kuna - Smart Security Camera And Wireless Peephole

The Kuna is a sensational new product recently released to the mass market that can become your video peephole, a product that fills a wide and unfulfilled market segment.

We have posted about wireless peepholes and closed circuit camera systems in the past and received some interesting feedback about these products, but once in a while along comes a product that singularly changes the perspective. And does so for a realistic entry price.

The Kuna system offers distinctive styling while appealing to both the nouveau and rustic styled home owner.

This intelligent product combines the benefits of real time security with convenience, in our wired/wireless lifestyle.

Simply replace your current outdoor light with the easy to install Kuna. Connect to your wifi and app and that's it. Because the unit is hardwired to our residence (in place of the current light fixture), no batteries are required. Low voltage application means no electrician is required to complete the install. It is a real DIY product.

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Smart Safes - Not So Smart

An article recently appeared in Wired magazine, an online resource with articles about new generation wired and wireless electronic products.

"Smart" products is the collective name, usually used in marketing, for the new era of computer controlled products. Everything like, cellphones to coffeemakers, cars to safes, there is a "Smart" product around just about every corner and near you (and me) right now, I'll bet.

The video above highlights an issue with a particular brand of safe, commonly found in hotels and other establishments around the world.

The ever increasing number of hackers who attempt (and often succeed) to discover non-destructive bypass and entry techniques for all manner of products, have once again used a products exposed access ports to develop and market the fault, as explained.

With the likelihood of more and more products of this ilk, making their way to market, hackers will have plenty of opportunities to determine their next target product. We just hope that people will do their due diligence when researching and educating themselves about products aimed at their security protection and storage of their personal documents and items.

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The Maunder Minimum - A Natural Revolution

A recent report tabled by the Royal Astronomical Society, published Thursday July 9, 2015, highlights the phenomenon known as The Maunder Minimum.

A respected Russian scientist, Prof Valentina Zharkova has just published findings about this repeating event that affects not only our planet but most of our solar system too.

But, as we are the only known (to us) planet with educated life, these findings will have a noticeable affect on the daily lives of most of the planets inhabitants, within the next 20 years.

The Maunder Minimum is the event that determines sunspot activity and directly interferes with our planets weather patterns. One of the more recent Maunder Minimum  observations was recorded in the years 2000-2001  and threw out a slew of orbiting satellites, interrupting global communications and, for all intensive purposes, marking the possible beginning of the 1000 year drought currently being experienced in the western part of the United States.

The report tabled by Prof Zharkova, highlights a 30 year study, using widely sourced astronomical records to produce a model that is suggesting close to a 97% accuracy in predicting the next 'mini ice age' that will affect our planet.

According to the report (in the source below), the model suggests that solar activity will fall by 60% in the 2030's, "to conditions last seen during the 'mini ice age' seen in 1645" .

So, why is this pertinent to this website?

There is an overwhelming market, currently unfolding across the world. The age of the electronic connected smartlock is currently a multi-billion dollar a year industry and is set to increase exponentially in the next 2-5 years.

People everywhere are increasingly interested in having and using electronic, connected lock and door systems that require infrastructure (wiring) to maintain power to operate. Even if a product is touted as wireless or battery powered, it still uses internal wiring to run the electronics on board.

More well known to the average person, is the facts that anytime water (humidity, condensation etc) gets into any electronic component, those components suffer sometimes catastrophic failures.

The locksmith industry evolved to include electronics into products aimed at improving inter-operability of mechanical locking systems. For many years the simple electric strike was seen as the introduction of the modern electronic security products field, with many apartment complexes across the world eliminating the concierge or front desk guard, in favor of intercom systems that directly control the entry to the building and consequently access to residents/tenants therein.

Even today, the reach of electronics has invaded our homes and offices, our cars and buses, our trains and planes. many of these same services were previously operated using mechanical products that seemed to last forever with minimal maintenance.

Yes, electronics has improved our lives trememdously, however the age of the mechanical door lock is far from over. 

The unrealistic expectations of market driven capitalists hoping to cash in on this evolving market, is seeing an increasing multitude of variations of products aimed at whetting our appetites to the better mousetrap. But with all the electronics cluttering up our locks, there is less and less room for the quality components that actually provide the protection we are seeking for our families and our properties.

And with the Maunder Minimum set to rear it's ugly head again, only this time with an extended 'mini ice age' similar to the 70 year one experience in the mid 1600's, the age of failing electronics and unsecure doors, safes, gates, vehicles etc is again upon us.

To those who still agree that your security, the security of your family, your home, your office or your friends and coworkers is something you take seriously and not for granted, investing in the tried and true mechanical physical options, that protect and secure without the costly electronics (that will fail), the industry applauds you as forward thinking people.


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Ring - Nouveau Wireless Peephole

I recently came across one of these devices installed on a customers home and it looks like the bees knees.

easy to install and offering multiple conveniences, Ring is quite possibly the answer to entry monitoring/doorbell needs for modern times.

Impressive to say the least.



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Skybell - New Alternative To The Classic Doorbell

I have written about other versions of doorbells over the last few years, but as yet have not found the simple yet intuitive device that might solve the demands of many. Until now, that is.

The product featured in the video above, is a new product designed and built in the USA. Of simple construction and occupying a small footprint, the Skybell is designed to replace many of the common doorbells found on most of our homes.

Intercom systems have been around for about 50 years now and intercoms that include a video feed have been around for about 15 years. The technology required to build a long lasting video intercom product, has been evolving and improving frequently.

Skybell allows for connection to a home wifi system and can be viewed wirelessly on almost any wifi connected device. Your iPhone, your Android, your Mac, your Windows PC all can connect to this smart device, enabling your ability to see and hear the person at your door.

App controlled by your smart device, you can greet the person at your door, from the comfort of your current location, without physically answering the door.

What separates this from other "wireless" devices is that it actually connects to your mains. That means you never need to replace batteries.

Currently in crowdfunding mode, I expect this device to take off and finally we may have the appropriate product, so many inquirers are searching for.

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SOPL Expo May 1-3, 2015 - Indianapolis

The Society Of Professional Locksmiths proudly introduce the inaugural SOPL Expo, to be held in Indianapolis Indiana, May 1-3 2015.

Daring to be different, the SOPL is a modern era locksmith association that believes in training as one of the core influences in the future of the locksmith industry.

The increasing technical challenges and shifts in business accumen, affect all our decisions regarding the locksmith business. 

Now, the opportunity to participate in a new breed of association, presents us with the challenge to learn about new and alternative products, learn new business practises, marketing skills and business opportunities..

Some of the classes on offer include...

Internet SEO & The Scammer Killer Kit

Stop With The Deadbolts Already!

Emerging Access Control & Integration

Wireless Automation Controls

Commercial Door Installation, Service and Exit Hardware

Servicing Meroni Decorative Hardware

Door Jamb Mortising for Reinforcement

Advanced Master Keying

Advanced Automotive Transponder Programming

Safe Manipulation Boot Camp

Whereas the courses will be open to bonafide locksmiths, the exhibits and trade show will be open to the public.

Interact with locksmiths, teachers, industry players, facilities managers and more.

Check out all the details in the source below.

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August Smart Lock - Not So Smart

End of May last year we wrote an article about the August Smartlock that has seen a great many pageviews.

I just came across an article in The New York Times written by an author who has been using their August lock for a little while and found some difficulties.

In the article the author suggests that people dont really need to invest sometimes hundreds of dollars for a battery powered door lock that has obvious shortcomings like battery life, proximity issues and no wifi connectivity. Without explaining the pro's of keyless entry systems, he has more or less tossed many of the current crop of similar gadgets on to the waste pile as not as secure or convenient as one might have expected.

He did explain the obvious benefits of the product, easy to install, giving temporary key access to friends or strangers etc.

And the product, similar to the Lockitron in it's intended use, does look good.

Reading through many of the comments to the article, shows that many people are looking for another kind or style of product instead.

Coming Soon - Auto-Magnetic Latching Lock with wireless release option!

View the New York Times article in the source below.

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Noke - Futuristic Padlock Controlled With Your Smartphone

Kickstarter is well known for being the breeding ground of new ideas. A service where anyone can source funding for almost any kind of project.

Access to capital funding is the most difficult and often stressful issue hampering inventors from proceeding with their ideas. Sure there are wealthy entrepreneurs, who do support ideas from time to time, usually at significant cost to the inventors. Until crowd-sourcing became the new accepted method for sourcing capital, funding took the form of painful, often laborious effort and mountains of paperwork required to prepare and very often resulted in a rejection.

The Noke Bluetooth Padlock is an example of yet another inspirational idea designed to make use of smartphone technology in attempt to make life easier.

Simply pair the padlock with your Bluetooth smartphone for easy and controllable access. This is a system designed to do away with mechanical keys (that I believe is a fundamental mistake).

Removing a mechanical, physical key from a padlock, may seem like a logical step in increasing access control capabilities, but what happens when the internal battery runs down? How do you get your padlock open?

Any electronic product, especially wireless products are open to hacking far more easily than a suitably protected high-security restricted mechanical physical key. Mechanical, physical keys have been used for centuries because they provide quality security protection that is virtually cost-less to run.

A green minded consumer will recognize that the benefits of a non-powered product. The life expectancy of a mechanical product is usually significantly longer than almost any wireless powered product available today.

Will this product take off? Probably, but consumers who desire proper security that lasts, is generally maintenance free and does not require an engineering or electronics degree to understand, will continue to protect the marketplace for many years to come, I suspect.

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Electronic Locks - Wireless Or Wired Are Not A Very Green Oriented Product

 It seems that wireless or wired electronic locks are all the rage today in this rapidly progressing tech-electronic age we are in. Products like the Lockwood 001T, pictured here use a battery pack to offer keyless access control options.

But in recent years, many discussions continue to be held about green, ecological alternatives that cause no drain on power or grid electricity supplies.

Many customers seem to be considering the use of wireless battery powered products or even hard wired lock systems to add so called "convenience" to their lives.

While it is understandable that some systems can add convenience and access control to our homes and offices, the available products are not really "green" alternatives.

 The August Lock, came out a little while back, offering the ability to have a keyless/smartphone connected access control solution.

The product is very intelligently designed and may offer concerned customers the alternative they are seeking, however it is worth remembering that batteries require replacing every so often. What happens when your smartphone battery has run out? What happens when the products battery pack loses power?
How do you operate the product without a mechanical "keyed" back up?

The increasing evidence of smartphone theft and the quantity of known hacks, presents problems that many consumers may not have considered.

 At least Kwikset, are including their mechanical "keyed" cylinder in many of their Bluetooth and wireless battery powered products, even though the Kwikset Smartkey product has a poor track record of quality and is too easily compromised.

The Kwikset Kevo product was released last October. It is a Bluetooth, battery powered deadbolt that can be operated by a connected Bluetooth device (smartphone). It also comes with the Kwikset Smartkey cylinder, enabling a mechanical backup solution, even though there are many published records of the Smartkey problems, in the news.

Certainly there are many and varied options for wireless, keypad controlled, keyless solutions, but the quality of manufacture still leaves much to be desired in terms of quality and sustainability.

Many manufacturers continue to bring out ever increasing product options to whet the appetites of consumers.

But not too many are including the necessary mechanical keyed component as a backup.

I realise that many customers are impressed with the ability to grant access to certain people and then change that access on the fly, but the use of electronic products is not a "green" consideration, is it?

Clay - Introducing Cloud Controlled Wireless Access Control

Clay are proudly introducing a Salto inspired access control solution across Europe, the UK and Australia.

This intelligent access control solution will work with just about any type of mortise or rim lock, narrow style frames and padlocks.

The intelligence of the Salto systems is being heralded across the world as the new frontier in keyless access control solutions.

We say keyless, although you still need to carry a fob, if you are an authorized entrant. Remote control from any platform, be it Android, Apple iOS, Windows, Linux etc allows for cross platform operation that minimizes inconvenience, allows you to use an app to control your systems so that you can still let in your technician or plumber or anyone you choose, without actually being at the location yourself.

There is a fabulous video on the company's site that I encourage all to view, to better understand how it works. Visit the website in the source below.

Salto, have been mentioned in this blog before and are slowly becoming a major player in the hotel arena and other industries intent on maximizing control of their locking hardware systems.

The intelligence is in the handle not the lock and because of this, there are many options available to the customer.

We anticipate becoming a local dealer of the fabulous Salto - Inspired Access Control systems in the near future. We have already recommended numerous enquirers and owners of CISA hotel access control systems to upgrade to Salto. (No word on the North American release dates)

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Salto - Inspired Electronic Access Control - Interview With Respected Industry Analyst Marc Tobias

We have talked about the fabulous SALTO electronic access control products here before.

Salto are a very modern company specializing in high-end access control systems for hotels, institutions, Universities, Schools, hospitals and almost anyone seeking better quality from their entry hardware and systems.

Bilock are an integral partner with Salto, to the point of integrating Mifare chips into Bilock key heads, so that electronic, trackable extreme security keys can be used in structures that also require mechanical access control where wired or wireless power is inappropriate.

Recently, Salto sat down with respected industry watchdog and product quality analyst Marc Tobias in a brief interview abut his opinion about the quality and security of Salto products. See the interview after the jump.

Kwikset Kevo - Bluetooth Enabled Deadbolt

Kwikset are soon to release (October 31st, 2013) a new version of their electronic deadbolt entry system.

Called Kevo, this new product is especially designed with an included Bluetooth transceiver, enabling hands free and wireless key-free access control to residences.

In keeping with other modern electronic deadbolt systems, Kwikset have chosen to include their patented Smartkey technology cylinders into the key portion of the lock.

It is quite well understood across the locksmith and residential security products markets that the Kwikset Smartkey products have some inherent faults that render the security of their products, ineffective. We have mentioned in this blog before and repeatedly about some of these faults and issues. We receive a significant and increasing number of hits to this site about Kwikset Smartkey Problems. Recently an issue has surfaced that allows the locks to be bypassed with absolutely no visible damage to the mechanism, without picking or bumping the locks.

We include a video of this new product after the jump...

Doorbot - The Best Doorbell I Have Seen Yet

Doorbot is an intelligent product that will make life so much easier for homeowners.

There are many search inquiries by people looking for a wireless peephole and in the past we have written some articles that have shown different ideas and products available around the world.

We posted about the fabulous Lockitron wireless deadbolt converter a while back and we are expecting our first three units any day now. The Doorbot has been carefully designed to incorporate a separate model that will work alongside the Lockitron. this means that you will be able to see who is at your door whether you are home or not and unlock your door remotely if you so desire.

Perhaps a little on the expensive side, for a glorified doorbell, but this is a product that will appeal to many and varied homeowners.

See video after the jump.

BlueID - Bluetooth Dongle Allows You To Use Your Cell Phone As Your Car Key

Yesterday we wrote an article discussing a piece we found in the LA Times about AAA believing that mobile cell phones will soon replace the ages old mechanical metal car key.

I think, perhaps that article was written in response to a product displayed at the CeBIT expo held last week in Germany.


BlueID is a company in Germany that produce Bluetooth kits that allow for access controls to various entries, including but not limited to barrier gates, lifts (elevators), residential and commercial dwelling doors and of course cars, as seen in the picture above. (see video after the jump)

Card Reader That Works Underwater

EMX Industries Inc. have been mentioned in this website before, as makers of super-high quality electronic sensors and switching equipment including keypad and proximity control systems.

They recently brought out a new item that might interest you, who have locations that are prone to a lot of rain or inclement weather environments.

The CR 2000 is a waterproof keypad with wiegand wireless hook up and has the option of a proximity sensor too. It is totally waterproof as shown in the next picture. 

To all you seafloor dwellers, you can now have super easy to use access control that will work continuously submerged.

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