Too many remote controls for garages and other doors? Tired of changing batteries at the last minute? The "Internet of Things" is supposed to solve problems like these, but its progress is at a snail's pace, and users interested in a much more immediate solution should explore options like OpenLock, an Android-compatible app that lets you manage multiple electronic opening systems at once, directly from a smartphone.
It is supposed that in the future computing will help us control many aspects of our homes... if it weren't for the fact that we've been repeating that phrase for a decade. The traditional concept of home automation is expensive, and what we call the "Internet of Things" is still in its infancy, no matter how much manufacturers want to prove otherwise. Fortunately, mobile devices are helping to fill the gap with increasingly useful apps and services. Personally, I've seen things like air conditioning systems that can be turned off remotely via 3G, but what brings us here today is something even more relevant: management of electronic doors and automatic locks.
The app is called OpenLock, a development by the Spanish company Matrix. The main OpenLock app is available for Android, but on its official page we see clear indications that there will be versions compatible with iOS and Windows Phone. OpenLock works in combination with a small device connected to our doors and gates. Open and close commands can be transmitted via Bluetooth, WiFi, mobile network, or with a simple missed call from an authorized device. OpenLock also allows setting more advanced parameters, such as authorizing access to specific users, or a maximum opening range.
Logically, one of the first questions that arise with a platform like this is how it handles any security incident. If the user loses the smartphone or some "friend of other people's property" steals it, through a simple notification OpenLock will be able to immediately block the privileges of the affected device. The OpenLock license costs €13.95 (excluding VAT) for one user, but there are also options for managing a larger number of people, such as office employees. Perhaps some of our readers think OpenLock is an exclusive solution to a very specific problem, but it is good to know that a viable commercial alternative exists.
