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    Order and orient the keys on your keychain

    (practicalbetterments.com)
    67 points surprisetalk | 12 comments | 22 Oct 24 16:29 UTC | HN request time: 1.562s | source | bottom
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    whirlwin ◴[26 Oct 24 21:24 UTC] No.41957837[source]▶
    I haven't owned a keychain for many years now. After renovating our house, we installed a Yale Doorman. It's the best $300 investment I've done that I can think of: - Don't have to carry a keychain at all anymore - I can give strangers (think AirBnb, or cleaners) time-bound access codes - I can remotely unlock/lock the door for someone if they need immediate access - Kids can get home without a key - Kids losing their key not a worry anymore - Work office is keyless too (xlock) - We always keep a small 9V battery outside in case the battery goes flat

    It was after a painful deadlock situation that we initially retro-fitted an electronic lock into the old front door which we carried over to the new door once we renovated the entire floor.

    replies(3): >>41958010 #>>41958168 #>>41958574 #
    1. mxuribe ◴[26 Oct 24 21:53 UTC] No.41958010[source]▶
    I've always been tempted/curious to adopt a sort keyless of approach. I dislike carrying keys...and have had to carry (what to me feels like too many) keys always throughout my life. But without really researching the option you referenced, i have fears about failure modes for this type of keyless kock. For example...

    * If/When the battery dies, does the lock default to locked setting? I assume so, but how annoying would this be?

    * Being a privacy nut, does the lock come with a pre-determined code, or can you generate your own? I assume you should be able to create your own, but figuried I'd ask.

    Instead of answering my questions, if you have an online reference that you might have used to decide going this route, would be great if you could share. Thanks!

    replies(6): >>41958095 #>>41958233 #>>41958343 #>>41958587 #>>41958596 #>>41959862 #
    2. add-sub-mul-div ◴[26 Oct 24 22:10 UTC] No.41958095[source]▶
    I bought a house with an electronic front door lock. One day a few months later I used the wrong code (a few times I guess) and I got fully locked out. I don't subscribe to the $60/month service that could have remotely reset the system so I had to get a locksmith to break me in.

    After that I replaced it with a plain old mechanical lock. Never again touching any smart home crap.

    I'm sure I didn't use the wrong code three times, something must have happened the 2nd/3rd times like a key didn't get pressed hard enough to register. But regardless, the lesson is there's a bunch of possible failure scenarios you won't think of.

    replies(1): >>41959979 #
    3. cyberax ◴[26 Oct 24 22:36 UTC] No.41958233[source]▶
    > * If/When the battery dies, does the lock default to locked setting? I assume so, but how annoying would this be?

    Typically, the home locks are just actuated mechanical locks. So the lock will stay in whatever state it was when the battery died. If you want to get into commercial-grade locks, there are magnetic locks that can be configured to fail open or close on power loss.

    Anyway, the battery is not a big deal. I have a Kwikset lock with a ZigBee module, it runs on 4 AAA batteries. I switched to Li-ion rechargables several years ago, and they last for about 6 months between recharges with moderate door use. It's even longer if the lock is not used often.

    And the lock starts beeping annoyingly after opening/closing when the batteries get down to 30%, giving you plenty of time to replace them.

    > * Being a privacy nut, does the lock come with a pre-determined code, or can you generate your own?

    You always can set your own combinations. And there are biometric locks.

    4. toss1 ◴[26 Oct 24 22:58 UTC] No.41958343[source]▶
    I found an approach that I liked was a mechanical combination lock — all the advantages of digital combination locks (can set temp codes, change codes, no need for keys etc.), except for the remote activation, but I never have to worry about batteries or power.
    5. xyst ◴[26 Oct 24 23:41 UTC] No.41958587[source]▶
    The “privacy” aspect is why I like a closed loop system. Power comes from wall with UPS.

    It’s why I like the system from Ubiquiti, but it lacks certain features (Apple nfc keys) that make it not worth the cost for me.

    6. pests ◴[26 Oct 24 23:42 UTC] No.41958596[source]▶
    The Yale x Nest was my entry but after a few years a few complaints.

    It auto locks after each use but no confirmation the door was closed and secured correctly.

    The Yale mentioned above will gladly auto-lock with the door still open and it will report as locked in the app. Not to bad if you know you closed the door but by just looking in the app someone might have left it open and it "locked" itself.

    It will say it wouldn't lock, if say the door was partially closed and the bolt couldn't move.

    I'm assuming another component needs to be in the door well to detect the bolt.

    Anyone know any consumer level smart devices that do this?

    7. matsemann ◴[27 Oct 24 04:29 UTC] No.41959862[source]▶
    The Yale Doorman has two metal dots on the outside you can push a 9v battery against to power it. So if battery runs out, you can power it from outside temporarily to get in.
    8. kylebenzle ◴[27 Oct 24 05:01 UTC] No.41959979[source]▶
    One time I drove my car into a lake while drinking heavily. That's why never again will I drive in a car, drink or be anywhere near a lake!

    (There is no reason to give up on smart home devices as a category due to one badly designed device).

    replies(1): >>41964794 #
    9. ◴[27 Oct 24 23:51 UTC] No.41966628{4}[source]▶
    10. kylebenzle ◴[30 Oct 24 17:25 UTC] No.41997839{4}[source]▶
    Well that does not sound appropriate or accurate at all.
    replies(1): >>42014421 #
    11. DonHopkins ◴[01 Nov 24 05:59 UTC] No.42014421{5}[source]▶
    In your own words:

    >"All women are whores. Sorry to break it to you." -Kyle Benzel, Sept 28, 2022, Hacker News, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33010046 (log in or create an HN account, and set showdead=true to view the evidence)

    That's exactly why I directly quoted and linked to your own highly inappropriate and inaccurate words, that you posted here on Hacker News. There's no denying that you wrote them, it's on your permanent record.

    So explain exactly what you meant when you wrote "All women are whores. Sorry to break it to you."

    It's appropriate for me to quote your own words back to you and ask you about them, which is my right, because you viciously and personally insulted my mother, as well as your own mother too, and also four billion other women, including trans women, because they are truly women too.

    As misogynistic, bigoted, idiotic, inappropriate, hateful, distasteful, and false as your own words and actions are, you might believe you have the right to call your own mother a whore because you of all people would know, but certainly not all other women, and definitely not here.

    You should keep your attacks and accusations a private family matter, and get family counseling for your mental illness, instead of inappropriately airing your problems here publicly on Hacker News for all to read, no matter how "sorry to break it to you" you insincerely claim to be. If you meant that non-apology apology, you wouldn't have posted anything -- it just proves mens rea, your awareness that your actions were wrong.

    And you should be sorry you posted it in the first place, so you owe all women a sincere public apology for what you insincerely publicly said.

    Why did you call my mother and your mother and all other women whores in public, and do you apologize?

    replies(1): >>42015337 #
    12. wtfookq ◴[01 Nov 24 09:40 UTC] No.42015337{6}[source]▶
    > get counseling for your mental illness, instead of inappropriately airing your problems here publicly on Hacker News for all to read

    You should take your own advice. His comment from over two years ago may have been unpleasant, but you hectoring him for it now, apropos of nothing, is downright creepy and indicates an unbalanced mental state.