Nokē Padlock

Hunter's comment

Nokē was designed to be the simplest electronic device you own. Nokē automatically finds and connects to your Bluetooth 4.0 enabled smartphone. You don't even need to remove your phone from your pocket or purse for quick and easy access to the things that matter most.

Features I ❤ most:

Manage multiple locks
The Nokē App makes it easy to name your locks and create custom settings specific to each Nokē.

Share with friends
Easily share and revoke access to your locked items.

Weather Resistant
Made to withstand extreme temperatures, ranging from -10°F to 150°F (-23°C to 65°C).

Long-lasting Battery
Can last over a year of regular use and the Nokē app will notify you long before it’s time to replace the battery. Uses a standard 2032 watch battery found nearly everywhere.

Quick-Click
When you first receive your Nokē, you'll set up a unique combination of short and long clicks on the shackle. Then, you can also use your custom quick-click code for instant access to your lock without your phone.

Nokē is really simple to use

From setting up the Nokē to using it, the process takes minutes. The lock pairs with a smartphone via Bluetooth and allows it to be unlocked using a simple click as long as the phone is near.

Pressing down the shackle lights a coloured LED on the front of the lock, this wakes it for connection. If you have your phone in your pocket the lock will recognise this and flash green as it unlocks. To lock again, simply close and the light will flash red to confirm it's locked.

Here's a video of how it works if your smartphone is nearby:

Verdict

Frankly, for occasional, standalone use, Nokē is overkill. You could probably get a conventional padlock that costs less than $5 to do the job. But, many of which don’t stand up that well to years of bad weather.

Having said that, Nokē offers some interesting features such as the ability to share access with specific people (the equivalent of giving someone a second key "virtually"), to make that access time-dependant or simply as a one-off. This is useful if you're expecting a guest (e.g. AirBnB).

Because several Nokēs can be managed from one account, each with its own access settings, using these padlocks could be practical for anyone who has a few of them or has to share them a lot. The app also keeps a track of usage in a log, including where (via the smartphone’s GPS) and when they were opened and closed.