Smartlock Rant
So we got new windows and as part of that, we got a new front door.
Lovely wife said "Hey why don't we get a Smartlock so we can just enter a PIN, maybe use our phones etc"
No worries, great idea. Do some research, settle on the Schlange Sense. Apple even sell it on their website.
Works with HomeKit! Great. Give it to the installers.
HUGE palava. What is this, how the hell, why etc?
Turns out they were expecting ONE door latch mechanism, and because this is a deadbolt they got really confused.
So now we have a door that has a single deadbolt, nothing else. Deadbolt not locked? Door flaps in wind...
So regardless, finally the door is put in last night, with smartlock ready to go. I open up the lock to get the removable battery container out to put the batteries in and... There's NO *BEEP*ING BATTERY CONTAINER.
Yes when I got it from Mitre10 they told me it was a "display model". More like someone returned it and forgot to *BEEP*ing return the battery compartment. "NO WORRIES *BEEP* THIS" I SCREAM and I manually wire up 4AA batteries in series and connect them to the door. YES! POWER! THE *BEEP*ING THING TURNS ON. I'll just pair it with my Android phone as it says I can do on the box and the manual.
*TWO HOURS PASS*
*TEARS TEARS and more TEARS* It just won't be discovered by the App. I've tried my Google Pixel. I've tried my old Nexus 6.
Nearly ready to rip lock off and *BEEP* on it, I try as a last last resort with the iPad, 99.999% sure it won't work AND HOLY *BEEP* IT HAS CONNECTED.
It downloads a *BEEP*ING FIRMWARE UPDATE.
NOW IT CAN TALK TO THE ANDROID PHONE.
YES. For this lock to WORK with Android, you HAVE to connect it to an Apple device first to upgrade the firmware.
I am so angry/annoyed/upset but also damn happy I can control the *BEEP*ing thing now.
This morning I went into Mitre10 and got a battery container from another lock they had. They apologized and said yea the one I had was a return and the previous person must have forgotten to return the container.
Now all I need to do is fix the fact the door just swings in the wind if not deadbolted...
Tim