There will probably never be such a thing as "the perfect" lock, but a new Bluetooth padlock seems to come pretty close.
Noke (pronounced "no key") is a padlock that, once paired with your iOS or Android device, automatically unlocks when it senses you're near.
[seealso slug="august-smart-lock"]
Although we know about devices like the August smart lock for doors, Fuz Designs, the makers of the Noke, claim that its device is the first Bluetooth padlock.
Housed in a tough, water-resistant casing, the 8-ounce device contains a replaceable battery that lasts a year and on its surface features an LED light to indicate when the lock is in operation.
But unlike some Bluetooth devices, there's no need to pull out your smartphone and fumble with it in order to get the lock to operate. As long as you're within 10 feet of the lock and your phone is enabled, the lock will automatically open (a feature that can be disabled if you want to more tightly control its unlocking mechanism).
Additionally, if you somehow forget to carry your smartphone with you, you can also program a unique series of long and short taps on the lock's shank to get it to open.
But what takes the Noke into truly "smart" lock territory is that it allows you to give a "key" to a number of different users who can be given unlimited access to the lock, or time-limited access, all controllable via smartphone app.
The team behind the Noke are looking to raise $100,000 via Kickstarter and have already raised almost $60,000 with 30 days to go. Priced at $59 for early adopters (it will sell for $89 at retail), the Noke is scheduled to ship to buyers in February of 2015.