One of the common issues with just about every smart lock is that, eventually, their batteries are going to run out. If, like me, you put off the low battery warnings, you'll ultimately be locked out of your house. More than once, I've had to run to the local 7-11 to pick up a 9-volt battery to temporarily get back inside.
While a few smart locks with solar panels were launched earlier this year, Ring — the video doorbell company — thinks it found a better solution with its first smart lock.
The Ring Smart Lock, as the new device is creatively named, has a small dial below the keypad; if the lock's batteries run out of juice, you can twist the dial back and forth a few times to charge up a supercapacitor inside the lock. This will give the lock enough power for you to enter your code to get back inside your house.
I tried it out with a demo unit, and all it took was a few short twists to charge up the lock, which remained powered for about 20-30 seconds, which should be plenty of time for you to enter the code. You can see in the GIF below how quickly it charges; the display is not included in the actual lock.
Apart from that, the Ring Smart Lock looks to be on a par with most other basic smart locks. It has a fingerprint reader directly above the keypad, but lacks any other sort of biometric authentication — not that it's needed.
The Ring Smart Lock will be available in the first quarter of 2027, and retail for $249. The lock will come in three finishes: black, silver, and bronze.
While it may not have any fancier features such as palm or face recognition, the fact that you won't have to worry about getting back into your house could be the only reason you'd need to get this lock.
New 4K cameras, including a pan-tilt model
Ring is also announcing a spate of 4K cameras for both indoors and out, as well as a new 2K indoor cam that can pan and tilt; while not a new feature among the best home security cameras, it is a first for Ring.
- Available for pre-order October 7:
- Outdoor Cam 4K Plus ($149.99 at Amazon)
- Spotlight Cam 4K Plus ($199.99 at Amazon)
- Floodlight Cam 4K Plus ($219.99 at Amazon)
- Available for purchase October 7:
- Indoor Cam 4K ($99.99 at Amazon): This camera has a 115-degree field of view, dual-band Wi-Fi 6, and a physical privacy shutter.
- Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam 2K ($69.99 at Amazon): This camera can rotate 360 degrees and tilt 175-degrees, and can follow subjects across the room.
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