While Amazon Key seems like a thoughtful solution to package delivery when no one’s home, the fact remains that it requires you to allow strangers inside your house unattended. And that’s something a lot of people won’t be comfortable with. If you’re one of those people, you might want to check out the BoxLock Home, a package receipt solution that won’t require to give up your home’s privacy.
A smart padlock, you can use it to lock a trunk, cabinet, or any similarly large container on your porch, which delivery people can use to stash your packages in. It can only be opened by delivery personnel, who will use the package’s barcode to disengage the lock, ensuring all your packages are safe from would-be thieves.
The BoxLock Home is an erstwhile normal-looking lock, albeit with a chunkier than usual body. It has a hardened steel shackle that will likely require some heavy-duty equipment to cut through, as well as a weather-resistant case, so you can leave it out in the open, no matter the season. To get started, simply use the companion app to give it access to your Wi-Fi network, as well as setup your different accounts with delivery companies. As of now, it’s compatible with Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and USPS, giving it the ability to know which packages you should be receiving at any time.
To deliver a package, all the personnel has to do is press the button on top of the padlock to activate the scanner at the bottom and use it to scan the barcode on the package. From there, the device will connect over Wi-Fi to confirm the package’s delivery status and disengages the lock once it verifies that the package is out for delivery. If a package isn’t listed as out for delivery, the padlock won’t disengage, which should make it a lot harder to game for would-be thieves. Once the delivery personnel has put the package in and returned the padlock, it then sends a notification to let you know that this specific package has arrived.
The BoxLock Home uses encrypted HTTPS that’s backed by 2048-bit module RSA keys and SHA-256 cryptographic algorithm, so it won’t be that easy to hack, ensuring it can reliably keep your packages secure from the growing number of porch pirates. Once you get home, you can open the padlock using the app by simply pairing with it over Bluetooth. It comes with a rechargeable battery, by the way, that can last between 30 to 60 days, depending on how frequently it’s used.
Don’t have a trunk or similar furniture that you can leave in the porch? Not a problem, as the outfit is also offering a trunk called the PorchBox and a cabinet called the ParcelBox, which you can leave outside your home to hold all your package deliveries. There’s also a healthy selection of storage benches over at Amazon, which would make for nice-looking furniture out in the veranda. Just make sure you get one that can take a padlock.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the BoxLock Home. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $129.