8 ms·
A new way to lock your computers: just walk away
- HugoDias 12y agoNice. Looking forward for someone that does the same thing working on android :/
- Recoil42 12y agoAndroid already does this. It's called Smart Lock. Just set your computer as a trusted device: https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/6093922?hl=en-CA https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/6093922?hl=en-CA
- AdmiralAsshat 12y agoThis feature is only available within Android 5.0, however, and the pool of devices running Lollipop at the moment is pretty much limited to the Nexus line.
- zarriak 12y agoAlthough it is only available on Lollipop, I find it pretty neat that these features have native support. The caveat about setting a trusted place to unlock is straight out of Tomorrow Never Dies[0]: "Be aware that location signals can be replicated or manipulated — someone with access to specialised equipment could unlock your device." [0]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomorrow_Never_Dies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomorrow_Never_Dies
- smellf 12y agoIt looks like the Lollipop Smart Lock can unlock your phone when it's in proximity to your PC, whereas nearlock will unlock your PC when it's in proximity to your phone.
- pathikrit 12y agoNo it doesn't. You can't unlock your Mac with your Android whereas there are plenty of apps that can do that from your iPhone: http://macid.co/ http://macid.co/ http://www.knocktounlock.com/ http://www.knocktounlock.com/ http://www.fingerkeyapp.com/ http://www.fingerkeyapp.com/ http://www.appuous.com/products/mac/keycard.html http://www.appuous.com/products/mac/keycard.html
- malloreon 12y agoI have a password on my lock screen, and a hotspot set up in the bottom left corner to engage the lock screen. After a couple weeks, it became automatic to always move the mouse to the hotspot before I stand up.
- a3_nm 12y agoSimilar experience here, but I guess the main selling point is to save the effort of typing your password when you return.
- leesalminen 12y agoCan't wait to buy a new MBP so that I can use this app! Interface is very slick. Congrats!
- scotchmi_st 12y agoI've seen things similar to this before, but they tended to be unreliable. Has anyone actually used this yet? Does it work reliably? Also, how does the authentication work exactly? What's to stop someone from blasting out the same signal that your phone emits, preventing it from sleeping as you walk away?
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- harlanlewis 12y agoHow does this compare with Knock?http://www.knocktounlock.com/ http://www.knocktounlock.com/ What are the others?
- fluder 12y agoKnock is crap, MacID better https://translate.google.com.ua/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=ru&ie=UTF-8&u=fluder.co https://translate.google.com.ua/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&p...
- harlanlewis 12y agoIf I understand MacID correctly, the unlock process is interacting with a lockscreen notification, then TouchID? If my phone is in my pocket (it will be) this takes longer and involves much more juggling than typing in the computer's password directly.
- fluder 12y agoIf your phone not in the pocket, then anyone has access to your mac. It's big security hole.
- joshstrange 12y agoI've used Knock before and while ultimately I settled on using Alfred (app launcher+) to lock my computer it worked leaps and bounds over this app.
- colmvp 12y agoIsn't this similar to KnockToUnlock? http://www.knocktounlock.com/ http://www.knocktounlock.com/
- sgt 12y agoI just purchased Knock to Unlock. Comments so far; Locking the Mac requires me to go to the Knock menu bar and clicking "Lock" with my mouse. I suppose this can be remedied by setting up an applescript shortcut and running it quickly via Spotlight Search. Secondly, when it locks it - the screen goes black. I don't necessarily want this, as I don't want to "wake up" the computer when I return first using my keyboard. It takes a split second or so before I get to the password prompt (I have to tap a key on the keyboard or move the mouse) at which point I can knock on the phone twice to get in. Thirdly, this is not the fault of the app - but I can type my 8 character long password faster than I'm able to (on average) locate my phone and tap it twice. Interesting - but I am not sure if I'll end up using this app.
- sgt 12y agoI also tried Near Lock - seems it's a much better option for me.
- eMerzh 12y agoI already use proximity to do this ... it's little less user firendly ... but it works well :)
- relaunched 12y agoIs that website made from a template? I'm looking to put up a landing page for my new app and would be very interested in using that layout.
- aardvark179 12y agoShift-Control-Eject/Power. Very quick to just hit those keys as you get up from your desk, and your mac is locked. And Command-Option-Eject/Power will pout your Mac to sleep.
- chroma 12y agoUseful advice, but the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro don't have an eject key (⏏). Edit: Ah, I see now. Eject or Power depending on the model. Thanks.
- recampbell 12y agoCtrl-Shift-Power on MacBook Pro (which is what he meant by Eject/Power).
- stronglikedan 12y agoWin+L in windows, which can be difficult with an ergonomic keyboard with only a left Win key, because you have to use two hands (or be very lanky and limber). Does anyone know of an easier way?
- ivraatiems 12y agoMy first thought would be to re-map Win+L with AutoHotKey or similar. Or, just press start, and arrow up and over to lock (lots more keypresses though).
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- jkot 12y agoI have seen similar script for Linux 8 years ago.
- runejuhl 12y agoPossibly this one: http://www.gentoo-wiki.info/TIP_Bluetooth_Proximity_Monitor http://www.gentoo-wiki.info/TIP_Bluetooth_Proximity_Monitor I remember using it at The Party in Sweden, circa 2006. A bit newer then :)
- kavrick 12y agoFor the Mac & Non iPhone crowd there is also HandyLock (http://www.netputing.com/applications/handylock/ http://www.netputing.com/applications/handylock/) which is Donationware. Works great with my MBP and Nexus 5.
- justinph 12y agoWhat's sad is that you could do this with iSync and any phone with bluetooth back in 2003. The feature disappeared along with iSync.
- callesgg 12y agoHad something that worked like this a few years ago, it had the problem that it forced the blue-tooth to suck the battery clean very quickly. It seamed like a use-full thing, but when i used it it was actually more of a annoyance than i helpful thing. Leaving the phone next to the computer becomes a no no.
- corobo 12y agoWas coming in here to chime in on it not really being new with the same complaint. On an ancient phone (my first smart phone however long ago that was these days) this was one of the features the bluetooth dongle's driver came with. Every time I got an SMS it must have knocked the bluetooth off for a moment because my computer would lock. Really annoying after the first few times, didn't last long!
- sacheendra 12y agoThis functionality is supported by the software supplied with the broadcom driver for any bluetooth enabled phone (on Windows). No need for an app on the phone. Such functionality is also on linux in the bluez package. Don't know about Macs. It is really sad that previously ubiquitous software is now being made into "apps".
- Xylakant 12y agoA lot of ubiquitous software requires fiddling to get it installed since somebody made a proof of concept but stopped there. The value of prepackaged apps is the polish and the user support around that - that's worth a couple of bucks for people like me that don't want to spend time for the polish.
- joshstrange 12y agoDownloaded it, set it up, paid for backgrounding, tested walking away and coming back and it all worked perfectly. Went to go get lunch came back and wouldn't unlock, had to enter password manually. I then had to unpair my phone (from the desktop app) and re-pair to get it to work again. Hopefully the second time is a charm... Also the app asked me to pay again for "Pro" though didn't charge me...
- joshstrange 12y agoI can't edit my above message so I will reply. DO NOT BUY THIS APP. I have a MBPr (late 2013) and an iPhone 6+, I might understand if I was using older hardware but I'm not. EVERY time I walk away for more than 5 minutes or so the app "forgets" the computer and will not unlock it. If you open the app it wants to walk you through pairing again. I am very disappointed as I paid for pro as well and this does not work as advertised.
- duvnjak99 12y agoSorry that you think so. You can ask apple for your money back if you dont like the app. The scenario that you say was fixed and tested in the last update. The app should NOT forget the Mac. Might be that somehow it doesnt work for a certain setup. What system do you have on your Mac? We can try to fix it.
- duvnjak99 12y agoThe asking for the pro mode will definitely be fixed in the next release. Let us know if the app doesn't work when you come closer after a longer period of time. This was fixed and tested in the last update. Might be some minor glitches left for certain devices..
- kolev 12y agoWhy all these apps assume that MacBook users all have iPhones?!
- pwenzel 12y agoIf you are having problems getting bluetooth-based options to work consistently on your Mac, here is my alternate technique that locks your machine when your put your mouse in the bottom right corner: * Go to Preferences...Desktop & Screen Saver...Hot Corners * Set bottom-right corner to "Put Display to Sleep" * Then in Preferences...Security & Privacy enable "Require Password after sleep or screen saver begins"
- vladgur 12y agoIs anyone concerned that you are providing your admin/filevault/etc password to an app that knows when you are away from the screen?
- mcculley 12y agoI just installed this and it seems to work great. My only complaint is that, like many UIs, there is a switch to enable it and it isn't clear which way is "on" and which is "off".
- S_A_P 12y agoJust installed/upgraded. My thoughts are that it has a very generous idea of what 1.0m is I was easily 2-3 meters away for ~20 seconds before it locked. Im using a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) and iPhone 6+. Additionally, while typing this, it locked and unlocked my computer while the phone was in my pocket. Looks like the distance finder needs to be dialed in somewhat. With my phone literally 3" away on the same desk, it says between .5 and .7 meters. I get that this is all a big tight rope and you have to balance battery, distance, time, and sensitivity. I have set up my upper left hot corner to lock my computer so that is a pretty strong habit right now. This, however seems to be a pretty good option in the cases that I miss or forget to do so.
- krazydad 12y agoSeems like you are getting a minor convenience in exchange for risk of major annoyance (when it breaks).
- mcculley 12y agoOne thing about these "daemon" type apps that only need to respond to background Bluetooth events (e.g., Automatic, the UniKey app), is that, at least on iOS, they clutter up the multitasking view and it's not obvious if they will work if killed. This is something that needs to evolve in iOS as we get more background agents like this.
- duvnjak99 12y agoThere are also a couple of cool features. With Near Lock you can use the iPhone settings to set that your Mac only locks when you walk away, or that it only unlocks your Mac when you approach it, or both of those things. If you guys have any suggestions or bug reports, just shoot us an email.
- mdekkers 12y agoNot new - I implemented this for a bank's trading floor in 1999, using the Java Ring http://www.javaworld.com/article/2076641/learn-java/an-introduction-to-the-java-ring.html http://www.javaworld.com/article/2076641/learn-java/an-intro... - we also did a few other interesting things with this device, but one of them was "walk away from your desk and your machine locks"