Gadget grab bag: Sorting through the big pile of gizmos on my desk
Let me pull back the curtain for a minute.
I get lots of boxes in the mail. Some contain gadgets that will be featured here and take up a good amount of space.
Others will sit for a bit, because while they are cool gadgets, there might not be enough to say to take up 750- or 1,000-word review.
These smaller gadgets usually end up sitting on my desk waiting for a few more to arrive so I can write them all up in a roundup.
Today’s the day, so here’s a look at a handful of those gadgets I’ve been holding off on weighing in on”
Tapplock One
The padlock isn’t something that’s changed much in my lifetime, but the past year or two have brought some cool advancements.
The Tapplock One ($85, Tapplock.com) is the world’s first smart fingerprint padlock.
The Tapplock One can be used indoors or outdoors. It has a rechargeable battery that should last for up to a year with normal use. Charging takes two hours. The charging cable is magnetic and proprietary. The magnets didn’t seem really strong, but they did work — just don’t lose the cable.
The lock can be opened in three ways: with a fingerprint, via Bluetooth with your phone or with a Morse code-style series of presses of the power button.
The lock was easy to set up, and all three unlocking methods were easy to configure and use.
You only have to press your finger on the reader once to register your prints. Of course, you can register fingerprints for everyone in your family.
You configure the lock with a free app for your smartphone.
To save battery, you have to tap the power button then press your thumb or finger to the reader. It worked every time.
■ Pros: Fingerprints are easy to set, quick to open. Weatherproof.
■ Cons: Expensive for a padlock.
D6