Rich
2018-06-23 14:36:33 UTC
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<URL:https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/06/15/taplock_broken_screwdriver
/>
# ATTENTION: This post is a reference to a website. The poster of #
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<URL:https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/06/15/taplock_broken_screwdriver
/>
It's never easy to crack into a market with an innovative new product
but makers of the "world's first smart fingerprint padlock" have made
one critical error: they forgot about the existence of screwdrivers.
Tapplock raised $320,000 in 2016 for their product that would allow you
to use just your finger to open the "unbreakable" lock. Amazing. Things
took a turn for the worse when the ship date of September came and went,
and backers complained that the upstart has stopped posting any updates
and wasn't responding to emails nor social media posts.
But after months of silence, the startup assured El Reg that everything
was still moving forward and the delays were due to "issues with
manufacturing in China."
Fast forward 18 months and finally ? finally ? the $100 Tapplock is out
on the market and it is ... well, how do we put this kindly? Somewhat
flawed.
No less than three major problems with the lock have been discovered
that make it less than useless because presumably people intend to use
the lock to secure valuable things.
One of the first things to note is that the Tapplock used zinc aluminum
alloy Zamak 3: something that it claims lends the lock "unbreakable
durability." Unfortunately, as materials engineers are happy to point
out, aluminum may be a lovely lightweight metal and this alloy does
provide an enviable degree of detail when die cast, but it is not
exactly the best choice for something that is supposed to be
unbreakable.
It isn't very strong, it melts at high temperatures, and it is quite
door handles. It will be easy to cut through this lock with bolt
cutters. Here we go
That, by the way, is not one of the three flaws.
...
but makers of the "world's first smart fingerprint padlock" have made
one critical error: they forgot about the existence of screwdrivers.
Tapplock raised $320,000 in 2016 for their product that would allow you
to use just your finger to open the "unbreakable" lock. Amazing. Things
took a turn for the worse when the ship date of September came and went,
and backers complained that the upstart has stopped posting any updates
and wasn't responding to emails nor social media posts.
But after months of silence, the startup assured El Reg that everything
was still moving forward and the delays were due to "issues with
manufacturing in China."
Fast forward 18 months and finally ? finally ? the $100 Tapplock is out
on the market and it is ... well, how do we put this kindly? Somewhat
flawed.
No less than three major problems with the lock have been discovered
that make it less than useless because presumably people intend to use
the lock to secure valuable things.
One of the first things to note is that the Tapplock used zinc aluminum
alloy Zamak 3: something that it claims lends the lock "unbreakable
durability." Unfortunately, as materials engineers are happy to point
out, aluminum may be a lovely lightweight metal and this alloy does
provide an enviable degree of detail when die cast, but it is not
exactly the best choice for something that is supposed to be
unbreakable.
It isn't very strong, it melts at high temperatures, and it is quite
door handles. It will be easy to cut through this lock with bolt
cutters. Here we go
That, by the way, is not one of the three flaws.
...