Secret-Knock Lock - great ideas from the speakeasy era...

From Sprites mods and through Engadget, this is just a hack for now (check out the fugly-but-functional goodness at left), but what an excellent idea for a product! A secret knock unlocks the door - no fumbling with keys, dialing in codes, or swiping cards. As a bonus, there's the added security of not needing anything at all on the outside of the door - no keyholes that can be picked, card swipers that can be hacked, or keypads that can be damaged. Just a blank door that you have to know that you have to knock. It might even make you feel like a member of a secret club every time - and Engadget's suggested tweak is a must: "we're even thinking of a mod to make the door scream 'TWO BIIIIIIITS' when we knock 'Shave and a Haircut.'"

Taking it to the next step, voice-operated locks would be even more convenient by requiring no hands (and no sense of rhythm, either). Make the "key" a musical snippet with both words and a tune, to avoid accidentally triggering it in conversation. Definitely a plus when I'm trying to get all the groceries from my car in one trip. (Those plastic bag handles really do a number on my hands - but that's a different rant...)