Turn your iPhone into a garage door opener?

Dan Roth — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:58:00 EST

Tech skeptics have been calling the iPhone a mere toy since its introduction, but the proliferation of apps and ancillaries tells a different story. From the "what will they think of next?" file comes MyDoorOpener, a two-pronged hardware/software solution for turning your iPhone into a garage door opener. That's right, to replace one thing, you need two! The rub is that you'll have your iPhone with you anyway, and if your car's not equipped with HomeLink, then the MyDoorOpener solution could mean one less thing to rattle around in the center console.

The software is not yet approved, oh, and you'll have to build the receiver unit, too. That's right, break out the soldering iron and get comfortable with integrated circuits and transistors. It's not simple for everyone, but it's not rocket surgery, either. Lest the tinfoil in your hat start to chafe your scalp, rest assured that communications between devices is encrypted for security. All the instructions and details are at MyDoorOpener.com, and at least they provide schematics so you can make the stuff yourself, instead of buying some black box that puts your monthly balance in the red.

[Source: MyDoorOpener.com | Photo: Oleg Alexandrov CC2.0]

Turn your iPhone into a garage door opener? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW motorcycle garage door opener is domestic bliss

Alex Nunez — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Motorcycle

Click above to watch a video of the this new garage door opener in action after the jump

If you haven't yet embraced modernity and installed an automatic garage door opener, you're in luck, as you may now be able to take advantage of a clever new sound-activated unit developed by an English motorcycle rider for his BMW. This unique device actually uses the bike's horn to transmit an audible signal to open and close the door. As you'll see in the demonstration video embedded after the jump, it's highly effective. Presumably, this technology could be adapted to work with any vehicle, though it is potentially expensive and temperamental.

Watch the full demonstration after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Robert!

[Source: Today's Big Thing]

Continue reading BMW motorcycle garage door opener is domestic bliss

BMW motorcycle garage door opener is domestic bliss originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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