Who needs house keys? Use a hands-free fob instead!

Custom fob allows you to get into your house without house keys.

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A startup company from Germany wants you to forget about your regular house keys, and use a hands-free fob that has been named the Kiwi Ki.

Who needs house keys? Use a hands-free fob instead! | TweakTown.com

The system operates using radio-frequency identification (RFID) and unlocks a house door as the resident approaches. The mechanism is available for less than $450, and each key fob requires a monthly fee.

"It is much more secure than a normal key. A normal key can be copied easily, sometimes just from a photograph," said Henryk Ploetz, a security analyst, in a statement to Euronews. "With this one you can't do that. That is the case for all contactless keys, but this one is as secure or more secure than all other contactless systems."

There are thousands of homes in Berlin that can support Kiwi, and even the recycling collectors are currently trying it out. The trash men can open thousands of different doors using just 20 Kiwi Ki fobs, according to the company.

The founder of Kiwi.ki described how she came up with the idea: "I had the idea for Kiwi in November 2007. I had just had my first son and I was standing in front of an apartment building like this one, with a baby in one arm and bags over the other. It was raining and it was cold and I couldn't find my key. That's when I thought there had to be an easier way to open doors."

An experienced tech journalist and marketing specialist, Michael joins TweakTown to cover everything from cars & electric vehicles to solar and green energy topics. A former Staff Writer at DailyTech, Michael is now the Cars & Electric Vehicles News Reporter and will contribute news stories on a daily basis. In addition to contributing here, Michael also runs his own tech blog, AlamedaTech.com, while he looks to remain busy in the tech world.

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