Constant Troubleshooting = Frustration – Near Lock Review

After a few weeks using the the app I must say I’m a bit disappointed... The concept is great and it was advertised in a way that simplified keeping my device secure. However, I’ve been riddled with issues from day one. I have to imagine most folks who download Near Lock shared the excitement I felt when I learned there was an app that could “dumb down” security for their Macs. The idea of my MacBook automatically locking/unlocking via the proximity of my iPhone 11 Pro was appealing. The additional features provided by the developer were just icing on the cake. I remember being somewhat excited to test the functionality after everything was setup. Walking back and forth from my computer to beyond the 5’7” proximity preset I selected to see the computer lock and unlock felt like a game. I think at one point I even though, “Neat!” Then came the issues... Yes, this is an app catered to those of us who desire simplicity when using our devices. Lock/unlock functionality to save a few seconds each time we step away from our Mac without having to type in a password is a neat feature that works seamlessly with an Apple Watch. The Near Lock app is no where near as seamless... The result is an endless cycle of troubleshooting and, in my case, concern about whether or not I could rely on the security this app is supposed to provide. Near Lock is a good concept. It has some useful features, it shows the developer was thinking outside of the box, it’s inexpensive, etc. Unfortunately, I feel like 2 stars is an accurate rating. The features are good and dandy but compounded frustrations with connectivity at the cost of potentially compromised security makes it hard to recommend.
Review by adambcampagna on Near Lock.