Losing your keys is bad enough, but having to replace the entire lock because you don’t have a key to copy makes things even worse - not to mention expensive.

弄丟鑰匙已是慘事一樁，要是因為沒有備用鑰匙而必須重新換鎖，那更是雪上加霜了，還不算其昂貴的成本。

The KeyMe app promises to take the hassle and cost out of this by letting you store photos of your keys online, and order duplicates in the post.

應用軟件keyme的誕生，將會解決這一難題和成本問題：只需在線儲存你鑰匙的照片，再郵遞下單配鑰匙即可。

Alternatively, the US service has kiosks that let you copy keys in an emergency, or share photos with a locksmith in person.

除此之外，在美國，也有小攤亭可在緊急情況下為你提供復制鑰匙服務。你還可以親自把照片分享給鎖匠。

KeyMe is free on iOS but is currently only available in the US. The New York-based startup is looking to expand the service, and an Android version of the app is in development.

目前，KeyMe僅能在美國的iOS上免費下載。這家位于紐約的公司才剛那剛起步，正努力拓寬服務范圍。該軟件的安卓版正在研發中。

After setting up an account, homeowners use their smartphone camera to take a photo of each side of the key.

房主設立賬戶后，需通過其智能手機的攝像頭給鑰匙的每一面都拍張照片。

The photo must be taken on a white background, from a distance of up to 4 inches (10cm), in order to avoid what the app calls ‘fly-by’ scans.

為避免出現掃描失敗的情況，照片背景須為白底，并要從距鑰匙4英尺(10厘米)處進行拍攝。

This doesn’t, in theory, protect people from criminals taking photos of other people's keys though.

從理論上說，這么做不能保證犯罪分子拍不到別人鑰匙的照片。

However, KeyMe does notify users whenever there is activity on their account, but this only applies if a potential thief is using that person’s account.

不過，KeyMe賬戶無論何時出現任何操作都會通知用戶。但是只有小偷用了此人的賬戶，用戶才能收到通知。

It is unknown whether KeyMe can recognize if the same key is scanned and added to a different account.

目前，尚不能確定如果同一把鑰匙被添加入不同賬戶時，系統是否能夠識別出來。

As an extra security measure, however, the app requires user verification, a credit card, a verified mailing address and an Apple-verified device and ID to purchase a key.

作為額外的安全措施，KeyMe還要求用戶提供信用卡、通過郵件地址和蘋果經驗證的設備和ID進行驗證，才能購買鑰匙。

Michael Harbolt, vice president of marketing at KeyMe told MailOnline that if a thief, hypothetically, did want to steal a key and order a new one using the app, they 'would then have to use an Apple registered device, Apple ID and wireless carrier to download the app and provide user verification to access the app.

KeyMe市場運營副總裁邁克爾·哈伯特向MailOnline表示，假設小偷想通過軟件來盜用鑰匙，用該應用定制一把新鎖，他們則必須使用注冊了的蘋果設備、蘋果ID和無線運營商下載應用，并提供用戶驗證信息登錄該應用。

'[They] would then have to provide a valid credit card to purchase these keys and a mailing address. All of the data provided during this exchange could be used to easily identify [them].'

“之后他們購買這些鑰匙時必須提供有效信用卡和郵件地址，這中間交換的所有數據都能夠輕易鑒別出他們的身份?！?/p>

As an alternative, Mr Harbolt explained that a thief could 'simply walk down to a local locksmith and get a copy made by paying cash' without providing any method of identification.

相反用另一種方法，小偷只要付現金就能找鎖匠配鑰匙，完全不用進行身份驗證。

'Given a choice of the these two options - one where you can easily be identified, and one where there is no risk of being identified - as a criminal, which option are you more likely to pursue when attempting to commit a crime?,' continued Mr Harbolt.

哈伯特先生表示，“如果讓你二選一，一種會讓你很容易暴露身份，另一種則完全沒有被認出來的風險，作為要犯罪的小偷，你更可能選擇哪一種呢？”

In terms of protecting the keys stored in the cloud, the company said: ‘We use commercial grade security to protect your key data.

在保護儲存在“云端”的鑰匙方面，該公司表示，他們會用商業級安全措施保護你鑰匙的數據。

‘Additionally, we do not store any personally identifiable information except for an email address and password.’

“除了郵件地址和密碼之外，我們不會儲存任何可識別個人信息?！?/p>

But, these security concerns only apply to ordering keys in the post.

不過，只有郵遞下單定制鑰匙，才存在這類安全隱患。

If a key is ordered from a locksmith in person, the user can verify their identity by having the phone, app and another form of physical ID.

如果用戶親自找鎖匠定制鑰匙，則可以通過電話、應用和其他實物ID進行身份核查。

Equally, the app asks for a fingerprint to be used when printing a key from a physical kiosk.

同樣，當在小攤亭打印鑰匙時，應用會要求用戶提供指紋。

To order a key from a locksmith, the app produces a code that the locksmith can use to create the duplicate.

要直接向鎖匠下單，應用會生成一個代碼供鎖匠配制鑰匙。

This code reveals the type of key, as well as its 'biting' code, which gives details about the shape and cut of the key.

這個代碼內含鑰匙類型和包含其形狀、切割等細節的齒紋代碼信息。

Once a key is successfully scanned and stored, users can send their digital keychain to friends, family and housemates over email, using the app’s ‘Share’ button.

一旦應用成功掃描和儲存了鑰匙信息，用戶可通過應用的“分享鍵”將其數字鑰匙鏈發送給親朋好友和室友。

KeyMe sends an email confirmation when the recipient has accepted the key, but shared keys can’t be deactivated. The owner and recipient can then order duplicates from within the app.

一旦鑰匙被接收，KeyMe會向用戶發一封確認郵件。但是被分享的鑰匙不能停用，主人和接受者都能通過應用配備用鑰匙。

Storing keys is free, but the cost of ordering duplicates depends on the type of key being copied.

儲存鑰匙不產生任何費用，但是定制備用鑰匙的費用則因鑰匙類型而異。

As an example, a basic version starts at $10 (￡6).

例如，制作基本款鑰匙起價10美元（約為人民幣60元）。

Postal orders take up to five business days to arrive, but the service also offers 3D printed keys with various designs, and these take up to five weeks to arrive.

郵遞下單最多需要5個工作日能寄到。不過這項服務也提供3D打印不同形狀的鑰匙，最多要5周寄到。

Vocabulary

hassle: 困難，麻煩

kiosk: 報攤，電話亭

recipient: 接收人

deactivate: 使無效

duplicate: 復制品

（譯者：菠蘿油八戒 編輯：丁一）