The Cromwell eKey

I had heard about The Cromwell allowing guests to use their iPhones as their room key, but never really saw how it would work until I stumbled upon this video today.

In the future everything will be on your phone, so this is just one step closer to that reality.

While I'm fairly accepting of new technology I have to wonder if this is really more convenient. I've never swiped a hotel room key before and thought, "You know, this would be so much better if I had to download an app and then enter a pin to open my door."

The potential to skip a check-in line could be the real game changer (buzzword alert) with this app - especially if Caesars Entertainment brings it to other Las Vegas hotels. Not having to wait an hour to check in at The Rio during peak times would be fantastic.

One downside - skipping check-in doesn't give you a chance to give the desk clerk a crisp twenty dollar bill in hopes of getting a "free" upgrade. This little known secret is called "The $20 trick" and you heard it here first.