Technology on Hua Hin Today

Forget Your Password? Try Your Finger (Hua Hin Today Newspaper)

Biometric scanners that analyze your fingerprint have existed for decades. But the widely used optical approach—which, to take a picture of your print, must scan the entire pad of your finger—is too bulky for most portable electronics. The mobile goods on this page take advantage of newer sensors that scan only thin slices of your finger at a time yet are more accurate than the optical variety, which can be fooled by a photo or tripped up by a dirty finger. They're quick and secure, and you�ll never have to remember a password again.

HP iPaq hx2700
A chunk of the 128 megabytes in this Wi-Fi- and Bluetooth-enabled PDA probably contains intimate info. To maximize security, HP�s thermal sensor images and accepts only fingers at body temperature, thus locking out fake digits (molds or photos). $550 » hp.com

IBM ThinkPad T42
To keep your private documents under lock and key, this laptop requires a positive scan before it will finish booting. Once it's up and running, the capacitive scanner [see illustration] also provides one-touch access to password- protected documents and Web sites. $1,700 » ibm.com

Lexar JumpDrive TouchGuard
A 256-megabyte USB drive? Big deal. But this one stores 200 user names and passwords so that you can access Web sites simply by swiping your finger across its capacitive sensor. [see illustration]. $70 » lexarmedia.com

LG LP3800
Most scanners can be thrown off by oil and dirt. Radio-frequency readers, however, cut through the crud, which is why LG chose the technology for its wireless banking-enabled 1.3-megapixel camera phone (Korea only). Expect radio- frequency scanners to go mainstream within the next two years. [PIC=340:right]