Buying a Laptop - anyone have Fingerprint reader?

[WildViper]

Hi,

I am looking at HP's nc6400 or nx6325 notebook computers. Both have the Fingerprint reader. I am just wondering if anyone knows if I can use a different software with the reader..like Softex or something?

I called HP and their tech support had no clue about who made the reader or even if it is BioAPI compatible.

Anyone have any ideas? Even if it is not HP, Toshiba anyone?

I want to be able to use this to login to say Anandtech and then have my wife also sign in to Anandtech with her finger. Can the software support multiple users?

Thanx

 

[i game with a gateway]

Lenovo/IBM also have fingerprint readers on some of their models. I think synoptics makes them but I cannot really link you to anything. You might find it on their website however.

 

[Ayah]

Personally, I would go with Lenovo notebooks for biometrics.

*Most of the software supports multiple users/accounts.

 

[WackyDan]

Lenovo's use UPEK scanners. So do most other vendors. Softex Omnipass will work with just about any fingerprint scanner out there.

Upek has a pretty slick piece of software for login and password management. Free... but with no support.

Softex is feature rich, but you will pay for it, and it's mostly targeted at large enterprise accounts who need to manage logins, resets, and require active directory implementation.

That said, there is a consumer type version of softex omnipass.

Lenovo's software does everything you are looking to do, though it requires botht eh installation of the fingerprint software, and their Client Security Software which gives you the password management feature for apps and websites, network shares, etc.

I'd be surprised if HP's software didn't offer everything you are looking for. After-all, vendors don't just put the scanner on there for looks without supplying a bundled software product.

UPEK's is pretty cool as it's pretty lightweight, and has login and password management built into one tidy shell.

Edit, I've used the UPEK software on an IBM/Lenovo, and have a peer using the Omnipass.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Do you want true Biometric security or just a fingerprint reader?

I know Thinkpads have the fingerprint reader tied into the CSS platform in the hardware, making it incredibly difficult to bypass or beat. The non-Thinkpad Lenovo notebooks are entirely tied into the operating system. I can't speak for HP notebooks, but it is something to keep in mind.

 

[Marmion]

I have an nx8220, and the HP Credentials Manager stores passwords and can automatically log you in, or just fill in username/passwords for web pages and anything that requires password identification, plus you can individually manage which websites/networks you want to be automatically logged in, which ones you put your password in etc. I'm guessing that the fingerprint feature would be tied into this (my model doesn't have the fingerprint reader, so I'm assuming this).
You have the option with Credentials Manager to either be the only way you can log onto the computer, or you can have it that you use the Windows log on from the Welcome Screen, with the option to log on using Credentials Manager in the top lefthand corner. Of course you can uninstall it and not use it aswell

 

[WildViper]

THanx everyone for their replies. After reading that..I found out that Softex software does support sensors made by UPEK. So I will be buying that software just so that I can have my sister/brother and rest of the family log in to say hotmail with just their swipes.

Cool. Thanx

 

[WackyDan]

Originally posted by: WildViper
THanx everyone for their replies. After reading that..I found out that Softex software does support sensors made by UPEK. So I will be buying that software just so that I can have my sister/brother and rest of the family log in to say hotmail with just their swipes.

Cool. Thanx

Lenovo's software supports multiple user profiles.... Should be no reason why HP's shouldn't. Don't buy something you don't need.

 

[Marmion]

HP does support multiple users. I've had 2 different user logins for logging into uni stuff (one for me, one for my sister). All you have to do is select the user login, and then it'll log you in. (Again, I'm assuming it works the same with the fingerprint reader)

 

[imported_kenyee]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I know Thinkpads have the fingerprint reader tied into the CSS platform in the hardware

That's what I thought as well...it's tied into encryption of the drive at a hardware level.
No clue if others do this, but would love to find a less expensive alternative with better graphics hardware than the Thinkpads...

 

[corkyg]

I use a Sony Puppy FIU-810-N03 finger print reader on my HP Laptop. The Puppy plugs in to a USB port when installed, and you can't start without it unless you can put in the correct (strong) password overrride.

It allows for different users and different fingers foreach user. It is a nice, small unit, same size as a Thumb Drive. And it can be installed on more than one system, and I carry it like an ignition key.

It is very sensitive, and will refuse me if I don't place my finger just so.

It also has 64 MB of flash memory storage for my encrypted Roboform data.