Toshiba adds fingerprint reader to laptops

Toshiba plans to add fingerprint reading devices to its laptop computers as an extra security feature.

The facility will be supplied by specialist Identix, which will offer its biometric PCMCIA card plus BioLogon software.

The device uses the Identix DFR-300 optical fingerprint reader that can be installed in notebook computers with PC card slots. BioLogon software provides standalone and network log-on, remote network user authentication log-on and multi-factor security.

When the card is installed in notebooks, a user presses on the side of it to slide it out and places a finger on the card for the fingerprint to be scanned. The fingerprint reader scans the image and matches it against the previously authenticated identification. Users can start their computers only if the fingerprint is authenticated.

The two companies said the fingerprint reader would provide a higher level of security as well as convenience, because users will not have to remember passwords nor key in their user names.

The agreement with Toshiba follows a similar deal Identix signed with Dell for its Latitude portable PCs. Such biometric security could also be used to secure wired and wireless ecommerce transactions.

The Toshiba/Identix biometric PCMCIA Card will be available worldwide at Toshiba mobile computer outlets.