Advantages: Fingerprint reader, shortcut keys, design, wireless mouse.
Disadvantages: Keyboard is not wireless.

...Fantastic, Fantastic, Fantastic! Does exactly what it says on the tin. Another great product from Microsoft, now with fingerprint recognition. No more do you have to worry about the kids using the computer while you are out, with the built-in fingerprint they won't get far! Comes with the software required for the reader to function correctly. The reader is so handy, no longer do you have to enter your log-in deatils time and time again, simply load up the log in page for a particular site, press the fingerprint reader, fill in the deatils on screen, and there you have it! Next time you wish to log into that particular site, simply load it up, press the reader and you're logged in! It stores your details for each site securely on your computer and you have to log-in to amend/view these details which adds to the security... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Don't know what I did without one
Disadvantages: longish initialisation time/ IE only / Few niggles

...The Microsoft Standalone Fingerprint Reader THIS DEVICE IS INTENDED FOR USE WITH WINDOWS XP AND INTERNET EXPLORER ONLY (Just a note for continuities sake: I may refer to the device as " Fingerprint Reader", or "Fingerprint Scanner", or just "the scanner" or "the reader"... ) The MS Fingerprint Reader is actually made by a company called DigitalPersona, who have been making Fingerprint scanners for quite a while for the business market. Now DP and MS have teamed up to create the most affordable Fingerprint scanner yet, and it's quite good really... Post-It notes often seem to display numbers and letters on one side and develop a tendency to swarm over and attack both TFT and CRT monitors. This has alerted the folks over at Microsoft, who seem to have connected this phenomena to bad end-user password management. With his dual posable... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: no passwords to remember
Disadvantages: no passwords - in microsoft applications only

...In the attempt to up the ante in security, Microsoft brought out their version of a fingerprint reader for Windows. It's marketed as the ultimate solution to having to remember an unending list of passwords to your computer and the internet's various sites you may have to log on to. However, if you only use Microsoft's Internet Explorer for surfing the internet, then you are alright. If you are one of the many people who use Firefox, Netscape or Opera as an alternative to the dubiously "secure" Internet Explorer, then you can give this gadget away. Now, don't get me wrong - this gadget was made to let you log on to Windows XP or Windows 2000 (and Vista, which I was not able to test) and then log on to various websites with just your fingerprint. And it does what it was made to do. Setup was ridiculously simple - you close off all... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: No more passwords, cheap, compact, very accurate
Disadvantages: No Firefox Support

...Introduction Having a few extra Amazon.co.uk vouchers available I decided to buy another gadget for my ever growing collection of useless gadgets! This time, as the review would suggest, a Microsoft Fingerprint Reader, at £23 a great deal from Amazon! Packaging and Appearance The MS Fingerprint reader comes nicely heat sealed easy to open container. Inside is the bare minimum with simply the reader, an instruction manual and an installation CD. Its all very neatly packages and because of this fits through the letterbox nicely, meaning you don't have to worry about sitting up waiting for your delivery! Websites can be very deceiving and the actual reader is about the same size in length as your pointing finger. The actual "reading" part is a comfortable oval shape, and will be the right size for 99% of people whether you hands are big... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Excellent idea, Cheap
Disadvantages: Causes your system to slow down

...with a list of all the different users and to log onto Windows you simply click on one of them, then this is the welcome screen and Windows is correctly setup for this device. However, if to log onto Windows you have to manually enter your username and password, then you need to switch the logon method used, by use of the user accounts option in Control Panel) Installation of this device is really easy. All you have to do is insert the CD supplied with the product, into your computer and let the setup do the rest. About half way through the installation, you are prompted to plug in the fingerprint reader into an available USB port and then the setup procedure continues. Once the software is installed you are then required to restart your computer to update all the necessary software. -How to use it- When the computer has restarted and you... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: High quality notebook
Disadvantages: Higher price

...I tried new Lenovo T61 with configuration: Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz 1GB RAM nVidia Quadro 140M 100GB 7200RPM disc 14.1" wide screen 1440x900px Webcamera, fingerprint reader Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN 6 cell battery New thinkpad is traditionally whole black. It is very well built as usual. Nothing screapes and the keyboard is nice acurrate.Titan-Magnesium hardeness was improved by hardening back part of chassis.The only thing where is the influence of Lenovo on IBM shown are the connectors for reproductors and microphone. They were placed in front of laptop what is not so handsome. After few hours of initial testing i revealed a small bug - it is impossible to change the backlight intensity for the display. I tried to run a Linux system so i have to write some hints: The graphics card works well with the newest drivers from nvidia... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Has a fantasy feel about it even though its meant to be fact. very easy to read
Disadvantages: its long, and will take a while to read, may put off the less enthusiastic

...I was first alerted to the existence of 'Fingerprints of the Gods' by my dad of all people. He's a very slow reader so he does the sensible thing, and when he hears about a good book he bribes me to read it and tell him what happens. Everyone's a winner. I went to the library but it wasn't in stock, it was booked solid for a good couple of months, always a good sign. Eventually I got a copy and almost fainted at the size of it. However, after ten minutes of reading I was hooked. There's something for everyone in this mammoth book, giants, gods, aliens, dwarves, magic, mystery, and loads more. From the start off though 'Fingerprints' doesn't pretend to have all the answers, just a few eye opening facts and lots of possibilities. Graham Hancock visits all the sites he mentions in the book with his photographer, so included are some... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Slim, sleek, functional... wireless
Disadvantages: Not Cheap - but getting cheaper

...Ah, come in 007, this is your new laptop. The Samsung X10. It's more than just a lap-top, this sleek silver machine simply oozes style. Concentrate Bond... as you can see at less than an inch thick, it's so sharp you could almost cut yourself on it, while still containing cutting edge wireless networking and DVD/CDRW. This really is the laptop to be seen with. Open the lid, Bond, and you're presented with a comfortable keyboard. Along the top you have three 'hot' buttons which you can program to initiate applications (browser, email and so on). The fourth button lights up a cool blue when the wireless capability is on. And the wireless (802.11B) has a reasonable range. Below the keyboard you have a track pad, two mouse buttons and... an in built fingerprint reader. This can be configured to replace all your application passwords... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Weight, battery, screen
Disadvantages: FIngerprint software

...'s software is too clever by half and leads to the cursor jumping around the screen as you type. The big thing you need to be aware of is, paradoxically, using the fingerprint reader software for anything than basic passwords. DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO USE IT TO PROTECT FILES. If t