14 DAY TRIAL // Want a simple hardware device designed to enable you to streamline the management process of your user accounts and passwords in Windows Vista and Windows XP? Then Microsoft's Fingerprint Reader is the right answer. Now, in all fairness, the Fingerprint Reader on Vista is nothing new, in fact it was introduced back in early January at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. However, the video demonstration embedded at the bottom, courtesy of Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc is as fresh as it gets, and it will showcase the most common usage of the gadget. The Fingerprint Reader provides an easy alternative to the traditional process inherent with supplying Windows, or a website with your credentials.
"The Microsoft Fingerprint Reader allows you to replace your standard Windows logon (Username and Password) with your fingerprint. And it works absolutely fantastic with Windows Vista. You can quickly manage your credentials through the software that ships with the Microsoft Fingerprint Reader called DigitalPersona. If you hold your finger down on the fingerprint reader you will get a "One Touch Menu" pop up in the lower right-hand side of your screen giving you all the options you need to manage your credentials. To manage your logons to various websites, you have a Password Manager that lets you edit the profiles for specific websites you use the fingerprint reader to login," LeBlanc stated.
All your user data and passwords, be it in Vista, XP, Windows Live Hotmail, Google Mail or Yahoo, will literally be at your fingertips. And Microsoft is not offering just the Fingerprint Reader. The Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer and the Optical Desktop also feature the device. "Using the DigitalPersona software, you are able to import and export data within your Password Manager to other PC's using Microsoft Fingerprint Readers. Security is a concern here in regards to importing and exporting of data so you are required to use your finger to verify you are you to export or import any data. If you login in to quite a few websites, the Microsoft Fingerprint Reader is a great way to manage your logins with the touch of a finger," LeBlanc added.