For more secure data transfers

Jan 8, 2008 16:16 GMT  ·  By

As you might have heard over the past few months, there seems to be an epidemic of data losses/thefts/misplacements out there, affecting not only normal individuals, but also large organizations (sometimes even government-related ones). This is the reason why secure data storage and transport solutions are once again in the spotlight, much like the Mobile Disk F2, which has just been announced by memory manufacturer TwinMos.

Thus, much like its predecessor, the Mobile Disk F1, the F2 version comes packed with a built-in fingerprint reader, which allows users to better protect their data. Actually, the available storage space (1GB ? 32GB, depending on the model) can be divided into two sections, a public one and a protected one, the sensitive data being accessible solely when the authorized user swipes his/her finger over the sensor.

And since the fingerprint authentication system is, after all, its main point of attraction, it's important to note that the engineers from TwinMos have incorporated a scanner module that delivers a 508 dpi image resolution as well as 256 gray levels (8-bit ADC). Unfortunately, the company doesn't provide any kind of information regarding the sensor's authentication-related specs.

As the company informs us, the Mobile Disk F2 is guaranteed to work with Windows 2000/XP/Vista, which means these are the only operating systems supported by the included Carry it Easy +Plus Bio software. However, the drive will most likely work with other operating systems as well (Linux, Mac OS), although it's rather unclear whether the biometric authentication features will still function at normal parameters.

Unfortunately, TwinMos is yet to release pricing or availability information for the Mobile Disk F2, but this thing will most likely be more expensive than other comparable solutions. Only further testing will prove whether it's worth paying the respective amount or not.

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