Fingerprint Reader

Hello Eveyone,

I have a question about fingerprint reader on laptops. My sister ask me to find out some information about laptop. Well, I did a little reader about motherboards and what have you about laptops. I decided since my sister told me to find her the best laptop, that I would suggest to her to buy a Toshiba Satellite P105-S9722 from Circuitcity Store for $2000. However, the laptop has a built-in fingerprint reader. Is thing feature something that is very efficient or just a feature to get more money out of us?? Is this just for data security on the laptop or seurity to even get on the laptop?
Also could someone please tell me if this laptop is a good one or not? My sister is not a geeker but she wants a laptop that is efficient in anything and everything that she might want to do.

Kind Regards to All,
Harvey

 

Hi Harvey (and sis), I have a Toshiba Tecra A7 laptop with fingerprint sensor.

It works well. It allows you to enroll more than 1 finger.
For example I have enrolled the first and second fingers on my right hand.

I can logon with either. There is also the usual way of logging on by entering a password in case the fingerprint file gets corrupted for any reason.

I very rarely use my password nowadays as the fingerprint sensor works well.

I assume the Toshiba Satellite uses the same fingerprint sensor software but I do not know for sure.

If you buying a laptop make sure you check out the latest CPU's .

See also MG threads 108366 and 108429.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=108366
and http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=108429

Bazza

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Could always just buy a usb finger print id unit.

 

Why? Just another piece of stuff to lug around if the laptop they are interested in, has that facility already built in. Bazza

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I have to say I've played with some fingerprint readers on laptops (i was doing laptop marketing not too long ago) and for the most part they're crap.

I enrolled one of my fingers, then got someone else to try it and they got in first time. HMM.....

All I can say is test it before you put any faith into it.

 

Hi Goldy, I must try that with my Toshiba Tecra A7 laptop.
It has always rejected me using my un-enrolled fingers.

To set up the Tecra you have to enroll the same finger /s 5 times, one after the other, and only if they are identical scans, will it work and load the "master" scan /s.
You see the 5 scans side by side when enrolling a finger.

You can, of course, always go back to using a p***word but that kinda defeats the reason for buying a laptop with that facility in the first place. Bazza

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LOL a p***word

 

The whole point of a p***word for me is to increase internet security I imagine it has no use in that respect so a p***word should be mandatory anyway,it will stop someone using your computer while your there but so will a screensaver p***word,if someone steals it they'll get around it in about 5 minutes to use the laptop,stealing the data from the harddrive by placing it in another computer again will also only take a few minutes

They seem like a big gimmick to me and the ones I'v seen ie. mythbusters could be byp***ed using minimal effort

 

Why? So you can buy a decent laptop and still have fp access if that is what you want. Sorry but I am not a Toshiba fan, my experience of them is just terrible, except the really old pushing up the daisys satellites.

 

As Rikki said, removing a hard drive from a laptop is easier in some makes, than others.
It is really easy in my Toshiba for instance. 1 screw and just lift it out and disconnect the connector. You had better rely on data encryption instead of fingerprint protection. Bazza

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The biggest threat is from the internet,theres virtually nothing you can do to stop people getting at the data if it is stolen and they are determined,the likelyhood of the data landing in the hands of someone who knows what to do with it are very slim IMHO

What always amazes me,when a laptop with sensitive info is stolen here in the uk for example recently I think one was stolen from an employee of the Natwest banks car passenger seat, the Bank and police announce it on TV ,the low level criminals who stole it probably wouldnt have known what they had before seeing the news