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hockeyiz · Dec 20, 2004, 04:40 PM

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mo...ngerprint.mspx
They actually thought of something! It's a sign of armageddon! QUICK! RUN AROUND IN CIRCLES SCREAMING IN A HIGH PITCHED VOICE!

Very cool idea.

tooki · Dec 20, 2004, 04:45 PM

Uhh, IBM's sold laptops with built-in fingerprint scanners for a year or two now. Other companies have sold mice and keyboards with built-in scanners for a while now.

The MS product is in no way innovative, it's just evolutionary copy-catting again.

tooki

hockeyiz · Dec 20, 2004, 04:53 PM

I knew there was an explanation

Cubeoid · Dec 20, 2004, 04:59 PM

I was almost ready to applaud MS.. then I read tooki's post.

The Mick · Dec 20, 2004, 05:05 PM

HP made an iPaq with a fingerprint scanner earlier this year. I've seen single-sign-on software packages that integrate with fingerprint scanners, some built into the keyboard, for the past few years.

residentEvil · Dec 20, 2004, 05:20 PM

MPC has had them in their laptops for a while now too.

tooki · Dec 20, 2004, 06:56 PM

Yeah, anytime you hear "MS" and "innovate", you have reason to be skeptical. Veeerrry skeptical.

tooki

SimpleLife · Dec 20, 2004, 07:00 PM

Hack: use the owners fingerprint to access the computer.

gummy bears, a plastic film and some heat.

Works 80% of he time.

ambush · Dec 20, 2004, 07:28 PM

finger print or not, the content of your HD has to be encrypted to really be safe.

ManOfSteal · Dec 20, 2004, 07:51 PM

Microsoft should maker copiers.

Oneota · Dec 20, 2004, 07:58 PM

Originally posted by ManOfSteal:
Microsoft should maker copiers.

I've made this joke before, but the day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is probably the day they start making vacuum cleaners.

spatterson · Dec 21, 2004, 12:32 AM

Originally posted by ManOfSteal:
Microsoft should maker copiers.

I was going to say they are the king of the technique known as copy and paste...

Randman · Dec 21, 2004, 12:57 AM

Not sure about the Mac compatability. They look kinda cheap and I hate keyboards that aren't Mac-centric.

yukon · Dec 21, 2004, 01:15 AM

The day I tried my optical mouse, I thought MS had made something innovative. Then I found out the technology was licenced from HP. The wheel was stolen from a company called Goldtouch Technologies, demoed to MS in 97 and stolen in 98. The second button was required by system complexity. The idea of a mouse itself was stolen from Apple, the idea of which bought from Xerox for 100,000 shares. Apparently that covers it all.

And then my mouse broke. I'm on the third Intellimouse Optical...at least I'm sticking it to their warranty losses.

Lancer409 · Dec 21, 2004, 01:59 AM

Originally posted by SimpleLife:
Hack: use the owners fingerprint to access the computer.

gummy bears, a plastic film and some heat.

Works 80% of he time.

i'm more afraid of someone cutting my finger off. see: minority report. if an eyeball works in a scanner, i'm sure a dismembered finger would work on the fingerprint scanner

Cadaver · Dec 21, 2004, 10:10 AM

From the Microsoft website:

The Fingerprint Reader should not be used for protecting sensitive data such as financial information or for accessing corporate networks. We continue to recommend that you use a strong password for these types of activities.

Great. What the f

s the point then? I can type my login password faster than the damn thing can read my print, so why would I want to buy this if I can't use it to replace strong, difficult-to-remember passwords? Sounds like the software included is nothing more than a MacOS-like Keychain system using a fingerprint instead of a keychain master password.

fireside · Dec 21, 2004, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by yukon:
And then my mouse broke. I'm on the third Intellimouse Optical...at least I'm sticking it to their warranty losses.

get a logitech MX700. or if you really want to cool new get the logitech mx1000. its got a real lazer! and lazers are awesomze!

Sherwin · Dec 21, 2004, 10:37 AM

Cue millions of people not able to log into their computers because their M$ fingerprint reader software doesn't quite work properly.

Superchicken · Dec 21, 2004, 11:48 AM

I looked at this and thought exactly like Tooki... didn't IBM do this forever ago? Well I don't know if I thought EXACTLY like Tooki... uhh... yah... but... I thought something marginally similar...

mitchell_pgh · Dec 21, 2004, 12:06 PM

I've noticed the Microsoft plays both sides...

1) See companies some out with something original.
2) Copy it and say your were the originator of the idea.
3) Wait for the original developers to innovate... and innovate... and innovate...
4) Make major updates and release it with hooks in to the OS (hooks that the original developers can't make)

scaught · Dec 21, 2004, 12:14 PM

Originally posted by yukon:
The day I tried my optical mouse, I thought MS had made something innovative. Then I found out the technology was licenced from HP. The wheel was stolen from a company called Goldtouch Technologies, demoed to MS in 97 and stolen in 98. The second button was required by system complexity. The idea of a mouse itself was stolen from Apple, the idea of which bought from Xerox for 100,000 shares. Apparently that covers it all.

xerox had a optical mouse (that used a printed textured mousing surface) on their docutech 135 that was released sometime in the mid to late 80s. i dont know if it was their technology or if it was borrowed.

scaught · Dec 21, 2004, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I've noticed the Microsoft plays both sides...

1) See companies some out with something original.
2) Copy it and say your were the originator of the idea.
3) Wait for the original developers to innovate... and innovate... and innovate...
4) Make major updates and release it with hooks in to the OS (hooks that the original developers can't make)

cmon now. apple (and others) are guilty of the exact same thing.

sherlock/watson
konfabulator/dashboard

tooki · Dec 21, 2004, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by scaught:
xerox had a optical mouse (that used a printed textured mousing surface) on their docutech 135 that was released sometime in the mid to late 80s. i dont know if it was their technology or if it was borrowed.

I believe it was Mouse Systems Corp. that invented the optical mouse that used the gridded mouse pad, in the very early 80s.

tooki

yukon · Dec 21, 2004, 02:11 PM

get a logitech MX700. or if you really want to cool new get the logitech mx1000.

Yeah, if I needed a mouse, I'd go for logitech now. But lifetime warranty....the mouse breaks, I phone it in, I get a replacement, I try to fix the broken mouse, I succeed and have frankenmice. Anyone know where to get replacement USB cables that are long enough btw? Dollar store has an extension I might try....

xerox had a optical mouse (that used a printed textured mousing surface)

Ah yeah, I have a MouseSystems mouse downstairs, lost the graph thing though. Pretty much useless, kinda cool to see it having two optical lights though. Very boxy, looks almost like the original Mac mouse ISTR.