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Am I the only one who misses fingerprint readers on Apple laptops?
- Thread starter viperguy
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You mean such features like... um... a backlit keyboard?
The backlit of my 15" pbs keyboard is no longer working since a few months. It's one of these things you don't miss when you never had them, and you miss them about once every 2-3 months when you have them no longer.
I can imagine that someone who is used to a fingerprint reader sometimes thinks "damn that would useful right now" when he no longer has one. But certainly not every day, and imo not even every week or month.
There is a difference in your comparison, seeing as the backlight only has a function when you type in the dark with no light and also need to look at your hands (rarely) and a fingerprint reader that has a security function. The question is what function and quality the fingerprint reader has that a regular password prompt doesn't? Zero, other than people learning your password by looking at you?
The backlight on the other hand, always has a function when it's dark.
True story
I was on a plane from Paris to Bristol (glight time about an hour-hour and a half) earlier this month. Guy sitting next to me, as soon as he was allowed (seatbelt lights went off) pulled out his new (still in the white packaging slip that laptops come in) sony viao laptop running vista. He worked constantly at his laptop until he had to put it away, after the boot up time (horrednous I swear I went to sleep for about 10 minutes, woke up and it was still logging in) he then fired up the fingerprint software. It took him the rest of the flight to register his fingerprints. An entire flight, and all he did is boot up and scan his fingerprints.
No thanks.
(yes I thought about pulling out my macbook and doing something productive, but I didn't want to make him cry)
I was on a plane from Paris to Bristol (glight time about an hour-hour and a half) earlier this month. Guy sitting next to me, as soon as he was allowed (seatbelt lights went off) pulled out his new (still in the white packaging slip that laptops come in) sony viao laptop running vista. He worked constantly at his laptop until he had to put it away, after the boot up time (horrednous I swear I went to sleep for about 10 minutes, woke up and it was still logging in) he then fired up the fingerprint software. It took him the rest of the flight to register his fingerprints. An entire flight, and all he did is boot up and scan his fingerprints.
No thanks.
(yes I thought about pulling out my macbook and doing something productive, but I didn't want to make him cry)
Yeah, until they shoot you in the head, because you won't give up your password
They could just shoot you in the head after (or before) they cut your finger off!
At my old job, my Thinkpad had a built-in fingerprint scanner. It would work in the sense that it wouldn't allow other users into the computer if it didn't recognize their fingerprints (you could set up to five fingers I believe so technically you could use someone else's).
However, it didn't work in the sense that you would have to be very precise in scanning your finger at the correct angle and at just the right speed.
Nonetheless, I found myself using it the majority of the time to get into my locked laptop.
With that said, it's not something I terribly miss.
However, it didn't work in the sense that you would have to be very precise in scanning your finger at the correct angle and at just the right speed.
Nonetheless, I found myself using it the majority of the time to get into my locked laptop.
With that said, it's not something I terribly miss.
well true, but I was also on an easyjet flight, and being 6'4" I could just about read a book without learning yoga
All the new Toshiba laptops that the support consultants at work get have finger print scanners, but the IT dept disable them. Not sure why, they wouldn't tell me.
IT departments usually don't like things that aren't tried tested and proven. Especailly when it affects something "mission critical".
Well, the IT guys love new stuff, but the managers will never sign it off as it will have their name on it, and they'll get the blame if/when it goes wrong.
Many innovations are stifled this way.
If Apple wants to innovate and impress me, here's what they can do: develop a fingerprint reader inside a mouse, just under the left mouse button, where my finger rests most of the time anyway. And make it totally invisible.
Wow, I have rarely seen a thread with so many people talking about something they dont know...
I have a Thinkpad T42 at work, it has a built in reader. It is quite small and would definaly fit in a mac book/pro.
Registering yourself is quite fast once you get the hang of it. The trick is consistency. The software has some AI and adjust itself to your "style" of moving your finger on the reader. Out of 20 shots, I only have to redo it 1-2 times and it take less than a second.
When we got these laptop, we did some test to see how accurate they can be. So first everyone around tried to "hack" in my computer using their finger. None succeeded. Then I tried to login with my finger dirty and it didnt work. Then I used a knife and did some (very small) scratch on my finger and the system failled to let me in. So I guess that they are secure.
And now, for your information, OSX includes the required drivers to have a fingertip reader since they are mandatory for high security jobs. I dont know if it is the generic verion of OSX or a branch used by the governement.
Finaly, fingertip readers are very good for IT teams since they dont have to remember password anymore or be carefull to not let the users see them.
All in all, they are a great feature and a mac would only be better with it.
I have a Thinkpad T42 at work, it has a built in reader. It is quite small and would definaly fit in a mac book/pro.
Registering yourself is quite fast once you get the hang of it. The trick is consistency. The software has some AI and adjust itself to your "style" of moving your finger on the reader. Out of 20 shots, I only have to redo it 1-2 times and it take less than a second.
When we got these laptop, we did some test to see how accurate they can be. So first everyone around tried to "hack" in my computer using their finger. None succeeded. Then I tried to login with my finger dirty and it didnt work. Then I used a knife and did some (very small) scratch on my finger and the system failled to let me in. So I guess that they are secure.
And now, for your information, OSX includes the required drivers to have a fingertip reader since they are mandatory for high security jobs. I dont know if it is the generic verion of OSX or a branch used by the governement.
Finaly, fingertip readers are very good for IT teams since they dont have to remember password anymore or be carefull to not let the users see them.
All in all, they are a great feature and a mac would only be better with it.
Great until you cut your finger and can't work for the day, unless you have either a) multiple finger prints, or b) a password work around.
a) diminishes security by creating more logins, b) negates the point of having a fingerprint reader in the first place.
I understand your whole spiel here, but instead of all of these issues with swiping fingers (but only when not cut with a knife), changing required drivers, adding cost, etc. we create something revolutionary that is also only unique to you, and eliminates all of these potential issues:
....
An administrative password?!?!
If you can't share your computer long enough for your girlfriend to check her email, then you have some major issues that a fingerprint scanner won't solve
That actually reminds me of my first experience with a hand scanner in industry (if you can even call it that). A number of years ago I worked a minimum wage retail job, and they used a finger/hand scanner for clocking in and out. The experience was just as you described. The first day on the job I made a stupid mistake that ended up cutting my finger, and it was wrapped in a band-aid for a few days, even while I registered my handprint for the scanner. You guessed it, a few days later when my finger was healed up it refused to let me clock in, and I had to go upstairs to see the admininstrator so I could re-register my prints.
Then you resort to the crazy old fashioned way and type in your password....
We are having finger print reads installed at work, and I can't wait for all the issues with them.
It is junk technology and I for one would hate one on my mac.
It is junk technology and I for one would hate one on my mac.
Lol, That pretty much sums up most Windows laptops in general
Seriously though, the fingerprint scanner is simply one of those things that would make the mbp ugly. The beauty of Apple's products lies with their simplicity.
