In line with Bill Gates’ thinking regarding the replacement of standard passwords, IBM has released a new notebook computer, the ThinkPad T42, with fingerprint security built-in. The advantages to this new feature are two fold. First, and most importantly, a notebook computer can store huge amounts of information, some of which is probably sensitive to your company: client lists, pricing sheets, business plans, banking information, etc. Hopefully, this data is being backed up regularly so data loss wouldn’t be an issue with the loss of the physical notebook itself. The issue would be preventing the data from falling into the wrong hands. This is where the built-in fingerprint scanner comes into play. The second advantage to the built-in fingerprint scanner is convenience at start-up. With one touch, any power-on password, hard drive access password, and Windows password are entered automatically on your behalf. In addition, the Embedded Security System can also manage passwords for VPN connections, online banking, even eBay. This seems like a win/win for the user: faster access and better security - you just can't be wearing gloves when you're getting started.
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