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Locked Tight

Computer users concerned about security breaches might consider DigitalPersona's U.are.U optical scan fingerprint reader.

I set up a couple of fingers using the reader's registration wizard. It took four images of each digit, and the unit read them easily. I tried to register a pinky, however, and after "successfully" registering all four pinky images, the reader declared that none of the scans were usable.

The unit timed out during the unsuccessful registration, so I had to log into the fingerprint manager again with a nonpinky fingerprint to start the process over. I doubt anyone would select a pinky to register, but just in case ...

I had better luck with this reader than I've had with swipe readers, since I often don't get the swiping speed quite right, or my fingers are too dry, sweaty, oily or whatever. The reader had some trouble with a wet thumb, but otherwise it worked very well - even when the unit was upside down or sideways - without skipping a beat, and it only took a few tries to read my print diagonally.

The reader wasn't fooled by my other nonregistered fingers, or by an unauthorized person's finger. In those instances, an icon appeared with a red question mark instead of the usual green, go-ahead check mark.

It was simple to create a fingerprint logon for oft-visited Web sites. After pressing my thumb to the device, a wizard appeared offering to set it up. I simply entered my logon name and password for that Web site one last time, and voil

Miriam Jones is a former chief copy editor of Government Technology, Governing, Public CIO and Emergency Management magazines.