Kanguru USB Flash Drives Take Your Prints

Kanguru's Bio Slider II encrypted USB flash drives take the hassle out of passwords by authenticating users via fingerprints.

If you’re worried about someone getting ahold of your password and being able to access all the sensitive data on your USB flash drives, accessory and storage maker Kanguru wants you to know about its new Bio Slider II encrypted USB flash drives. Instead of authenticating users via passwords, the drives sport a built-in fingerprint reader to authorize access—no passwords or keys to remember, and you can access your data with the swipe of a finger.

To use the Bio Slider II, owners just insert the drive into an available USB 2.0 port, and then swipe a finger across the drive’s built-in square sensor. The fingerprint scans—and the security software—are stored on the drive, so there’s no software to install on a PC to to use the drive. The Bio Slider II’s can store up to 10 fingerprints to support multiple authorized users…although, it might be a good idea for the primary owner to scan multiple fingers in the event a bizarre potato-peeling accident leaves an authenticating digital wrapped in a bandage.

The Kanguru Bio Slider II required Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP, and is available in capacities from 256 MB to 4 GB. Kanguru hasn’t released much pricing or availability information, but a spot check of retailers indicates the drives are available now with prices starting at $79.95 for the 256 MB edition and ranging to $279.95 for the 4 GB edition.