Everyone wants to be an insider, and you can be one too! Choose your poison: sign-up for our Newsletter, join us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. Do all three and you'll be swimming in the the latest news, reviews, videos and more gadget goodness!
DT Newsletter Sign-Up
Sign-up for the Digital Trends newsletter and find out about the latest contests, the hottest content, and the most popular videos. Let us keep you up-to-date!
Our Facebook
Become a DT soldier! Join us on Facebook and share the best news, guides, videos and other cool information directly with all your friends. Some might even thank you for it!
Join the thousands and follow the best of us on Facebook.
That’s Right, Sign-up For Our Monthly Random Prize Drawings and You Could Be That Winner.
I STILL CAN'T GET IT TO WORK
By: DON MC CABE
April 6, 2009 @ 5:24 PM
I BOUGHT IT FROM DELL— CAN’T GET IT TO WORK ON MY DELL COMPUTER WITH VISTA SOFTWARE. WHAT A SAD RESULT—–I’M SO SICK OF ENTERING A USER I.D. THEN A PASSWORD. EACH ONE WITH DIFFERENT RULES. I MUST HAVE AT LEAST 75 FAVORITES EACH ONE WITH A DIFFERENT I.D. AND PASS WORD———DON
Rating: 4 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Good hardware: Software improving
By: Chris
February 11, 2008 @ 2:52 PM
Mine came with ver.2 of the Software. It actually crashed the first time I installed it, downloaded the latest update (ver. 2.95) and it works flawlessly. Having to lock and unlock my PC almost 50 times a day is a lot simpler now I just give it the proverbial finger.
Shame about the lack of Firefox support, though.
Rating: 7 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
not fun so far
By: Rick
December 21, 2007 @ 5:21 PM
I bought the Biopod at Micro Center last month thinking it was the coolest most efficient biometric solution to password management.
The directions/manual sheet is pathetic.
I chose APC for the name and reputation. I’m not impressed so far. I know APC produces some very fine battery backup devices which I plan to buy sometime in the future.
I’m very upset that the APC biopod doesn’t work with Mozilla Firefox which the manual never stated.
Since I’ve owned the device I’ve yet to enjoy the fingerprint technology it is supposed to deliver. I have had to input my password manually too many times.
I will spend some more time with the biopod. I need a device like this.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Vista support
By: Benny
December 3, 2007 @ 11:16 AM
Download the driver from http://www.fujitsu.com
U1010 U810 Driver will work
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Omnipass issues
By: APC Support
October 4, 2007 @ 4:52 PM
After reading the posts I thought it would be wise to post something in response. The versions of Omnipass that come with the APC BioPod are an older OEM version. Just the same as if you go purchase a DVD burner. You will get an OEM verison of Nero or roxio and it will not be there latest. If you contact Nero they will send you back to the OEM. This is standard bussiness. Same with Microsoft or any other software company that furnishes OEM or 3rd party softwares.
Omnipass DOES NOT support 64 bit operating systems or Firefox with any verison except our latest Generic 5.0 series. So finding 64 bit drivers or installing oAPC version on 64 bit operating systems will not work and you will see the isues mentioned above.
APC has their own tech support department and Softex has never itself done any of the things mentiojed above. Omnipass is shipped worldwide on every major coputer manufactorers notebooks that have built in fingerprint scanners. That in itself should tell you something about the security and reliability of omnipass. Otherwise major computer makers would not risk their reputation preinstalling a softare that has so many issues.
More then likely issues related to Omnipass are because you have an older verison and are trying to use it on a newer software or there may be a simply registry or patch fix. This is why Softex created a web support portal http://www.softexinc.com/support so that all OEM customers could contact us directly and if we can assist we will. Wecan also have an upgrade program as well.
Some of the posts I have read are just plain outright lies. If any of you have the package or user guide form your omnipass, read it. It specifically says that Omnuipass suports XP. We have NEVER released a verison of omnipass that does not support XP nor have we ever told anyone that Omnipass does not suport XP.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
No Vista support
By: Westernmass
June 18, 2007 @ 10:04 PM
No Vista support
Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Trash - AVOID
By: Paul
June 2, 2007 @ 8:52 AM
My advice – even assuming you can get working 64bit drivers for your fingerprint reader, AVOID Omnipass password manager software like the plague! – it is resource hungry, extremely buggy and unreliable, and can and does result in very long delays during startup & shutdown, as well as outright system lockups.
Luckily the problems disappear completely as soon as software is uninstalled.
I speak from painful personal experience here, though if you check the forums you will find plenty of others with similar experiences.
Softex Tech support is truly dreadful too – the process is little more than a defensive butt covering exercise on their part… They basically claim there is nothing that could be wrong with the software, so any problem must be with the user, and that it is just tough luck if you didn’t happen to pick up on any issues during the trial period – and that is it.
I was told I would have to pay again for the next version if I wanted a solution (assuming it is any better), even though previous version supplied never worked.
Though cool in theory, it actually works out much faster & more reliable to just *type* your password on booting, and to use some other master password management software if you need it for websites etc.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Wouldn't recommend
By: Ian Yates
March 15, 2007 @ 11:21 PM
Other than the “cool” factor of having this awesome device, there is no point to it. The OmniPass software is horrible and conflicts with several other software programs including my integrated nVidia hardware firewall. The device itself is unsecure. My friend had no problem logging on as me. And finally the compatibility just isn’t there, the OS choice selection is very poor, and my new 64-bit OS is not supported.
Rating: 3 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Junk
By: Arne
November 20, 2006 @ 1:28 AM
Hardware is ok but the softex omnipass software SUCKS, and so does their so called ’support’. Mediocre support at best for Firefox. Software quits randomly. On my laptop I have to remove and reinsert the PC card every time I restart. NOT recommended!!
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Sales, Not Support
By: Perk
October 29, 2006 @ 10:22 PM
Don’t know if this thing works.
Bought it, a couple of months ago. Then,was advised, by the “support services,” to Wait until the next quarter, before updating. Seems the company – which sells the hardware, and the company – which has the software – are under separate contracts. Only so much download time is alotted to the download servers, for each yearly quarter.
So, unless one wishes to upgrade something-or-other (Spell that “More $”), don’t even bother buying the thing, until just before the end of any yearly quarter.
Even then, aggressive representatives will try to suck more money from you.
This is another case of a product, which was released, before somebody did the appropriate R&D on the aspects of the thing.
To put it another way: Windows XP is the most popular program being hyped on the market. I have that system. Haven’t been able to get assistance, from either company, for more than just a few weeks. I’m told the original program was developed for windows 98 . One needs the upgrade, for Windows XP. That is all. Play your own odds.
I challenge rebuttal – kept the emails.
Good luck to y’all, and God Bless!
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Great
By: sideliner2
May 24, 2006 @ 8:33 AM
Been using this set up for 8 months or so. Ver of software that came with APC Biopod will not work with Firefox. APC does not know when if ever they will include ver 4.0 of Omnipass software. I purchased 4.0 directly from Softex and after several emails got it working on my system using Firefox.( XP SP2 P4 500 1gb). I can’t do without it. Works great and allows me to use long passwords with out writing them on my monitor :) With that said, I still run Roboform as a saftey net. I have reinstalled Win XP on this machine since installing Omnipass and failed to BU my profile so had to set up all passwords again (used Roboform which was saved)
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Piece of Junk
By: POED
May 22, 2006 @ 3:34 PM
I installed the software with this “supposed” finger print reader, but I could not get the thing to read my finger print. I looked for support both at the software and hardware makers websites, but nothing was available. So it looks like I’m out $50. Don’t you love how much technology out there just doesn’t work. Sometime I get the feeling that the professional reviewers of technology must get a lot of “hand holding” to get this stuff to work. If cars were as bad as computer tech, we would all be walking.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
This thing is real Time Bomb
By: Voodoo
March 8, 2006 @ 10:18 AM
Had it installed on my box, worked ok until I had to change my hard drive. I brought back up the partition via Norton Ghost and plopped it onto the new drive. Yaa… Win coming up… but all the sudden there is a message about a stinky Omipass “ginastub.dll” and NO WAY but to re-install everything from scratch!!!
It’s in the garbage bin now!
DISINSTALL before moving your partition to a new disk (you know you WILL do some day!)
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Software is getting better
By: Joe
November 21, 2005 @ 1:48 PM
I purchased my version from 123id, it included support for 12 different sensors including the biopod which was awesome. The software was a great improvement from previous versions. It didn’t support Firefox yet but I hear that is right around the corner. Check out http://www.123id.us for more info, I think you can buy it direct from them, they are a little more expensive but they provide support for alot of different sensors and you can use more then one. I use a PCMCIA Card when traveling and a USB when at my desk.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Hardware Excellent - Software Trash
By: symbolic
October 11, 2005 @ 9:01 AM
The biopod itself is a fine piece of hardware and works flawlessly – registering and recognizing fingerprints with no problems.
The SOFTEX Omnipass software is just plain sad – without support for FireFox and other Mozilla browsers, it’s completely useless. Mine came bundled with “Trial Version 0.07.00″ which couldn’t be upgraded from the SOFTEX site and I had to contact APC who were happy to point me to their own copies of the more recent licensed releases.
However, the (un)installer that was on the original CD refused to recognize release 0.07.00 and would not uninstall. Manually doing so, was an excercise in self-control! Digging thru the registry five or six times to erradicate any mention of this thing makes you feel like a bomb disposal expert working without protection. And then after all that work, you install the newest version, only to find it doesn’t support FireFox either. So you use the “WebLink” software (which has been now permanently melded into your start-up processes and chews memory and cycles continually, when it’s only needed once – ever) to request the auto-update from SOFTEX, only to find there isn’t one and never has been.
If only some kind soul would write some open-source support for this thing, so it doesn’t have to sit on a shelf collecting dust, forever…
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Excellent! This thing works Great!
By: Steven
August 12, 2005 @ 5:44 PM
I am using it with XP and an HP Laptop. Not a single issue. This will spoil you if you enter passwords all day. It is also great if you have data to protect. Very easy encrypt/decrypt files and folders – just scan your finger. I love it. Bought at Walmart for $49
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
OmniPass support
By: robocoder
May 10, 2005 @ 5:58 PM
I was told Firefox support would be available in OmniPass 4 (shipping RSN) by Softex Inc.
If you’re using OmniPass 2 and experiencing problems, try out the OmniPass 3.5 trial version at http://www.softexinc.com.
Rating: 5 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Great concept bad software
By: DJ
March 29, 2005 @ 10:32 AM
Great device, perfect ’scans’ but the software is terrible. I installed it on my laptop with Win2k: constant crashes, fixed PC with XP: same thing. I get the idea no updates for the sw are available (especially for firefox). That’s a bad thing. No new sw: don’t buy the device.
Rating: 5 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
good recognition, no firefox
By: someuser
March 8, 2005 @ 7:27 PM
Good fingerprint recognition – a couple of false negatives, but no false positives. Lacking firefox support in the bundled software. With that it would have been a 9
Rating: 7 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
OminPass doesn't do the job
By: DDobbyn
February 25, 2005 @ 4:00 PM
Unfortunately I have to agree with other reviewers here. Initially everything worked well… software installed, hardware installed, fingerprints enrolled, web sites detecteed and login info saved. Then out of the blue OmniPass stopped recognizing login fields in my browser and wouldn’t offer me the opportunity to log in to sites it had already identified and captured or to capture sites that I hadn’t yet visited with OmniPass installed.. So essentially I’ve paid for the sole convenience of logging into Windows XP using my fingerprints. No complaints with the hardware, but this hardware/software bundle is NOT worth the money. The software problems render the hardware essentially useless.
Rating: 3 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
OMNIPASS Software Often Crashes
By: Ian
February 22, 2005 @ 4:14 AM
I have XP with Fast User Switching and several users. The OMNIPASS software works fine (most of the time) when only one person uses the computer. When more than one person uses the computer, the OMNIPASS software crashes.
APC support for this product is poor. They are apparently front ending (reselling) the product for some unknown company based in Texas.
Rating: 4 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Great hardware - Poor software
By: Ed Buzzi
October 12, 2004 @ 4:45 PM
The hardware does an excellent job at fingerprint recognition without having to “try hard” with finger placement. I had zero mis-identifications the couple of days I used the thing.
BUT, the software stinks. It (apparently) does not work with Mozilla browsers, so is useless to me as a internet/website password manager.
The software also added about 45 seconds to XP startup on a 1 ghz laptop – an unacceptable resource hog. Because of this, I removed the software and the hardware is now sitting on the shelf, waiting for some better software (but not holding my breath). The APC website does not address software for this device. I suspect they had someone else develop the software.
The hardware comes with a very long (about 7 feet) USB cable permanently attached to the pod. Although good for a workstation, it’s not a “neat” thing to use with a laptop (think – on an airplane). A better design would have been to have the attached part of the cable to be about 1 foot, with a USB extension cable. That would cover both situations.
Said another way – the hardware gets a “hand” for design and performance while the software is what gets the “finger” for its poor performance.
APC was non-responsive to my comments.
Rating: 3 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Good Concept
By: Angelx
September 15, 2004 @ 9:47 AM
I like the Concept of this. The problem is, I dont think it works on Mozilla. It definitely works for IE but does anyone know if this is supported by other web browsers?
Rating: 5 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Great product
By: larry
July 16, 2004 @ 9:57 AM
No more passwords to remember. I only have to remember not to loose my finger.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Better than Frosted Flakes
By: Sean
July 13, 2004 @ 10:40 AM
It is remarkably accurate and works consistently. I think it is well worth the money even as a toy.
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
AVOID THIS PRODUCT
By: herry
June 23, 2004 @ 6:45 PM
The driver is very unstable and the software crashes regularly. The product is pretty much unusable and a waste of money.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Good hardware, poor software
By: Maniac
May 3, 2004 @ 9:54 PM
The harware is extremely accurate, but the software forces you to log in as each user before you can be recognized. It manages 20 users, but only one at a time. If Bill and Ted are both entered into the system, it doesn’t try to figure out which one you are. You must be logged in as just one of them, and it decides whether you really are the person who is currently logged in. To be effective, this software needs to see your fingerprint as a username and password, not just as a password to the person who is logged in.
Rating: 8 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No
Pretty good for home users
By: ACLeach
April 30, 2004 @ 7:38 AM
Installation was simple and straightforward. No surprises. Authentication at Windows startup is slower than typing my password, but that could be due to other networking software I have installed. Fingerprint scans are quick, and seem to work even if your finger orientation isn’t perfect. It should be noted that this is not intended for network authentication, nor does APC plan on moving in that direction. The Novell client is not supported in any way. I have yet to try AD authentication with it, but suspect it will work better due to tighter hooks into the system. Overall, I’m pleased with the product. My only real concern is that if a password has an expiration interval, that use of a Biopod will increase support calls because users will forget their passwords. If your passwords don’t expire, no problem. I’m going to buy more…
Rating: 8 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? Yes | No