The Finger Print Scanner is a desktop-only fingerprint authentication system that presents a polished face rarely seen in biometric products. It can't secure your network or provide enterprise-level biometric control (the company is working on these for the next release). But it does deliver a complete desktop solution for Windows 95 and 98 users who want extra security for certain files, particular applications, hard disk partitions, or entire systems.

The system consists of a USB-connected fingerprint scanner, a suite of software, and a separate program called Private Space that lets you create biometrically protected portions of your hard disk and map them to individual drive letters. You can save encrypted files to your "private space" as easily as to your hard disk. The scanner works with a RADIUS-style challenge/response link that the vendor claims will prevent attempts to gain unauthorized entry by sending out false ID signals.

Both scanner and software are extremely easy to install, and they performed without fail during testing. The scanner recognized users with exceptional accuracy and speed, even when fingers were placed on the scanner at odd angles--unlike with other fingerprint readers in this roundup. We found using the system very unobtrusive, and weren't able to fool it in the labs.

Enrolling users is simple, thanks to the bundled Control Center software interface, which lets users quickly enroll from one to ten fingers simply by touching the sensor four times with each digit. Once enrolled, users can log on to the system with a single touch of the scanner--and without a user name prompt, as with other similar products in this roundup.

One impressive Control Center option, called the Password Bank, lets you replace the entry password for any application--including passwords for Web sites--with a fingerprint. To do so, simply hit Control while touching the scanner; then, when prompted for a password, fill in the prompt with your text password and drag it to the original password box.

The Finger Print Scanner is an unobtrusive and practical solution for controlling access on the desktop. Though it can't protect your network domain, it's still a wise first step if you're just entering the world of biometric security.