Do you logon with Fingerprint readr, or is it a gimmick?

I've had my m1330 for about a week now, and really love it. A few random blue screens, not sure why, but they're infrequent, and overlal everthing is working great.

What I AM wondering is, do most of you use the fingerprint reader when you start up your computer, or do you simply enter your password?

Is there some trick to make it work more accurately? I get it to work about once every four or five times, and more often then not, I siimply give up and choose to enter my password.

I REALLY wish it would work better, because I log into my computer numrous times a day, and swiping my finger across the finger print reader is certainly faster then having to enter my password.

For some reason, my middle finger works better then my index finger, and swiping by pressng down hard on the reader produces more correct reads then a quick swipe, but the ratio of correct to incorrect swipes is still pretty poor.

Anybody have any tips? Do most of you use this? Do you use it to log into websites?

Thanks

 

I use it to login to windows. I rarely have to swipe more than once to get a good read. I've used the software's website password bank feature a couple of times too, but it is a little hoaky, and I wouldn't trust it with anything sensitive (bank accounts, etc...).

I swipe my right index finger not too fast, not too slow, and start at the first joint from the tip and go to about 1/4'' from the tip and it works almost every time. Maybe it just depends on how good your prints are.

What error does it give you? The same one every time? Or different?

 

Hi,

I use the password bank for my bank details, (although not all of them as there is a drop down menu). I was under the impression that this is quite safe, as it is encrypted. Is it safe, or should I not use this?

any advice apprecitated!

 

I always get the error message "Too short".

I swipe from the first joint to the top of my finger, but if it fails, it tells me "Too short"...

Don't think I've ever seen any other error message.

 

I use the fingerprint reader on my 1530 all the time. I hardly type any password any more. The password bank was a bit tricky to set up at first but once all of my logins are in it, it works like a charm.

As for the "too short" message, try starting with the first band of your finger and swipe slowly (well not too slowly ). It's pretty easy once you get a hold of it.

 

i just use it to login to windows. I have so many password and so many sites I should use it for those but I format and reinstall so many times it would be a pain to resetup

 

They probably are encrypted (i don't know though, i havent seen any information on that, but i would imagine so), but then you are relying on the biometric sensor to have a 0% FAR (false accept rate), which is basically impossible. I havent done (or seen) any penetration tests of the dell fingerprint scanner, but i have seen others defeated with something as simple as a photocopy of a fingerprint (i think mythbusters did it, its probably on youtube).

Maybe i'm just paraniod.

 

I always use the fingerprint reader to login to Windows

 

I rarely use it, but I haven't taken the time to really configure it yet.

 

Same here. My M1530 (home) and T61 (work) are both set to log in using the fingerprint reader. I love it!

I also have the reader set to log me in to non sensitive sites at work which is nice as well.

 

I always use it to log into everything. It's awesome.

I find that if my finger is dry, then sometimes it won't scan. Making your fingertips moist usually makes it work... touching the condensation on the side of a glass of water or licking your fingers (if they're clean haha) usually makes it work if it's being difficult.

 

Yeah, it actually works perfectly. Its no gimmick. i had that kind of thought that it was kinda fake, but it really does work. Kinda like the thought of man going to the moon, people thought it was a gimmick, but hey, we did it. The same goes for the fingerprint reader, though not as revolutionary.

 

They need better programs to make use of the FP reader. (eg locked storage)

 

Future will probably touchscreen fingerprint reader where you can unlock files by touching your finger on the folder you want to unlock.

 

just what we need: more fingerprints on our glossy screens.

 

i use it to log on all the time i set my windows password to some rediculously long password (more than 20 characters) so that it has no chance of being bruteforced swiping sure is easier than typing 20 characters

 

Thats true. A guy in a biometrics class i took tested a couple of consumer-grade fingerprint readers and dried his fingers off by dipping them in acetone and found that the accept rate dropped considerably. He also found that the best way to oil your finger back up if it is too dry is to rub it on the side of your nose or behind your ear.

 

i use it to log on to windows and impress my friends by starting firefox with right middle finger Might just be me but anything else than your index finger is tricky

 

I found a trick to make the reader more responsive. I start off with the finger a little bit on it's side then rotate slowly until it's flat on the reader just when it ends. I also sometimes use the password due to if I use the finger reader a lot I might forget it.

 

I use it only to login to Vista. I tried it on some websites, but I wasn't sure about that. I'll start using it for logging into my bank accounts.

 

My t60 has one. I used it for about a month and then it was just easier to type in the password.

 

Password just seems to be easier. I tried the tutorial with the scanner and my finger seriously must be deformed because it doesn't slide very easily on the pad, it's actually kinda uncomfortable. Bony fingers.

 

I use a fingerprint to log in and a fingersprint swipe to load my username/pw info to several sites.