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    Are Fingerprint Readers reliable and worth it?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by pohaver, Jan 26, 2009.

  1. pohaver

    pohaver Notebook Enthusiast

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    I am getting ready to order an HP DV 4T laptop. The fingerprint reader is $25 option. Don't know if I need that. Don't want something that could fail and cause me problems using my computer. Any comments on the FR in general and the HP versions in particular?
     
    pohaver, Jan 26, 2009
    #1
  2. NAS Ghost

    NAS Ghost Notebook Deity

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    Well, a friend of mine had fingerprint reader with DV9700t. For the first 6 months he had issues with it, until i suggested he rescanned his prints. After that it was a simple slide and always read correctly.

    Also, how would it failing cause you to have problems? It is link to your password, which you should remember, unless you for some reason decide to spam your password and depend on your fingerprint reader.
     
    NAS Ghost, Jan 26, 2009
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  3. pohaver

    pohaver Notebook Enthusiast

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    Do you have the option to "override" the fingerprint reader by typing in your password in case it isn't working.
     
    pohaver, Jan 26, 2009
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  4. ahl395

    ahl395 Ahlball

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    Yes.


    Personally ive never had any luck with them. They never work for me. They dont recognize ,y finger i guess. But it was an earlier one, not on my current PC. SO, they could have improved.
     
    ahl395, Jan 26, 2009
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  5. Thund3rball

    Thund3rball I dont know, I'm guessing

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    I love my fingerprint reader. Works like a charm for me.
     
    Thund3rball, Jan 26, 2009
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  6. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    Yes. You can always override.

    I have got to say, when it came to a fingerprint reader for my new laptop, I had not interest in one, but it came on my laptop (not optional) and I have grown to love it.

    Now, the software for the password vault...not to happy with that as it crashes all the time. This software lets you use your fingerprint to gain access to some websites, but it doesn't seem to work all the time.
     
    gerryf19, Jan 26, 2009
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  7. AuroraAlpha

    AuroraAlpha Notebook Consultant

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    Most of the time you just click the password button instead. At worst you can uninstall the driver and your computer won't know it is there.

    In my experince most decent ones work very well and consistantly.
     
    AuroraAlpha, Jan 26, 2009
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  8. superrey19

    superrey19 Notebook Enthusiast

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    i love my fingerprint reader. Very convenient and quick once you get your prints registered correctly.
     
    superrey19, Jan 26, 2009
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  9. Junscelica

    Junscelica Notebook Enthusiast

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    Its worth $25 as an added convenience. I never had a problem with mine (Brand: UPEK). The new generion fingerprint readers are a lot better than they used to be.
     
    Junscelica, Jan 26, 2009
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  10. pohaver

    pohaver Notebook Enthusiast

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    And I can deactivate it if it bugs me, right?
     
    pohaver, Jan 26, 2009
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  11. Thund3rball

    Thund3rball I dont know, I'm guessing

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    Yup, you don't even have to deactivate it. Just don't use it. But yes you can uninstall the driver and poof, gone!
     
    Thund3rball, Jan 26, 2009
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  12. Junscelica

    Junscelica Notebook Enthusiast

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    Definitely! Buy you would love it from the start.
     
    Junscelica, Jan 26, 2009
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  13. mystery905

    mystery905 Notebook Deity

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    I love my fingerprint reader. I am so used to using it.
     
    mystery905, Jan 26, 2009
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  14. ramgen

    ramgen -- Morgan Stanley --

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    It depends on your fingers too. I have quite sweaty hands (which are almost always wet as if they have been washed a minute ago) and my fingerprint does not work well.

    I need to dry up my finger with a cotton cloth in order to make the reader work. Practically it is not useful for me...


    --
     
    ramgen, Jan 26, 2009
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  15. FoxTrot1337

    FoxTrot1337 Notebook Deity

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    That is not always true.

    I have a M17 and my fingers are pretty sweaty and the scanner always work on the first try, sometimes the second.
     
    FoxTrot1337, Jan 26, 2009
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  16. obsolete

    obsolete Notebook Evangelist

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    Well worth it for that price. No more typing in passwords if you don't want to. Mine even lets me log into websites with a swipe of the finger instead of typing in usernames and passwords.
     
    obsolete, Jan 26, 2009
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