UPEK unveils Mac fingerprint reader
26 September, 2007
category: Biometrics
Mac users can now enjoy the benefits of swiping their finger instead of entering passwords for logins, programs and websites. UPEK® has unveiled its Eikon™ Digital Privacy Manager for Mac users. The Eikon USB peripheral fingerprint reader and Protector Suite™ software are now integrated with the MacOS 10.4 (Tiger). Mac users can now download a preview version of Protector Suite software for Mac and purchase an Eikon Digital Privacy Manager at http://www.upek.com/mac. The PC version is available on amazon.com.
UPEK Introduces Mac Fingerprint Reader
EMERYVILLE, Calif. — UPEK®, Inc, a leading brand of fingerprint biometric security solutions, today announced that its award-winning Eikon™ Digital Privacy Manager now brings the security and usability benefits enjoyed by millions of laptop PC owners to the Mac®. Mac users can now enjoy the convenience of swiping their finger instead of typing passwords to access password-protected programs, websites and secure preferences.
Mac users are now also able to bolster login security and eliminate the hassle of being denied access to websites due to forgotten passwords. The Eikon USB peripheral fingerprint reader and Protector Suite™ software are now deeply integrated with the Mac OS, expanding the Mac user experience by letting Mac users simply swipe their finger to:
Logon, at startup and when returning from sleep mode;
Unlock Keychain to replay login credentials to web accounts and access secure notes and certificates;
Unlock Secure Preferences to access administrator-level settings;
Unlock FileVault to decrypt the user’s home folder; and
Unlock the screensaver.
Passwords are widely used to authenticate users in Mac OS. However, many people risk exposure of sensitive information by using simple passwords that can be hacked, using the same password for multiple accounts, or writing down passwords that can be stolen. The Eikon Digital Privacy Manager replaces passwords and lets users employ stronger passwords that they don’t have to remember.
The Eikon Digital Privacy Manager, which began shipping in May 2007 and is available on amazon.com for $39.99, won the 2007 CES Best of Innovations Award and has garnered rave reviews. “I’m a sucker for the ease of use and overall browser compatibility of the UPEK Eikon,” said Todd Haselton, product reviewer at Ars Technica. “I was looking for the overall best fingerprint reader for the home consumer. … I’m picking the UPEK Eikon as the best of the bunch.”
In addition to supporting Windows XP and Vista operating systems and the Mozilla Firefox browser, the Eikon Digital Privacy Manager now supports MacOS 10.4 (Tiger).
Mac users can now download a preview version of Protector Suite software for Mac and purchase an Eikon Digital Privacy Manager at http://www.upek.com/mac.
About UPEK
UPEK, Inc., a global leader in biometric fingerprint security solutions, offers integrated end-to-end solutions including comprehensive design and integration services to the world’s leading consumer and industrial products companies. UPEK solutions enable the strongest fingerprint authentication security available, packaged for high user convenience and rapid integration into existing products and network architectures. The company has been pioneering biometric fingerprint technology since 1996 and shipping product in volume since 1999. UPEK is headquartered in Emeryville, California, with offices in Prague, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. For more information, please visit http://www.upek.com.