At some point -- probably when the iPhone 5s
came out -- fingerprint sensors became cool. Yes, they've been used on
business laptops for years, but it's only recently that we've started to
see them in stuff consumers would buy -- things like smartphones and tablets.
Now, it seems, we're coming full circle. Synaptics, the leading maker
of laptop trackpads, just announced something called the SecurePad, a
touchpad with a fingerprint sensor built into the upper-left corner.
Unlike existing fingerprint scanners for laptops, which require users to
swipe their fingers over the sensor, this one uses capacitive touch,
similar to the fingerprint modules used in devices like the iPad mini 3 and Galaxy S5.
The result should hopefully be a more reliable experience than you
would have gotten on older-gen laptops, but as we've seen with newer
products, even touch-based fingerprint scanners can be a mixed bag.
Of course, a fingerprint sensor is only as good as the things you
can do with it -- log in, pay for stuff online, et cetera. And in that
sense, today's Synaptics news comes at an interesting time. The company
is already a member of the FIDO
(Fast Identity Online) Alliance, which is backed by tech giants like
Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Samsung, Lenovo, Dell and Netflix, along
with some important players in the payments space, including Visa,
MasterCard, Bank of America and PayPal. Just yesterday, too, FIDO released
version 1.0 of its fingerprint-authentication standard, which should
pave the way for wider use. So, while you might not be accustomed yet
to using fingerprints in lieu of passwords, that could change as FIDO
finalizes its standard, and as more web developers and hardware makers
start adopting it.
Synaptics says the SecurePad sensor is now available for OEMs to
start building into their laptops. There's no word yet on which PC
makers will be using it, but one thing is for sure: This new SecurePad
is destined for consumer PCs. Specifically, high-end consumer
PCs. For the time being at least, Synaptics says we're likely to see its
new touchpad in pricier systems like Ultrabooks, though who's to say it
won't eventually trickle down into the mainstream? Also, as you can see
in the above photo, Synaptics is currently showing off the touchpad
with discrete left and right buttons. That said, though, the sensor is
also compatible with Synaptics' one-button Clickpad, as well as its
newer, pressure-sensitive ForcePad.
So keep a lookout for new laptops with those kinds of touchpads as
well. For our part, we expect to see the first SecurePad-enabled laptop
on display at CES next month -- we'll be sure to get hands-on then and
let you know how well this setup actually works.
credit:engadget
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