Think computer products launches FIDA drives--biometric fingerprint ID USB flash drives.

Think Computer Products has announced the launch of the U-Key-Com FIDA Drive, a USB 2.0 portable flash storage device that incorporates a fingerprint sensor for access to the secure storage partition. The FIDA drive has several distinct features that set it apart from the competition.

The drives range in capacity from 64Mb to 2Gb, while a 4Gb is planned for release in Q1 2004. The unit is initialized by an administrator, and supports up to 16 separate fingerprints, providing access for multiple users at the discretion of the administrator. The drive features two partitions; one is public and can be read from any system with a USB port, while the other sector is secure, requiring fingerprint authentication to access the data. The administrator can adjust the capacity of the public and secure sectors based on preference; the administrator may opt to reduce the secure sector from 50% to 20% for example. To further secure the data, the drive uses AES based encryption ("Rjandel") providing encryption/decryption "on-the-fly." The user can optionally choose a password of up to 35 characters for added protection. The drives are made in the USA, which is a plus among many government customers.

While corporate and government segments are the most obvious markets for the device, Think CP also believes there is a burgeoning market for the product in many different segments including healthcare, insurance, accounting/finance, legal, and any instance where users maintain confidential information or IP rights.