Biometric Scanner

[plina]

I just joined mac rumors because I'm tired of windows and I'm thinking of buying a mac. My first question is any idea why apple doesn't offer a biometric scanner?
Second question. Has apple ever offered financing for their products, and I don't mean That lousy Juniper card. I was thinking of getting a MBP,MAC and an I MAC and that is a lot of money , just wish Apple had financing like Dell or the other computer companies.
Any advise?

 

[Tallest Skil]

Sensors like that are a niche market.

There is no... "Mac" product, but it's also not all caps either. Welcome!

 

[Skeletal-dæmon]

Welcome.

TS is right, biometric scanners are a bit... well... say you have a student with a MacBook, how will a biometric scanner help him do anything except make false ID cards in Photoshop to annoy Gordon Brown?

As for financing, Apple offers (at least in the UK) a hire-purchase system whereby you receive the chosen Apple product, and pay a fixed monthly amount until you complete paying for the product.

Something to watch out for though is that Apple tend to charge you more overall when you buy this way. Its not just Apple though, many other companies do too.

 

[huskydsl]

Those silly biometric gizmos in PC laptops are a waste of time. Just type your password and don't pick a stupid one. Besides, if someone really wants your data, they'll steal your laptop, take out the drive, and get the data off it one way or another.

Glad you've come over to the world of personal computers that people use to accomplish things. Those darn pc's are for people that like to fiddle with computers all day rather than do productive things.

 

[mosx]

All of these negative comments are obviously made by those who have no experience with fingerprint readers on PCs.

However, I'm sure if SJ decided to put them in Macs, the move would be universally praised by each negative commenter in this thread.

Anyway, I love the fingerprint reader in my HP. Instead of typing in my passwords all of the time I just swipe my finger and it logs me into Windows, websites, encrypted files, etc.

Fingerprint readers are not meant for security on PCs, they're meant for security. A quick finger swipe is much faster than anyone could ever type a password.

 

[JNB]

All of these negative comments are obviously made by those who have no experience with fingerprint readers on PCs.

However, I'm sure if SJ decided to put them in Macs, the move would be universally praised by each negative commenter in this thread.

Having some broad experience with biometrics in general, they are nothing more than a gadget as employed on PC's. The error rate (both false positives and false negatives) is simply appalling and completely unacceptable in any consideration of general deployment. Those that are of sufficient accuracy cost as much as the PC itself would. Ask yourself why you haven't seen it deployed on a far wider scale than this so far. Plus, as far as all the available methods, fingerprints are the easiest to spoof, and can be done simply in a matter of minutes with no particular special skills or supplies.

Considering the second quoted comment inferring the belief in Apple's marketing machine, you seem to have fallen prey to one yourself.

 

[stone315]

Can we please not start another Mac vs. PC war like the one we saw in the "My Parents Hate Apple" thread? Please? That would be really nice for a change, since that's all I'm seeing on half of the threads these days instead of useful posts to help the OP.
To the OP: I don't know much about Apple's financing system (if they even have one) but the idea of financing a computer is basically that of a loan from the company. You take out the loan and pay for the computer, then you pay the loan back with interest over time, so it's cheaper to pay for it up front, which would be my personal recommendation. However, if you don't want to pay it all up front and Apple doesn't offer a satisfactory financing option, you could always just take out a loan from your bank.

 

[nanofrog]

Having some broad experience with biometrics in general, they are nothing more than a gadget as employed on PC's. The error rate (both false positives and false negatives) is simply appalling and completely unacceptable in any consideration of general deployment. Those that are of sufficient accuracy cost as much as the PC itself would. Ask yourself why you haven't seen it deployed on a far wider scale than this so far. Plus, as far as all the available methods, fingerprints are the easiest to spoof, and can be done simply in a matter of minutes with no particular special skills or supplies.

JohnNotBeatle's correct about the technology. It's more about convenience than anything, especially on a laptop. Accuracy, falability, or otherwise, is really moot.
A thief after all, has your computer! Not just the data.

 

[tsice19]

JohnNotBeatle's correct about the technology. It's more about convenience than anything, especially on a laptop. Accuracy, falability, or otherwise, is really moot.
A thief after all, has your computer! Not just the data.

I highly doubt they work perfectly every time. If they don't (ie: you have to keep scanning your finger for it to work) it would just be an annoyance.

However, if Apple could make it so that the iPhone touch screen would only work with your finger that would be pretty cool.

 

[nanofrog]

I highly doubt they work perfectly every time. If they don't (ie: you have to keep scanning your finger for it to work) it would just be an annoyance.

Re-read JohnNotBeatle's post. He indicated that they don't work every time. They are finicky. Sweat, dirt, exploded pen, left over lunch, technique... can all cause the reader to generate an invalid or incomplete scan.
Scan...Repeat...gets annoying.

Facial recognition may also make an appearance soon. Laptops typically have cameras built in already, with varying quality. Image capture speed would need to be high. Even then, obstructions and lighting could easily cause an invalid scan as well.

In the end, if a laptop is stolen, its all useless. They usually want the computer, not the data. Which they can likely get if so inclined.

However, if Apple could make it so that the iPhone touch screen would only work with your finger that would be pretty cool.

Possible. Not sure of the resolution of the touch screen. But accuracy could still be a likely problem.

 

[Pixellated]

A fingerprint reader would be so tacky looking.

 

[nanofrog]

A fingerprint reader would be so tacky looking.

I interpreted his question, to mean the iPhone's touch screen. Not a separate component, which would be tacky.

A software application could be developed to use the screen itself, provided adequate resolution/sensitivity. IIRC, this was mentioned or speculated in an article somewhere. Can't remember where, sorry.

 

[plina]

Biometric Fingerprint Reader

Thanks guys for your answers, but let me explain why I asked. Dell, HP and other companies offer the reader and it's cheap plus is better than typing passwords all the time, that is the reason I asked.
About the financing question. The reason I asked is that all the mayor computer companies offer financing and the interest is below what a bank would charge you, they also offer like 6 months no payments no interest and to me that is an interest free loan, specially when I'm thinking of paying around $10,000 for three computers.
The Juniper card that Apple uses is only 90 days no interest and the card is lousy. If Apple had their own financing I think that their sales would double.
Regarding the way the finance in England here is different you get your discounts and according to you credit score they charge you interest.
I was just wondering why Apple never offered financing or an Apple rewards credit card, to keep custumers more loyal.
Thanks

 

[gauchogolfer]

Thanks guys for your answers, but let me explain why I asked. Dell, HP and other companies offer the reader and it's cheap plus is better than typing passwords all the time, that is the reason I asked.
Thanks

As other people have already posted, this is far from the case for all applications. Have you actually put one of these through its paces? Case in point, no secure computing systems that I know of actually allow these, but require a robust password.

 

[MRSOMALLY]

You Do Not Know Of What You Speak

EXCUSE ME BUT I HAVE A BIOMETRIC READER AND IT IS A GREAT TIME SAVER. EVERY SITE HAS A PASSWORD LOGIN AND VERY FEW HAVE THE SAME CRITERIA FOR PASSWORDS SO IT IS NOT POSSIBLE OR WISE TO USE THE SAME WORD FOR EVERY SITE. I USED TO HAVE TO REFER TO MY LIST CONSTANTLY TO REMEMBER USERNAMES AND PASSWORDS, AND MY LIST WAS QUITE LONG. I WOULD WASTE MINUTES OF MY TIME JUST SEARCHING. NOW ALL I DO IS SWIPE MY FINGER AND I'M LOGGED IN.
LET ME GUESS YOU USE THE SAME NAME FOR EVERYWHERE AND I'LL BET YOUR PASSWORD IS "PASSWORD" PLEASE PRAY TELL KIND SIR, (JUST GUESSING YOU'RE A MAN) WHAT PRODUCTIVE THINGS DO YOU GET DONE NOT HAVING TO LOGIN IN ANYWHERE? EVEN THIS SITE REQUIRES THAT!

Those silly biometric gizmos in PC laptops are a waste of time. Just type your password and don't pick a stupid one. Besides, if someone really wants your data, they'll steal your laptop, take out the drive, and get the data off it one way or another.

Glad you've come over to the world of personal computers that people use to accomplish things. Those darn pc's are for people that like to fiddle with computers all day rather than do productive things.

 

[MRSOMALLY]

Omg

I KNOW MAC OH EXCUSE ME Mac USERS THINK THEY ARE THE PRIMO GODS OF THE PLANET, BUT ALL OF YOU ARE TOTALLY MISSING THE POINT HERE. BIOMETRIC READERS ARE EASY TO USE AND THEY ARE FOR SAVING TIME FOR THE USER NOTHING REALLY TO DO WITH THIEVES. AS FOR ROBUST PASSWORDS , IF YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU WOULD KNOW THE USER PROGRAMS THEIR OWN USERNAME AND PASSWORD FOR EACH SITE THEY WISH TO USE THEIR READER WITH.
AS FOR SECURITY, I DO BELIEVE OUR GOVERNMENT HAS KINDA GIVEN UP ON OLD FASHION LOCKS AND USES BIOMETRIC DEVICES. "THAT'S KINDA WHERE THE IDEA CAME FROM"
JIMMIN CRICKETS YOU'ALL BETTER COME DOWN SOME CAUSE IF YOU CONTINUE TO THINK IF IT'S NOT ON YOUR Mac IT'S NOT EVEN WORTH LEARNING YOU'RE GONNA FIND YOURSELVES STUCK IN TIME....... THE WORLD'S EVOLVING A BIT TOO FAST TO BE TAKING THE ATTITUDES THAT YOU'ALL SEEM TO BE COPPING.
MY LAPTOP PC EVEN HAS A TILTED BASE AND A BACK LITE KEYBOARD SO I CAN WORK IN THE DARK. AND HERE'S THE HALT TO ALL PRODUCTIVITY IT'S ***** PINK AND PLAYS RAVI SHANKAR MUSIC WHEN IT STARTS UP.
OH YEA FOR EVERY FOLDER I HAVE CUTE LITTLE ICONS I MADE, ONES THAT LOOK LIKE PICTURES NOT GRAYISH BLUE BLOBS LIKE THE ONE MICROSOFT MAKES.... I CAN DO ON MY PC WHAT WINDOWS WAS INTENDED TO DO. ACCESS WITHOUT READING, SO BOTH MY PRESCHOOL GRANDKIDS AND I CAN USE THE COMPUTER.
ICON MEANS EYE CONTACT YOU SEE AND YOU KNOW...MY PC IS SET UP JUST LIKE A Mac BUT BETTER. I HAVE NO STUPID START MENUS TO ZIG ZAG THRU. I HAVE NO DESKTOP FILLED WITH TONS OF ICONS. I HAVE A BAR WHICH APPEARS WHEN MY MOUSE HITS IT AND IT'S RAINBOW AND EACH COLOR REPRESENTS A CATEGORY AND THE BANDS OF COLOR ARE WHERE MY ICONS ARE...
SO YOU SEE MY PC IS LIKE YOUR Mac BUT NOT AND WAY BETTER THAN A PC WINDOWS AND DON'T FORGET IT'S ***** PINK
THEREFORE IT IS MY HEAD THAT SHOULD BE SWOLLEN NOT YOURS SO LIGHTEN UP OK. BECAUSE I HAVE THE FASTEST, MOST EFFICIENT & KOOLEST COMPUTER ON THE PLANET.....
MISTER GET YOURSELF A BIOMETRIC READER THEY'RE THE BOMB & IF YOU DO GET A Mac "THEY ARE GOOD COMPUTERS" BETTER BUY A TIGHT FITTING HAT TO KEEP YOUR HEAD IN GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS.

As other people have already posted, this is far from the case for all applications. Have you actually put one of these through its paces? Case in point, no secure computing systems that I know of actually allow these, but require a robust password.

 

[hamlinspahn]

Mac Finger Print Reader

All of these negative comments are obviously made by those who have no experience with fingerprint readers on PCs.

However, I'm sure if SJ decided to put them in Macs, the move would be universally praised by each negative commenter in this thread.

Anyway, I love the fingerprint reader in my HP. Instead of typing in my passwords all of the time I just swipe my finger and it logs me into Windows, websites, encrypted files, etc.

Fingerprint readers are not meant for security on PCs, they're meant for security. A quick finger swipe is much faster than anyone could ever type a password.

I bought a Eikon Finger Print Reader for my Mac thinking it would work like the Digital Persona on Windows, but it doesn't it is completely useless if it worked like on Windows I would be in heaven just because of the password issue but it isn't at all like it is in Windows. Its a software issue I'm sure but a waste of money on Mac.

 

[miicah]

Caps...

 

[lozzy1234567890]

I KNOW MAC OH EXCUSE ME Mac USERS THINK THEY ARE THE PRIMO GODS OF THE PLANET, BUT ALL OF YOU ARE TOTALLY MISSING THE POINT HERE. BIOMETRIC READERS ARE EASY TO USE AND THEY ARE FOR SAVING TIME FOR THE USER NOTHING REALLY TO DO WITH THIEVES. AS FOR ROBUST PASSWORDS , IF YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU WOULD KNOW THE USER PROGRAMS THEIR OWN USERNAME AND PASSWORD FOR EACH SITE THEY WISH TO USE THEIR READER WITH.
AS FOR SECURITY, I DO BELIEVE OUR GOVERNMENT HAS KINDA GIVEN UP ON OLD FASHION LOCKS AND USES BIOMETRIC DEVICES. "THAT'S KINDA WHERE THE IDEA CAME FROM"
JIMMIN CRICKETS YOU'ALL BETTER COME DOWN SOME CAUSE IF YOU CONTINUE TO THINK IF IT'S NOT ON YOUR Mac IT'S NOT EVEN WORTH LEARNING YOU'RE GONNA FIND YOURSELVES STUCK IN TIME....... THE WORLD'S EVOLVING A BIT TOO FAST TO BE TAKING THE ATTITUDES THAT YOU'ALL SEEM TO BE COPPING.
MY LAPTOP PC EVEN HAS A TILTED BASE AND A BACK LITE KEYBOARD SO I CAN WORK IN THE DARK. AND HERE'S THE HALT TO ALL PRODUCTIVITY IT'S ***** PINK AND PLAYS RAVI SHANKAR MUSIC WHEN IT STARTS UP.
OH YEA FOR EVERY FOLDER I HAVE CUTE LITTLE ICONS I MADE, ONES THAT LOOK LIKE PICTURES NOT GRAYISH BLUE BLOBS LIKE THE ONE MICROSOFT MAKES.... I CAN DO ON MY PC WHAT WINDOWS WAS INTENDED TO DO. ACCESS WITHOUT READING, SO BOTH MY PRESCHOOL GRANDKIDS AND I CAN USE THE COMPUTER.
ICON MEANS EYE CONTACT YOU SEE AND YOU KNOW...MY PC IS SET UP JUST LIKE A Mac BUT BETTER. I HAVE NO STUPID START MENUS TO ZIG ZAG THRU. I HAVE NO DESKTOP FILLED WITH TONS OF ICONS. I HAVE A BAR WHICH APPEARS WHEN MY MOUSE HITS IT AND IT'S RAINBOW AND EACH COLOR REPRESENTS A CATEGORY AND THE BANDS OF COLOR ARE WHERE MY ICONS ARE...
SO YOU SEE MY PC IS LIKE YOUR Mac BUT NOT AND WAY BETTER THAN A PC WINDOWS AND DON'T FORGET IT'S ***** PINK
THEREFORE IT IS MY HEAD THAT SHOULD BE SWOLLEN NOT YOURS SO LIGHTEN UP OK. BECAUSE I HAVE THE FASTEST, MOST EFFICIENT & KOOLEST COMPUTER ON THE PLANET.....
MISTER GET YOURSELF A BIOMETRIC READER THEY'RE THE BOMB & IF YOU DO GET A Mac "THEY ARE GOOD COMPUTERS" BETTER BUY A TIGHT FITTING HAT TO KEEP YOUR HEAD IN GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS.

Wooo, someone touched a nerve. You do realise that this is a 2 year old thread, and your having a hissy fit over it? I only got one thing to say to you, take your trolling business elsewhere, its not welcome here, any MR member will tell you that. Plus, theres a button on the left of the A key that does a magical job, press it and find out!

 

[old-wiz]

Wooo, someone touched a nerve. You do realise that this is a 2 year old thread, and your having a hissy fit over it? I only got one thing to say to you, take your trolling business elsewhere, its not welcome here, any MR member will tell you that. Plus, theres a button on the left of the A key that does a magical job, press it and find out!

And it's not necessary to scream to make a point. Posting in all-caps is screaming.

 

[videojames]

Old posts still carry meaning, for they are archived within the internet

To MRSOMALLY,

I have to agree with everything you have said. Although I could not stand the screaming voice I heard in my head while you went of on the topic, which obviously has strayed from the OP, you have hit on the most important argument against the initial question:

Why is there no biometric finger printer scanner on a mac?

The relative CER of most of these devices is more than acceptable for the average user. In fact most of the devices released today find a very successful acceptance rate when tested in normal conditions, and I have yet to see one let someone else into the machine. Why not tote an additional feature to hard lock the system/require administrative credentials after 3 false swipes, just to be mac-tas-tic



Don't hate on the concept, improve it and put it to use if you understand the initial thought behind it.