Elecom CR-FP2, yet another biometric flash drive

If you're looking for an alternative to the Pretec i-Disk Touch USB flash drive or to the smartSTIK-MD, and find yourself in the Land of the Rising Sun, you may want to check out the new Elecom CR-FP2 biometric flash drive. From what we can tell, it's a pretty standard half gig drive that will encrypt your data such that it can only be unlocked by way of a fingerprint scan. It can be yours for ¥8,820 ($76) sometime later this month -- just make sure you don't get in a fight with some Yakuza and lose a finger or two before then.

[Via PC Watch]

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 6th 2006 3:18AM]

As far as I know, it's usually yakuzas who lose fingers, not the general public. Chopping off your fingers is a ritual for yakuza by which your mistakes and shortcomings are considered rectified (for the said incident). As I understand it, it is a non-lethal version of Seppuku (hara-kiri).

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 6th 2006 3:57AM]

Is it just me, or does it look like the USB end is also the cover for the fingerprint reader? (looks like a hinge) If so, that's pretty damn cool.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 6th 2006 4:56AM]

Why can't we just get a biometric device this simple? Don't need the portable storage unless its in the +4GB range. Is the reader firmware completely independent of the computer its plugged into? Then have someone incorporate it as a wired module to my car's OBD2 system to prevent auto-theft.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 6th 2006 5:03AM]

I'm still waiting for my retinal scanning drive... if we're going for security, why not? Or just do a drop of blood into the scanner for DNA, no fingers necessary!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 6th 2006 5:28PM]

Is it possible to make some kind of software to use it for any kind of authentication? Say, Windows logon or TrueCrypt partition?