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Lenovo’s Legion Slim 7i gaming laptop weighs less than four pounds
Lenovo's new Legion Slim 7i gaming laptop has the slimmest chassis of any Legion laptop and weighs less than four pounds.
Samsung's fix for Galaxy S10 fingerprint scanning will roll out soon
Samsung is acting on its promise to fix its fingerprint reader security flaw. The tech firm is alerting Galaxy S10, S10+, Note 10 and Note 10+ owners that it'll send a notification for the patch "within 24 hours" (clearly less time than that as you read this) for anyone who has registered a fingerprint on their device. You'll have a fix well before the weekend. Samsung is also asking anyone who has used the phone with a screen protector to delete and re-register their prints without the protector installed, since it might include "incorrect" info.
The Galaxy S10's fingerprint reader was thwarted by a 3D printer
The fingerprint reader in the Samsung Galaxy S10 has caused a few issues already, such as incompatibility with some types of screen protectors. The in-display scanner uses ultrasound to read the physical ridges of your fingerprint, supposedly making the device more secure -- thieves shouldn't be able to press a photo of owners' prints against the reader to unlock the device, for example. But it seems people are already finding ways to thwart the sensor.
Our first look at the OnePlus 2 comes from China's regulator
So far, OnePlus has done a fairly good job of keeping its next smartphone under wraps ahead of the July 27th launch. However, as spotted by our sister site Engadget China, a clear shot of the OnePlus 2 has been revealed by one of the biggest 'leakers' out there -- Chinese wireless regulator Tenaa. We already knew that the 2 would have a fingerprint reader, and that's visible in the (badly lit) image. Its camera setup looks an awful lot like the LG G4's, meaning it may have laser focusing and not dual cameras, as had been rumored. Unusually, the camera is mounted very low on the back.
Apple's next cash cow could be your fingerprint
The mobile payments arena may not seem so big right now, but make no mistake: We're just seeing the beginning of a rapidly growing trend. Some estimates we've seen from market research firms put the future mobile payment market in the US alone at around $90 billion spent in 2017. Compared to that, the $12.8 billion spent in 2012 is just pocket change underneath the couch cushions. Apple's very much aware of the revenue potential in this category, and it's taking the possibility seriously. "Mobile payments in general is one [area] that we've been intrigued with, and that was one of the thoughts behind Touch ID." On today's quarterly earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that people love to buy content using Touch ID, the fingerprint reader featured on the iPhone 5s. "Mobile payments in general is one [area] that we've been intrigued with, and that was one of the thoughts behind Touch ID," Cook said. "We're not limiting ourselves just to that." This is the first direct confirmation that mobile payments were at least on the table in some form when Apple began developing Touch ID. This wasn't a promise from Cook that anything will happen in the near future, but it seems as though Apple would be leaving a lot of money on the table if it sat on the opportunity.
Precise Biometrics' Tactivo for iPhone, iPad locks data by fingerprint and smart card, is overkill for your diary (video)
iOS device security has regularly been a concern of the government, but locking down one of Apple's devices for the government is still fresh. Precise Biometrics hopes to have the problem licked through the Tactivo, a combo fingerprint and smart card reader for the iPhone 4 / 4S (and the iPad, in the summer). Either method keeps data inside an app away from prying eyes, and while they won't tighten the security around the built-in apps, they do make sure a third-party app's data meets US and international government privacy specs without having to use a BlackBerry. We're not surprised that the Tactivo needs to engulf the iPhone in a full case to work its magic, although there's a micro-USB port to keep it powered and synced up. It's all a bit much if you're just trying to make sure your list of high school crushes stays a secret, and the price reflects that -- at $249 a pop, the Tactivo is really meant for agencies and companies for whom losing the data on an iPhone would cost a lot more. Still, if you're running an outfit encouraging BYOD phone use or just really, really want your secret passions to stay private, both the iPhone case and a BioSecrets app are ready today.
Lenovo adds ThinkPad X1 to laptop comparison guide, outs IPS screen, USB 3.0, and optional SSD
If you've somehow not heard of the ThinkPad X1 yet, you join us at a good time. The well leaked laptop has shown up at an X Series comparison site, put together by Lenovo itself, where yet more specs have been made known. The 13.3-inch display is dubbed a SuperBright HD inifinity panel, which to you and us simply means it's built using IPS technology. There's also an integrated fingerprint reader, a buttonless touchpad, USB 3.0 connectivity, and a promised 10-hour battery life with a slice battery. Weighing in at 1.36kg (3lbs) and measuring about 16mm (0.625 inches) in thickness, it's described as Lenovo's thinnest ThinkPad yet. Last time we heard, we were told to expect it on May 17th, guess those webmasters are getting the show started a little early. One more glamor shot of the X1 can be found after the break. [Thanks, Jesse]
Fujitsu's Stylistic Q550 business slate up for US pre-orders, starting at $729
We're still not sure what's stylistic about Smart Card readers, fingerprint scanners and TPM modules, but you won't find them in many slates, so if you've been considering the Fujitsu Q550 -- which has one of each -- today's your lucky day. The Oak Trail-powered Windows 7 tablet with a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 IPS screen is ready for US pre-orders today, with $729 bringing you the base model with a 30GB solid state drive and a two-cell rechargeable battery. $849 upgrades the slate to 62GB of storage and four cells worth of swappable Lithium-ion joy, while both sport front and rear cameras, HDMI out, a bootable USB 2.0 port, a full-size SD slot and dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi. Let's just hope the UI is a tad more optimized than last time. [Thanks, Manish]
Atrix 4G's 4.1.57 update spruces up a few things, patches known root methods
The HSUPA-enabling update? No, not yet. The voice call quality fix? In the pipeline. The mission-critical Bluetooth multimedia experience improvements? Oh yes, we've got those right here! Motorola is preparing to deliver an imminent OTA update to its Atrix 4G super phone, which will fix up battery performance, overall software stability, and car dock, headphone jack, and fingerprint reader performance, but will regrettably leave the two major drawbacks to the AT&T-riding phone untouched. Alas, if you've rooted your Atrix, you'll have to pay a dear price to benefit from these upgrades as users over at xda-developers, who've obtained the pre-release build, report the new 4.1.57 update disables their previous superuser privileges. C'est la vie. Update: Word is this update will be released to the general public tomorrow. Sit tight. [Thanks, Daniel]
Lenovo's P960 handset packs a fingerprint scanner
Samsung's P960 handset has a built-in DVR, while Lenovo's P960 includes a fingerprint scanner. Pointless trivia aside, the latter is also Lenovo's first commercial mobile phone to incorporate fingerprint biometrics. Atrua Technologies has provided a fingerprint scanner that resides on the handset's edge in order to provide additional security for folks (read: cheaters, FBI agents and Segway users) who simply cannot afford to let their contact list be known. Even dodgier, the phone has a VIP recording feature which "automatically records calls from designated numbers" -- something that's sure to provide hours upon hours of merriment. We'd bemoan the fact that pricing information isn't readily available, but we just can't get over that whole automatic recording thing.
UPEK Eikon To Go RSA key comes with a built-in fingerprint reader
Although RSA's SecurID two-factor authentication system is pretty solid (except for when the keys go out of sync), it looks like organizations with even more stringent security requirements might be interested in UPEK's new Eikon To Go RSA key, which adds a fingerprint reader to the mix. Yep, nothing really too wild -- but it's definitely one of the cooler-looking SecurID keys we've seen out there.
Smokescreen biometric reader keeps track of the nicotine crowd
Life is tough for a smoker: not only are you slowing killing yourself from ten different cancers, it's getting harder and harder to enjoy that rich, deadly tobacco in public venues. Smokers in most big cities are already accustomed to heading outside for a nicotine break, and now some are being confronted with a fingerprint reader called 'smokescreen' that controls re-entry to clubs and bars after they've sucked down those precious puffs of smoke. Made by UK manufacturer idscan, smokescreen is marketed as an easy way for owners to combat bracelet or hand-stamp fraud, and also keeps track of how many people are outside at any given time. Best of all, those nic-heads loitering for too long and killing the ambiance can be locked out after a preset amount of time, either forcing them to the back of the line or perhaps giving them the kick in the pants they need to quit.[Via CNET]
UPEK's Eikon helps Mac users get fingerprinted
Tired of watching all of your PC friends with their fancy, new-fangled fingerprint readers, showing off how protected their computers are and how safe their data is? We feel your pain, Mac dudes and dudettes, and so does UPEK. Enter the company's Eikon "digital privacy manager," or, as we like to call it -- a fingerprint reader. Using the USB-powered device, users can enjoy privileges common to most PC users these days, like; logging onto their computers, accessing password protected websites, opening administrator access on their system, and generally looking like a super-futuristic bad-ass. The Eikon is available now and selling for the astounding price of $39.99
NEC announces super-sensitive fingerprint scanner
With fingerprint scanners having become almost a commodity item nowadays-- we've already got a hard drive and thumb drive on biometric lockdown -- it looks like we may now be in for a sensitivity war (oxymoron?) among these devices similar to the ongoing megapixel escalation in digital cameras. Even though it's probably still vulnerable to Play-Doh-equipped hackers, NEC's new external USB reader offers an impressive 800dpi in its 15-millimeter wide sensor -- it seems the best you can do today is around 500dpi -- which at the very least will marginally speed up your web surfing, thanks to its slim 0.0001% chance of misidentifying a print. This "reading precision of the worldwide highest level" (thanks, machine translation) won't come cheap, though, as the pocket-size PU700-20 will cost about $250 when it ships on August 1st.[Via Digital World Tokyo]
