Laptops set to give passwords the finger with TouchID-style tech

sincity · December 11, 2014

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The FIDO Alliance has launched a new standard that will soon let you log into a laptop and pay for goods and services using a finger.

Called Fido 1.0, it has been designed to boost online and device security while putting an end to remembering lengthy password combinations.

US-based Synaptics has unveiled one of the first solutions based on the standard called SecurePad, a 4mm by 10mm fingerprint scanner that can be embedded into laptop touchpads.

The company reckons it'll work with any FIDO-supported online service, meaning that in addition to logging into a machine, it could also be used for anything from paying for goods to visiting websites or streaming media. The alliance has the backing of payments companies including PayPal, Mastercard and Visa, in addition to device makers Microsoft, Lenovo and BlackBerry.

Crossing over

Business laptops such as the Fujitsu Lifebook U904 and Lenovo T440s already come with fingerprint scanners built in.

By integrating it into the touchpad, Synaptics reckons that notebook makers can offer the secure authentication method at a cheaper cost as it removes the need to duplicate hardware components.

Consumer interest around fingerprint ID technology is on the rise following the launch of Apple's TouchID and Apple Pay solutions, which allow apps and services to be bought by pressing a digit on the home buttons of its recent iPhone and iPad devices.

Via Engadget