If you need portable storage that's truly secure, you don't need to look any further than Sony's new biometric Micro Vault. Read our Australian review.We know that in terms of USB storage devices, size matters. In the case of Sony's Micro Vault with FingerPrint Access, however, size takes a back seat, with the focus more on security and privacy. The Sony Micro Vault is a regular 128MB USB storage device, but with an extra feature - a fingerprint-recognition sensor. The sensor works by measuring the finger's electrical signature, which is created by the skin patterns around the tips of the fingers. As each person's skin pattern is unique, so is the electrical signature.
Out of the box, the device has to be initialised to recognise the owner's fingerprints. After plugging it in and installing the fingerprint driver and access software, the owner is asked to select which fingers -- it can be more than one -- they would like to register for use with the device. The registration process is quick and simple, with eight readings taken for each finger selected. You can also enter a password that can be used to access the drive as an alternative to fingerprint recognition. Once completed, you can configure the size of the secure portion of the drive and access other handy features that take full advantage of the fingerprint access software.
We started by testing the fingerprint sensor to see how practical and effective it was to use. Despite being fairly careless with the registration process (trying out different fingers, toes and even a nose), the device successfully recognised the correct prints almost flawlessly. If a "bad" scan was made, the fingerprint access software was not available, restricting use of the drive. If a "good" scan was made, the software was available and the secure portion of the drive could be opened for use.
We also performed a number of simple file copies to and from the drive, on a number of USB2.0 compliant PCs. We found that copying a larger file (28Mb) onto the secure portion of the drive took around one minute, twice as long as using the normal portion of the drive. For comparative purposes, we also performed a non-secure copy with a cheaper USB2.0 drive from another manufacturer and found the Sony Micro Vault to be considerably quicker. As expected, smaller files were transferred almost instantly in either case.
Other handy features to keep your information secure and private include the Screen Saver Lock which allows you to lock the PC until a valid fingerprint is recognised. In one test, we unplugged the drive whilst the access software was still running. The screen saver lock immediately activated and we had to enter the access password to get access to the PC. The Micro Vault also features file and folder encryption/decryption which allows you to encrypt and decrypt files stored in the Micro Vault or on the computer to which it is connected.
Two more features will be invaluable for regular internet users. One is the Access to Favourites, which allows you to store all your bookmarks on the drive and a get quicker access to your favourite Web sites from any PC. The ID Password and Auto-login remembers website logins and passwords and can complete them automatically, providing you have already provided your fingerprint or access password.
Overall, the Sony Sony Micro Vault with FingerPrint Access is a secure and handy storage device to have around. The fingerprint access features will be very useful to anyone regularly dealing with sensitive, confidential or valuable information.
Sony Micro Vault with FingerPrint Access
Company: Sony
Price: AU$229.95
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 1300 137 669
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