FingerGear, the consumer brand of biometrics leader Bionopoly LLC, announced the release of its Computer-On-a-Stick(TM) Flash Drive. The Computer-On-a-Stick is a bootable USB 2.0 Flash Drive that is the first flash device to feature a complete onboard Operating System. The device also features the OpenOffice Productivity Suite, along with many of the most commonly used desktop and Internet applications.
The Computer-On-a-Stick allows users to take their entire software environment with them anywhere securely. The device is bootable from any PC with an x86 processor, regardless of its resident Windows or Linux OS. All bookmarks, address book, emails, and office documents are stored securely on the device and never leave a trace on the host PC. Users enter a login password at each session.
The Office Suite, developed by OpenOffice.org, is compatible with the most common Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The Computer-On-a-Stick also includes the increasingly popular Mozilla FireFox browser, which some estimate at a 25% market share(a). Also included are PDF Viewer and Creator, a data compression utility, and an Instant Messenger that is compatible with Yahoo IM, MSN Messenger, AIM, and Napster, among others.
With 2005 unit projections as high as 100 Million or greater and average storage capacities exceeding 256MB(b), the trend towards USB storage devices with value-added software is only beginning to accelerate. Users are also increasingly demanding greater security as network hackers become more sophisticated. To maintain both security and ease-of-use, the Computer-On-a-Stick features both a public and a private partition. The public partition is accessible on Windows, Linux , and Macintosh PCs, making it easy to share non-sensitive files. The private directory can only be accessed by booting from the device and after the user enters a login password.
The Computer-On-a-Stick's Operating System plus Office Suite fits well within the device's initial 256MB capacity. Greater capacities will be available later this quarter. "Our goal was to combine a trusted operating system with the most commonly used software applications, all within a single secure USB Flash Drive," says Bionopoly CEO Jon Louis. "The Computer-On-a-Stick USB Flash Drive offers the perfect combination of security and portability."
