What if I told you that there's nothing more powerful than the first finger of your right hand? Even that superdude in tights would wish he had that much power.

Welcome to the world of biometrics and the future of security for your PC Verifi FingerTouch Security Professional ($99) from Zvetco Biometrics lets your fingers do the surfing while protecting your valuable information from prying eyes.

Setting the system up was fairly simple. The fingerprint reader attaches to a USB port on your computer and the Verifi ID Manager software had me up and running in minutes.

The fingerprint reader included with the kit is the P3400, which retails for $92, and the software has a retail price of $32 if bought separately, so buying the kit is basically a no-brainer.

Obviously everything in the world of computing isn't perfect and this system is not without its flaws. Unless you place your finger on the reader in the exact position it recorded when you set up the software, it won't recognize it. Very often it would take several attempts before I could gain access to my computer.

So, you ask, how does it work? According to the folks at Zvetco, the reader uses more than 9,000 elements to create a digital pattern that mimics the fingerprint's underlying structure. Simply put, it looks below the surface of the skin and into the living tissue. This, they say, ensures a high-quality image, and could account for its being extremely picky when you try to gain access to your computer.

Among its other key features are:

• It's compatible with Windows 98, 2000, ME and XT.
• The sensor uses True Print technology at 500 dpi.
• You can personalize your logon to include just a fingerprint or a fingerprint plus a password.
• You can set up an e-wallet that is accessible only via your fingerprint.
• It can remember logons and passwords, restricting --- and automating --- access to protected Web sites and other sensitive information.
• You can restrict access to any program on your computer by using the Application Secure feature.
• Secure Disk can set up a secure partition on your hard drive, encrypting and limiting access to sensitive information.

For more information, check out www.everifi.com.

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