Kanguru Bio Drive (1GB)

Reviewed by

Brian Nadel

on 08/12/2005

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CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
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Quick specs
Memory type: Flash
Flash memory form factor: USB Drive
Memory storage capacity: 1 GB
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The good: Reliable fingerprint scanner; easy setup; password backup; works on a variety of XP systems.

The bad: A little chunky; can block access to neighboring USB slot; Windows computers only; no manual.

The bottom line: The Kanguru Bio Drive is a great way to protect your mobile data, but Mac and Linux users are out of luck.

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CNET editors' review

CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Reviewed by:
Brian Nadel
Edited by:
Felisa Yang
Reviewed on: 08/12/2005
Released on: 04/01/2005

It may look like just another flash thumbdrive, but the Kanguru Bio Drive combines up to a gigabyte of storage with a fingerprint scanner for ultimate security to keep its contents from prying eyes. Even if you lose the device, the data should remain confidential because everything on the Kanguru Bio Drive is encrypted, making this the best bet for the security conscious among us. The Kanguru Bio Drive is more expensive than other thumbdrives and it works with only Windows PCs, but it's worth it for both your security of data and peace of mind.

The Kanguru Bio Drive looks a bit like a Hot Wheels car, minus the wheels. The plastic, gold-tone case measures 3.0 by 1.0 by 0.6 inches and weighs 0.7 ounces, making it bigger and heavier than the average thumbdrive, but it's shorter and lighter than Lexar's similar JumpDrive TouchGuard. The Kanguru Bio Drive is available in three capacities: 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB, and it comes with a metal neck strap, a 1-meter USB extension cord, a mini CD, and a one-page setup guide. Unfortunately, the Bio Drive lacks a real manual. Because of its thick body, the Bio Drive may block the USB slots on either side on some notebooks.

Setting up the Kanguru Bio Drive couldn't be easier. Just plug it into any Windows XP computer, and the drive sets itself up automatically, although if you're still running Windows 98, you'll need to install drivers from the mini CD (Kanguru does not have drivers for Linux or Macintosh computers). The drive contains a 2.8MB setup program that allows you to register your fingerprint. You'll need to press your finger against the rectangular gold scanning area a few times to save its unique pattern of whorls and swirls. The 508dpi capacitive surface is more efficient than swipe scanners and is big enough for all but the largest fingers. The software can hold the characteristics for five different fingers, so several people can share a Bio Drive (though you can't partition the drive by user). You can also set up a keyboard password to bypass the fingerprint scanner and open the key.