Entered CNET Catalog: 11/17/2004
SKU: 0650590116850
Manufacturer: Lexar Media Inc.
Manufacturer description
The JumpDrive TouchGuard remembers your Web addresses, user names and passwords to simplify your life without the need to remember login information. It also keeps your information secure, since it relies on your fingerprint for authentication.Product summary
The good: Fingerprint protection for sensitive login information; AES encryption for files; autologin software.
The bad: Limited capacity; no support for Mac users and non-IE browsers.
The bottom line: This is a great tool for keeping all of your usernames and passwords safely out of reach of would-be thieves.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 02/08/2005
The Lexar JumpDrive TouchGuard isn't the smallest USB flash drive we've seen, but a number of design features make up for its size. The drive is wrapped in a rubber strap that does double duty: First, it keeps the cap with the drive, so you don't have to worry about losing it. Second, when you lay the drive on its flat side, the rubber strap grips the desktop, allowing you to easily slide your finger over the scanner without having the drive slide around.
The Lexar JumpDrive TouchGuard comes loaded with software and drivers, so you don't have to install drivers on each computer you use. You will, however, have to install the software on at least one computer to use the Auto Login feature, which automatically fills in your username and password and logs you in to registered sites.
The TouchGuard allows you to register up to 200 Web sites and 10 fingers, or ostensibly, one finger each for 10 different people. Unfortunately, everyone who is registered on the same device has access to all of the sites that are saved, which means you should carefully consider who you want accessing your e-mail and bank accounts before adding someone else's fingerprint to the device.
Other features include a My Favorites list, which allows you to import your Favorites list from your browser, and an encrypt/decrypt function that fingerprint- and password-protects files using 256-bit AES encryption on either the host computer or the drive itself. The JumpDrive TouchGuard also functions as a standard USB flash drive and will show up under the next available drive letter on your computer. You can drag and drop files onto the drive, and a meter on the Dashboard (the TouchGuard's software interface) will let you know how much space you've used. Lexar claims read and write speeds of 12MB per second and 6MB per second, respectively.
Once you've installed the software--a snap, thanks to an installation wizard--and registered your fingerprint, which involves swiping your finger several times, the TouchGuard icon appears in your browser's toolbar. Swiping your finger correctly takes some getting used to because the scanner is small and a bit finicky. To add a Web site to the Auto Login list, navigate to the Web site, type in your username and password, and click the icon. This stores the biometric information on the JumpDrive, and on each successive visit to the site, you can plug in the JumpDrive and either manually navigate to the Web site or access it through the JumpDrive's Dashboard. For users with multiple e-mail accounts from the same Web mail provider, you'll need to access the accounts from the Dashboard; otherwise you may not access the right account. When you navigate to a saved site, the TouchGuard seems to ponder for a moment, then almost magically, your username and password are filled in, and you're logged in. Some sites, particularly those of financial institutions, have coded protections that render the Auto Login feature unusable. For these sites, you can disable the Auto Login feature; the username and the password will be filled in automatically, but you'll have to manually click the login button.
Unfortunately, Mac users and fans of non-IE browsers are out of luck. System requirements include Windows 2000/XP and IE 6 or greater. Capacity is limited to 256MB so far, but Lexar plans to release larger capacities in the future. Lexar sells the drive for $80, which works out to about 31 cents per megabyte, quite inexpensive, especially considering the added biometric functionality.
Lexar supports the JumpDrive TouchGuard with a two-year limited warranty. Tech support is available 24/7 through live Web chat, and there's also support via e-mail and a toll-based phone line, available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11out of 11 user reviews
Loved this product!
Pros: No more passwords
Cons: None to report
out of 11 user reviews
A non-starter that should have been recalled.
Pros: Best Buy's no question return policy is reassuring.
Cons: Doesn't work, friendly but unsuccessful factory support.
out of 11 user reviews
disappointment
Pros: can be secure
Cons: not user friendly
- I was expecting, once configured, to ask for the finger scan when you try to access it, not so.
- you have to run a program first which requires administrative rights to encrypt files or theres no security.
- needs administrator rights to use the software period.
- on the front of a Dell OptiPlex it does not engage properly and is backward (could be a Dell thing) unless you have the extention cable and who wants to carry a cable around as well.
- you can delete the software accidentally for the drive.
- once you un-encrypt the file for use you have to encrypt it again or its unsecure.
It loads the drivers on plug in why can't it run the scanning software on plug in as well.
out of 11 user reviews
Lexar TouchGuard
Pros: Need to make it more secure
Cons: Additional info means less of data storage
out of 11 user reviews
Not ready for prime-time
Pros: None apparent
Cons: Flakey at best
out of 11 user reviews
Great idea, execution needs work
Pros: easy to install & use app; ability to set authentication for fingerprint, password, or both; cap is attached so you can't lose it
Cons: a bit pricey; fingerprint scan needs work! Installs an updater that affects other apps (see below)
I was also very concerned to discover that it installed a software updater that not only looks for updates to the Lexar software, but also to some (but not all) of my other apps. This smelled of spyware, so I immediately disabled it, but was never able to fully uninstall it.
Bottom line: I returned mine to Best Buy and havent decided what I will replace it with.
out of 11 user reviews
sounds easy to use
Pros: good warranty, farely inexpensive
Cons: other registered fingers have access to all accounts.not availible for macs
out of 11 user reviews
If you want to manage passwords, get KeePass!
Pros: AES encryption, fingerprint reader
Cons: Doesn't work with 98SE and non-IE browsers. Moreover, if you need password management with encyption that works with all browsers for FREE, you want the open-source KeePass program. The program is so small it can be stored on a 128MB flash drive and doe
out of 11 user reviews
very handy device
Pros: fits on a keychain, manages every password, and lets me store my data. Most importantly, it saves me the hassle of having to ask for the "forgot my password" email every time I want to login to a protected site.
Cons: none that i can find.
out of 11 user reviews
Good features and Easy to use
Pros: * Simple to use * Carry my usernames and passwords * Protects my files
Cons: * Clumsy rubber cap
out of 11 user reviews
easy to use, good storage
Pros: easy security, no need to remember passwords. good amount of storage
Cons: slow write and read speeds source code to develop applications to take advantage of the sensor unavailable requires administrative rights to use sensor
