FingerGear is introducing a new Computer-On-a-Stick (COS) drive called the Computer-On-a-Stick Professional Edition. The new drive follows up the original Computer-On-a-Stick USB Flash Drive which was the first commercially available bootable USB drive. The new COS Pro Edition takes this concept a step further by allowing users the ability to access host PC files and other peripherals such as additional USB drives.

So how does the COS Professional Edition drive work? The drive comes with an onboard operating system derived from Linux which you’ll log into when you insert the drive into the host PC and reboot the system. The COS Pro Edition also comes with the OpenOffice suite, Evolution Email, Firefox, and dozens of other software applications.

One of the cooler features of the drive is the fact that the drive is write protected so there’s very little chance of an external threat making it onto the drive. You can share files with other devices by placing data in the public section of the drive.

So what’s the point of the COS Pro? It’s a great way for someone to use another PC without leaving behind any trace that you were on the system. It’s also a great way for you to recover data on a PC that has crashed… of course there’s a downside to all of this. Since many PCs out there have limited to no security, it’s not hard to imagine someone use the COS Pro drive to penetrate a PC to copy files.

[Check it out]

 

FingerGear(TM) Releases Computer-On-a-Stick(TM) Professional; First Bootable USB Drive Now Allows Access to Host Files & Other USBs

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. –(Business Wire)– March 8, 2006 FingerGear, the consumer brand of security device leader Bionopoly LLC, released today the Computer-On-a-Stick(TM) Professional Edition, the anticipated follow-up to its groundbreaking Computer-On-a-Stick USB Flash Drive. The original Computer-On-a-Stick, announced in July 2005, is the first commercially available bootable USB Drive. The PRO Edition goes one step further, allowing the user to access host PC files and other peripherals such as additional USB drives.

The COS Pro features a complete onboard Operating System, the OpenOffice Suite, Evolution Email, Firefox(R) Browser, together with dozens of the most commonly used preinstalled software applications. It can be used as a completely self-contained portable Desktop System independent of the host system without leaving a trace once a session has ended. The COS Pro can also be used as an essential data recovery tool because it seamlessly bypasses the Windows login screen to recover critical data or to repair virus-infected files.

The COS is compatible with virtually any PC which uses an x86 processor. Like Windows(R), the COS requires a password login each time the user begins a session. But unlike Windows(R), data stored on the device is encrypted using 256bit AES Encryption by default. Thus, it is not possible to extract usable data from flash memory if the device is lost or stolen. As a standard flash drive, however, one can share non-sensitive files easily without having to boot from the device by saving them to the device’s Public partition.

Last but not least, the COS Operating System, which is Linux(R) based, is write-protected, which prevents the device from becoming infected with, or inadvertently transferring viruses or worms to other systems. Biometric models of the COS will also be available next month. The Bio COS Touch Edition will allow login with either a password or a simple touch of the finger.

About FingerGear

FingerGear is the consumer brand of Bionopoly LLC. Bionopoly is an innovator and leader in the field of low cost biometrics and data security. Privately held, the Company is located in Mountain View, CA. To learn more about Bionopoly, visit http://www.bionopoly.com. To purchase FingerGear products, visit http://www.fingergear.com.

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