Access denied
There is a short piece about a new Korean mobile phone that uses fingerprint technology.
Instead of using the usual numeric PIN code, owners will have their fingerprints scanned to access and use the phone.
This also makes it difficult for others to break the code.
So there is no need to worry about unauthorised access to information when the phone is lost or stolen.
Unless, of course, a market in these phone chargers blooms and enough people have compatible chargers and the newly-’acquired’ phone need not be switched off.
Oh yeah, it’s got a camera, too, so thieves will be able to view any naked photos you take.
No need to worry, indeed.
Ode to my cameras
I lust for the Canon EOS 300D, a digital SLR for professionals. One of my mates here in Xiamen has one just like this (or very damn similar), and I was allowed to play with it while he was getting into a game of ultimate frisbee (his instructions were to try and get some action shots).
Who’m I kidding, I’m no professional when it comes to cameras and photography. Any wannabe photographer worth their salt will have at least one camera in their possession (come to think, it’ll be quite hard to be a wannabe photographer without a camera). These are mine.
Exhibit 1 is a Canon EOS 500 35mm SLR, considered a ‘classic’ in this day and age. Accessories I’ve acquired are a 28-200 Tamron lens and a bag that will weather most conditions. I took my camera to weddings last year, and I bring it whenever I think I might get some shots worth owning in print.
Exhibit 2 is a Sony Cybershot DSC-F77. Neil was a top new boyfriend and got me the latest digital point and shoot for Christmas in 2002. It is currently a rather beat-up looking thing, and this attests to my claim that I take it every-fucking-where with me.
What it comes down to is no matter what hot new super-duper-does-everything-but-your-laundry camera is released, no matter how much I drool, my EOS 500 does everything I need as a 35mm SLR and the swivelly Cybershot fills the need for happy snaps. I won’t think of replacing them until they stop working.
I don’t need no iPod
Check out the latest offerings to try and rival iPod. The Olympus one is pretty good looking, but I really don’t need a camera on an MP3 player. I barely use my 128MB Hyundai MP3 player as it is.