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Secure PDAs

Posted by michael on from the keeps-honest-men-honest dept.

An anonymous reader writes "This article at LinuxDevices.com introduces a unique Linux-based 'secure PDA' co-developed by IBM and Consumer Direct Link, Inc. (CDL). The Paron MPC combines the functions of a PDA, Bluetooth wireless access, cellular telephone, and biometric fingerprint recognition, along with a security-oriented hardware/software architecture. The device is claimed to be the world's first handheld wireless device with built-in biometric user authentication. The Paron is based on an Intel StrongARM SA-1110 processor and uses a Linux 2.4.x kernel and provides a GUI environment and PDA app suite based on Trolltech's Qtopia and Opera's browser much like the Sharp Zaurus."

2 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. Not-so-secure PDA by kaosrain · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This may not be so secure after all, if it includes Bluetooth. Read here for more.

    -Kaos

  2. Looks fairly similiar to the Zaurus SL-5500 by pheph · · Score: 5, Interesting
    which I picked up fairly recently and is exactly what I've been looking for in a PDA (with OpenZaurus its even better). However:

    this machine does not feature the slide out keyboard, and while it is quite small on the zaurus, I'd say I use it about half the time (hey, you ever get drunk and try to use graffiti? ;) )

    the machine [looks] very large! Like a Jornada or something! ;)

    I'd rather see 802.11b than bluetooth...

    If you disagree, don't post anonymously :)