LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drives are announced. Swipe your finger over the sensor to unlock the LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drive while connected to any PC or Mac. LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drives are available in 40GB or 80GB capacities for $149.99 and $199.99 respectively.

Lacie Press Release

LaCie Unveils SAFE Mobile Hard Drive With Biometric Control Access

· Protect confidential files from unauthorized use
· Unlock the drive by fingerprint recognition
· Ideal for parental control
· Compact bus-powered Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hard drive*

PORTLAND, OR (June 2005) – Today LaCie unveils the revolutionary LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drive with cutting-edge biometric technology. Fingerprint authentication grants access to the drive. Thanks to embedded software, no installation is needed on the host computer making this storage solution completely mobile, user-friendly and secure. Compact SAFE drive casing created by Porsche Design GmbH is small enough to fit comfortably in a shirt pocket or bag.

“With our new SAFE Mobile hard drive, people can now transport important data without concerns,” says Marie Renouard, LaCie Product Manager. “SAFE drives are absolutely secure and only accessible by registered and authorized fingerprints. Biometry is based on unique human identity traits that are far more secure, convenient and user-friendly than passwords or smart-card protection.”

As the need for data protection increases, the use of personal identification and verification technologies is becoming apparent. Simply swipe a finger over the sensor to unlock LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drive while connected to any PC or Mac. This level of security is ideal for protecting important professional information at work, safeguarding files while on the road, and for parental control at home. Up to five different users can be registered with customized access privileges such as read/write or read-only. 

LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drives incorporate the latest access control for completely safe data storage. The unique silicon fingerprint reader makes the solution really robust, reliable and secure. It scans more than traditional readers and registers fingerprint templates as high quality images to enable fingerprint recognition in real-time as well as help prevent misidentification. Integrating a swiping fingerprint sensor also minimizes corruption risks—the movement of a finger over the sensor immediately eliminates traces of the print making it difficult for unauthorized users to duplicate.

Availability
LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drives are immediately available in 40GB or 80GB capacities through LaCie’s customized dealer network or direct. Drives are 5400rpm with 8MB cache. For more information, visit http://www.lacie.com/products/range.htm?id=10036. 

40GB LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drive SKU 300809 $149.99
80GB LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drive SKU 300813 $199.99

About LaCie
LaCie creates external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. Powerful technology combined with unique designs by the internationally acclaimed Philippe Starck, Neil Poulton and Porsche Design GmbH make LaCie the world leader in storage innovation. Established in France in 1989, LaCie is now headquartered in North America, Europe and Asia and listed on the Paris Nouveau Marché (code 5431). For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

* AC adapter-free for standard USB-equipped computers. Optional AC adapter is sold separately for non-powered USB hub or host adapter.