Fingerprints are everywhere. Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. They are showing up on more desks in offices and homes. Fingerprint readers used to log onto computers. IBM has announced the first notebook PCs with embedded fingerprint readers. Ted Aron, IBM's worldwide product manager for client security, says the technology will be included in select models in the Thinkpad T-42 series. Why?

"This reaches out to both large enterprise customers that are deploying security across all of their clients. It also appeals to small businesses that also need something as simple as a password manager supported by a fingerprint reader."

The ability to simply use your finger instead of remembering a myriad of passwords for online purchases, banking or Web sites has prompted Microsoft to add a fingerprint reader into the keyboard of its new optical desktop for consumers. The idea is when you visit a Web site that requires a password, you touch the reader, create your password…and after that…you'll just need your finger to log on. IBM's Aron says…

"We're seeing more and more biometric devices. They're popping up in USB keys or Memory Sticks. They're showing up on cell phones. So this is the next logical progression.

It adds about fifty dollars to the price of a notebook. A T-42 with the reader sells for about 17 hundred dollars. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.