Microsoft Store Finally Offers Third Party Windows Hello Peripherals

Microsoft Store Finally Offers Third Party Windows Hello Peripherals

14 long months after Microsoft first made Windows 10 available to the world, it has started selling third-party Windows Hello-compatible peripherals via its retail and online stores. What took so long?

“BIO-key has launched three new compact USB fingerprint reader accessories, available at Microsoft Stores and microsoftstore.com,” Microsoft’s Anca Ventura writes in a new post to the Windows Experience blog. “These devices enable you to login conveniently and securely to your Windows 10 PC with a simple swipe or touch.”

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As noted, there are three options:

side-swipe2

SideSwipe Mini Fingerprint Reader. This $40 peripheral is basically a USB nubbin with a fingerprint reader, much like the much less expensive Eikon Mini Fingerprint Reader that I wrote about over three months ago.

touch2

SideTouch Fingerprint Reader. Also $40, this version appears to be a better solution than the previous device because it is touch-based (like Touch ID on an iPhone) rather than swipe-based.

eco2

EcoID Fingerprint Reader. This device offers a flat box-like design with a fingerprint reader that is tethered to your PC via a USB cable. It is also $40.

As I openly wondered back in June, it’s not clear why we haven’t seen a bigger market of Windows Hello-compatible peripherals appear yet. I’m glad to see these finally show up in Microsoft Store, but this company isn’t exactly a brand name. Where are Microsoft’s Windows Hello peripherals? It just makes no sense.

 

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Conversation 26 comments

  • 4135

    28 September, 2016 - 8:35 am

    <p>Still a lack of combtiable cameras as well. Unreal the ability Microsoft has to shoot itself in the foot on some of it’s best projects.&nbsp;</p>

  • 5394

    28 September, 2016 - 8:44 am

    <p>Why stop at Hello?&nbsp; They need a combo peripheral for Skype, Cortana, and Hello. I recommend they modify Kinect in a PC and Laptop form factor and sell it for $50.</p>

  • 427

    28 September, 2016 - 9:16 am

    <p>I’d really like to see a review the echo ID. I have tried those swipe style ones and they work, but not consistently.&nbsp; It looks like this could work with windows 7 through widows 10 also.&nbsp; If I can find a good review I’d definitely pick one of those up.</p>

  • 5539

    28 September, 2016 - 9:21 am

    <p>The flat fingerprint reader would be convenient on my desktop. I love the one on my Surface type cover. The others seem to bulky to just leave on a laptop in the bag.</p>

  • 907

    28 September, 2016 - 10:38 am

    <p>I’m curious about the finger print reader. Does it allow a user to log in even if the lap top didn’t come with that feature?</p>

    • 430

      Premium Member
      28 September, 2016 - 11:32 am

      <p>Yes. &nbsp;I have a swipe one plugged into the side of my desktop keyboard, and that’s exactly what it does.</p>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

      • 430

        Premium Member
        28 September, 2016 - 12:01 pm

        <p>Important side note on these USB readers… If you want to use them on a particular port, make sure to check that the orientation of the port is correct so that the swipe or touch side would be facing up. &nbsp;I learned that the hard way with a Razer Blackwidow Chroma and had to get a right angle USB connector to make it usable. :P</p>
        <p>&nbsp;<img src="http://i.imgur.com/BSuVe4L.jpg&quot; alt="Eikon" width="445" height="334" /></p>

      • 907

        28 September, 2016 - 12:09 pm

        <p>OK, thanks. It’s a tad expensive at $40 though. I could buy a Thurrott.com Premium with that :)</p>

  • 160

    28 September, 2016 - 11:46 am

    <p>i wish they would carry a camera peripheral for windows hello</p>

  • 2233

    Premium Member
    28 September, 2016 - 12:10 pm

    <p>I vastly prefer fingerprint to the camera. &nbsp;Surfacebook is looking for me a lot. &nbsp;There are a couple of Yoga Pro’s floating around and it’s so nice to just touch that fingerprint reader and login. &nbsp;</p>
    <p>The camera tech still seems to have a way to go.</p>

  • 5038

    28 September, 2016 - 12:26 pm

    <p>"Where are Microsoft&rsquo;s Windows Hello peripherals? It just makes no sense."</p>
    <p>Doesn’t make sense?!? It makes perfect sense, the usual business plan! Come up with some leading edge awesomeness, don’t follow it all the way through, wait for Apple or Google or whoever to catch up and then claim it as their own. &nbsp;Wash, repeat. &nbsp;So, so frustrating.&nbsp;</p>

  • 430

    Premium Member
    28 September, 2016 - 12:29 pm

    <p>It boggles the mind how they have managed to come up with squat in the way of first-part peripherals given how much they touted Hello at launch… &nbsp;No mice or keyboard with a built-in reader? &nbsp;It seems like a total no-brainer. &nbsp;For that matter, there’s a serious scarcity of 3rd-party options. &nbsp;Logitech, Razer, where art thou?</p>

  • 442

    28 September, 2016 - 2:43 pm

    <p>Got one ordered, waiting to see how well it works.</p>

    • 442

      04 October, 2016 - 7:25 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#16091">In reply to Narg:Got</a> one of the "Eco-ID" units in.&nbsp; Bad start.&nbsp; Drivers would not auto-install.&nbsp; Even some USB ports didn’t recognize the device at all.&nbsp; Seems to like USB 3.0 ports more than 2.0 ports.&nbsp; At least on two machines I tried it on.&nbsp; Found the drivers and manually installed them.&nbsp; So far working good for now, but the out-of-the-box experience was really bad.</em></blockquote>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

  • 914

    Premium Member
    28 September, 2016 - 6:39 pm

    <p>I agree that I would love to see a working Kinect based version that actually works when I approach the computer. Also, as a side benefit I would like it to take picutres of anyone I don’t set up and store them on FB as a cheap intrustion monitoring system.</p>

  • 920

    Premium Member
    28 September, 2016 - 7:46 pm

    <p>Nice,&nbsp; My only remaining request is omin-direction microphone for XBox Once that is not tied to Kinnect.</p>

  • 4094

    28 September, 2016 - 8:44 pm

    <p>I’ll skip the fingerprint readers. &nbsp;For me anyway, they never work well. &nbsp; Have been waiting on a Hello&nbsp;compatible webcam, but don’t have much hope we will see them soon – if ever.</p>

  • 1146

    Premium Member
    29 September, 2016 - 2:42 am

    <p>Once again, a US only release – The Dylon Moran quote is right; they just can’t stop punching themselves in the face.</p>

  • 165

    Premium Member
    29 September, 2016 - 9:07 am

    <p>I picked up the EcoID yesterday, and just installed it.</p>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <p>It took less than 2 minutes in total to set it up for 3 different fingers, and it works perfectly.&nbsp; Works with Enpass as well</p>

  • 764

    29 September, 2016 - 8:25 pm

    <p>Happy to see these new devices. I tried the eikon swipe usb device but it was too unreliable.</p>

  • 442

    30 September, 2016 - 7:23 am

    <p>Also, still waiting on the touch finger print readers to start appearing as part of the keyboards used for desktops.&nbsp; Seems that would be a no-brainer type of setup, but looks like keyboard makers have no brains these days…</p>

    • 442

      04 October, 2016 - 7:35 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#16429">In reply to Narg:</a> I just had an idea, why don’t they put the sensor in the keyboard keys?&nbsp; Just rest your fingers on the home row keys and Windows unlocks.&nbsp; Brilliant! :)</em></blockquote>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

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