Apple moves to patent fingerprint-controlled gadgets

*ponders*

wonder if this will be used for such banal things as ... authentication at boot.

great idea, each finger used for specific functions, until the device overheats from use and burns off your fingerprints

prior art already

My Dell XPS with fingerprint reader, I log in to my account with finger, have different applications enrolled with different fingers - and when Vista UAC prompts for Admin rights elevation I swipe the finger registered to the Admin profile...

All aboard the Apple Patent Train

What are these crazy bastards going to patent next? Building houses using uniformly sized blocks? The gaseous substance we breathe to maintain life? Cats?

I do hope the patents they are applying for are only within the scope of how users interact with their own devices. They can't seriously be thinking anything else, can they?

That's bad news

Makes my life more difficult - now, when I steal an iPod, I'll have to chop their fingers off as well!!

A Spooks wet dreams

So millions of people may routinely carry devices that use biometric devices connected to the internet ... everytime they select a new track to listen to their GPS location could be uploaded?

Why will we ever need identity cards when Apple are helping to keep track of the population?

Bring back cassette tapes!