World's First Bootable Smart Drive FingerGear Computer-On-a-Stick Now Available in Fry's Electronics Stores; FingerGear Products to Be Sold in All 32 Fry's Locations in Nine States

Business Wire,  Oct 24, 2005  

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. & SAN JOSE, Calif. -- FingerGear(TM), the consumer brand of Bionopoly, announced today the immediate availability of its groundbreaking Computer-On-a-Stick in all Fry's outlets. The Computer-On-a-Stick (COS) is the first bootable USB flash drive with a complete preinstalled Desktop Environment. The COS bypasses the "Windows Wait" because the drive is completely self-contained with its own ultra-fast operating system. Startup takes less than 10 seconds and shutdown in 3. PC users are no longer required to go make a cup of coffee in the morning while they wait for their Windows(R) systems to finish booting.

Bundled elegantly with the device is the OpenOffice Productivity Suite which enables users to create, edit, and save Microsoft Office(TM) compatible, Word(TM), Excel(R), and PowerPoint(R) files with PDF printing integrated throughout. The Computer-On-a-Stick also features the popular Mozilla FireFox(R) web browser, Evolution Email, similar to Outlook(R), and many of the most commonly used software applications including Zip compression tools, Telnet, and Instant Messenger.

The COS is ideal for mobile users who do not want to lug a laptop between home and office or through airport security. Parents may also find it ideal for their children since the drive is completely self-contained, requires no software installation, and leaves no trace on the host PC. Fry's offers the entry level Computer-On-a-Stick, which contains a 256MB flash drive and starts at only $99. The COS is also available in Fingerprint Editions which allow you to login securely using just your fingerprint.

The Computer-On-a-Stick's high level of security is attractive to corporate, educational and governmental institutions concerned about lost devices or leakage of confidential data. Users must login with their password before each session, and all data saved to the COS is encrypted seamlessly and automatically using industry standard 256-bit AES encryption.

The COS can be used as a regular USB flash drive on Windows(R), Linux(R), or Macintosh(R) systems. For non-sensitive data, users can save or transfer data among PCs using the drive's shared 'Public' folder -- without having to boot from the device. Moreover, the device is "Virus-Proof," claims FingerGear, because the operating system is both write-protected and encrypted, effectively blocking worms or malicious code.

"FingerGear is pleased that Fry's Electronics was quick to recognize the Computer-On-a-Stick as a significant advance in USB Smart Drive technology," says CEO Jon Louis. "Flash Drives aren't just for data anymore. Now you can Make Any PC Your PC." The Computer-On-a-Stick runs on any PC with an x86 processor, which includes nearly every Windows and Linux PC shipped over the past 5 years. FingerGear anticipates support for Macintosh computers when Apple transitions to the x86 processor next year.

About FingerGear

FingerGear is the consumer products division of Bionopoly LLC. Bionopoly is an innovator and leader in low-cost secure computing devices and biometrics. Bionopoly is a privately held company located in Mountain View, CA. To purchase FingerGear products, visit http://www.fingergear.com.

About Fry's Inc.

Fry's was founded as a Silicon Valley retail electronics store to provide a one-stop-shopping environment for the hi-tech professional. Fry's continues to keep hi-tech professionals supplied with products representing the latest technological trends and advances in the personal computer marketplace. Fry's retails over 50,000 electronic items within each store, now totaling 32. Fry's also provides customers with added shopping opportunities via its online center at Fry's Outpost.com.

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