A biometric hard drive capable of delivering the storage power of a PC in a pocket-sized data device was launched by Memory Experts International in March.

Based on the 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard, the Outbacker hard drive activates only after a fingerprint is authenticated, and access is restricted to users whose fingerprints are registered. It comes in capacities of 20GB and 40GB and can withstand a 10-yard drop.

After you plug the hard drive into a USB port for the first time, you can enroll up to ten prints. Users access the hard drive by entering a nine-digit personal identification number on a pad accompanying the device. The hard drive is USB 2.0 backward-compatible, and works only with computers running certain Windows systems. Macintosh and Linux compatibility should come soon, according to the company.

The Outbacker is scheduled to ship later this year, with prices around $450 for the 20GB model and $650 for the 40GB model