Acer unveils 'Mission Impossible' laptops

This computer will self destruct in 10 seconds...

Taiwanese PC manufacturer Acer has integrated a fingerprint recognition system into its TravelMate 740 notebook to restrict access to sensitive data. The fingerprint sensor is built into the computer's palm rest, and can be configured so that a valid fingerprint is required either to boot the machine or view encrypted files. Weighing seven pounds with a 1.2GHz Pentium III processor and 128MB or 256MB of RAM, the laptop includes an audio system with internal flat panel speakers and a 56K modem. The battery lasts up to four hours and the laptop supports a DVD/CD-RW combination drive. The TravelMate 740 is expected to be available in US at the start of October. It will be on release in Europe late October. US pricing begins at $2,200.