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Technology Stocks : Identix (IDNX) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: steve who wrote (16664)	2/4/2000 12:12:00 PM
From: David	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 26039

More on Mytec, from today's Globe and Mail: "Mytec Technologies Inc. said yesterday that it has successfully created a tiny biometric module that attaches itself to gun triggers, preventing unauthorized users from firing the weapons. . . . Mytec's stock soared 76 per cent or $2.21 yesterday to $5.10, with nearly 3.5 million shares trading hands. Company shares were trading below $1 as recently as one month ago. . . . "Ken Jorgensen, a spokesman for Smith & Wesson, said the Mytec module isn't small enough yet to be built directly into the gun, but added that the two companies are working toward that goal. . . ." ================ Did Mytec, now trading at $7.25, jump the gun with this announcement?

To: steve who wrote (16664)	2/5/2000 10:51:00 PM
From: steve	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 26039

Anyone from Jersey out there?? New technology lets state troopers run fingerprints from car Thursday, February 3, 2000 By RANDY DIAMOND Trenton Bureau It's a question police officers face regularly: Are suspects who have been pulled over lying about their identity and actually wanted by authorities? New Jersey State Police officials Wednesday demonstrated a new computer system they say could help reduce that risk by enabling troopers on the road to check fingerprints and download mug shots. Ten state police cars currently have the system, and all 1,000 vehicles should have it within the year, said Sgt. Wayne Eveland, assistant bureau chief of the department's information technology bureau. Eveland said the new technology would allow troopers to optically scan the right index finger of suspects and match the print with files at state police headquarters in Trenton, as well as with the FBI's National Crime Information Center computer in West Virginia. "We're trying to improve police efficiency," Eveland said. But the new program is bound to cause controversy, and Eveland said there probably will be lawsuits testing the new procedures. "We're treading new ground," he said. State officials say they expect to win any challenges, but the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is concerned about potential misuse of the new technology. "We're not against the use of technology if it makes for more efficient operations," said Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the group. "But it's important that police not exceed their authority." Citing the controversy that has surrounded the state police over racial profiling, Jacobs said the troopers need to issue guidelines to make sure that only legitimate suspects are subject to fingerprinting. State police officials insist that such regulations will be in place to ensure that the fingerprinting is lawful. Eveland said that initially, only a small number of fingerprints will be put on line while the department tests the system. The new program is an outgrowth of a $1 billion, eight-year FBI project to upgrade the agency's National Crime Information Center system and place millions of fingerprints and mug shots on line. Federal officials are requiring that all states take steps to tie into the system, but the first agency in the nation to start is the New Jersey State Police, the FBI says. The federal government wants all state and local police departments to begin linking up with the new system by 2003. New Jersey has set a more ambitious goal of July 2002. The new patrol-car computers also will enable troopers on the road to access state and National Crime Information Center databanks that could provide information about whether a warrant is outstanding. Troopers without computers in their cars must call a dispatcher for such information. The new technology also will let state troopers on patrol conduct random license plate checks -- something officials say is not practical when every check must be called in to a dispatcher. Jacobs said such checks could easily be misused by state police to check the plates of minorities. John Hagerty, a spokesman for the state police, said the random checks will be done only under strict guidelines ordered by the State Attorney General's Office. He said one guideline will prohibit troopers doing random checks from obtaining any information other than whether a vehicle's owner is wanted for a crime. bergen.com:80/region/patrolrd200002035.htm Squid?? Reason for DBII recent run?? steve

To: steve who wrote (16664)	2/6/2000 6:27:00 PM
From: David	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 26039

steve, there was more information that followed up on the Mytec announcement. You can find it reposted on the Mytec thread, but the essence of it is this: Smith & Wesson is going to apply for a $3M federal grant to develop the technology Mytec announced, and aim for having something on the market in 2002. Clearly, they aren't ready for prime time. Reading between the lines of the earlier release, I conclude that Infineon grabbed this Smith & Wesson deal and, at the time it was made, they were only working with Mytec. Since nothing has apparently been done to either miniaturize or toughen the actual reader, I'm assuming that Mytec to date has only integrated its core biometrics into the Infineon chip. That might be worth a pop in Mytec stock if only they weren't competing directly with a much bigger and better positioned IDX as the Infineon software provider . . . and if Infineon itself showed a lot of promise as a hardware maker. But, of course, they are a silicon vendor. Among other problems, brittle silicon would seem to be a lousy choice of material for a gun application. In any case, Mytec is up about seven-fold, apparently overshooting reality on this not very meaningful news. PS: Brad, guilty as charged. That's exactly the kind of analysis you are taught as a lawyer -- break everything down to atomic levels of reasoning, both to clarify what you are talking about and to help argue and decide with the greatest possible amount of precision. Two married lawyers arguing . . . I don't even want to think about it. But in some ways, it's worse with one lawyer and one non-lawyer arguing.