Use of biometric security with tablet devices

Molehusband

I've got a number of Android mobile devices, both phones and tablets. I'm successfully using fingerprints with my phones which I find a great help to manage my confidential information and apps. But I'm not managing to use similar biometric facilities with my tablets. For one thing none of my tablets offer a fingerprint facility - only a so called "face photo" which is not working for me. A couple of questions:

1 Since the fingerprint feature seems now to be standard on new phones, are there any tablets available which offer this feature?

2 The problem with face recognition is that firstly I'm told it's not regarded as secure as the fingerprint feature. Secondly, trying to take a selfie to use for biometric validation I find very difficult. Yes I can take such a photo, but when I've tried to use it for biometric validation it just fails. For example, for reading I use glasses and the system seems not happy for me to wear them. For one thing, as I have different glasses, a different pair would cause an obvious problem. Even without the glasses issue, the colour of my skin may change a little on different days, the light and shadows differ on different days, my hair could be combed/cut a different way or I may not even be looking at the tablet from the identical direction that I was when taking the photo etc.

Any thoughts on biometrics for tablets?

matelodave

My Samsung Galaxy Tab 2  9.7 which I've had for about six years (introduced in 2015) has fingerprint recognition, so I'm sure there must be a few around that have it nowadays

flaneurs_lobster

Ditto my ASUS ZenPad, about 4 years old 

Neil_Jones

I think it may depend on the tablet.  Finger print recognition is something that adds extra expense and at the budget end of the tablet market, you're doing well to get a decent hardware spec never mind a decent camera and extra features.

Facial recognition has never worked for me on the occasional apps that offer it on a phone so I don't bother.  It isn't actually facial at all I don't think its just another mathematical algorithm that adapts to the features on your fizzog.  So if you happen to develop a spot when you feed the system your ID and it goes away, this may be just enough for the algorithm to decide it isn't you, and tell you to go away.

You only have to see how the face detection squares on a phone camera occasionally gets confused when it highlights a knot in a tree as a face and anybody on a TV screen to realise its not exactly a particularly reliable verification system.

Molehusband

matelodave said:

My Samsung Galaxy Tab 2  9.7 which I've had for about six years (introduced in 2015) has fingerprint recognition, so I'm sure there must be a few around that have it nowadays

Apologies, I made a mistake in my OP. My Samsung Galaxy tab S6 notionally does have fingerprint. After purchase I tried to set it up. It warns that it won't work if you have fitted a screen protector. I don't have one, so I went through the motions which is far more complex than my phone fingerprints. You put your finger on the indicated place and it tells you rotate your finger and it displays % completion (typically 10-12%). Then told to take off your finger, put it back on and this on/off performance goes on until it tells me "Couldn't register your fingerprint". Usually the % finally got to somewhere between 20% to 50%.

Wiping the screen with special screen cleaner made no difference. After a few dozen attempts at that pantomime I gave up and completely forgot the tab even has a fingerprint system. The good news is that in all other respects the tablet is excellent (other than lack of fingerprint).

I've had no problem with a Samsung and other phones where fingerprint worked flawlessly. At the end of last year I bought a new Lenovo tablet. Being at the lower end of the price spectrum it doesn't support any biometrics. I'm reluctant to risk delving into the Samsung tablet super-price range due to my experience with the existing tablet.

Carrot007

Molehusband said:

For example, for reading I use glasses and the system seems not happy for me to wear them. For one thing, as I have different glasses, a different pair would cause an obvious problem.

As a pixel; 4 opwner (and yes I would prefer fingerprint but anyway) face biometrics should be taken without glasses and should then work with glasses on (you know just like your passport photo).

400ixl

If the question is can you add fingerprint or face unlock to the Lenovo Tablet, then the answer is no if it is not supported by the Lenovo hardware.

Molehusband

400ixl said:

If the question is can you add fingerprint or face unlock to the Lenovo Tablet, then the answer is no if it is not supported by the Lenovo hardware.

I knew at the time of purchase that my Lenovo was unlikely to support the feature so I haven't raised that as a question..

As I said in my last post, given experience with my current Samsung tab, I'm unwilling to enter the Samsung super-price arena at the off-chance of fingerprint working better than the previous disaster.

My question now is: can anyone recommend a middle price Android tablet offering fingerprint (I'm not interested in face)?

Molehusband

Carrot007 said:

As a pixel; 4 opwner (and yes I would prefer fingerprint but anyway) face biometrics should be taken without glasses and should then work with glasses on (you know just like your passport photo).

I wasn't aware that Pixel is an Android device as their description suggests "Fire". But is that just a standard Android system?

400ixl

Pixel is the Google product range which replaced the old Nexus range. At the moment that is just phones although there are rumours a Tablet may come later with the development of Android 12L which is in Beta at the moment.

Fire is the Amazon range of cheaper tablets which run a custom version of Android, but none support either finger or face login.

Samsung unfortunately are probably the leaders in Android tablets these days and one of the few that support fingerprint sensors. They are though one of the more reliable. Maybe make sure that your device is fully updated and try again as they have improved them over time.

Some other examples:
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro & older P10
Apple iPad
Huawei Mediapad M5 & older M3

Molehusband

400ixl said:

Samsung unfortunately are probably the leaders in Android tablets these days and one of the few that support fingerprint sensors. They are though one of the more reliable. Maybe make sure that your device is fully updated and try again as they have improved them over time.

Some other examples:
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro & older P10
Apple iPad
Huawei Mediapad M5 & older M3

All my Android devices are updated daily as necessary, so 100% up to date including my recently purchased Lenovo P11.