Today, using the Internet means keeping track of passwords. This can take many forms, from simply using the same password for all sites you visit (very bad), making up “random” passwords for each site you need to log into (better), or perhaps using some sort of strong password generator and storage system (perhaps best, but with a big asterisk of “what if the system gets hacked?”).
Another intriguing method would involve some sort of routine based on, say, books on a certain shelf, or even a mechanical generator like the one featured here. One of the huge advantages of a system like that is it’s offline, so it couldn’t (practically speaking) be hacked. On the other hand, this type of system can be inconvenient, or perhaps not portable.
Attempting to fill this void is the Mooltipass Mini. This device, which has been a project since 2013 (my blurb on the original), stores passwords on a smartcard, which can either generate passwords for you or import your passwords as needed. To a computer or smartphone, it then acts as an external keyboard, entering your data as needed. You can see more about it in the Tindie link above, or on its recently concluded and wildly successful Kickstarter campaign.
Available in several colors
As you might suspect, this device has also been quite successful on Tindie, selling 100 units in the three days following its debut. In fact, according to Mathieu Stephan, who has driven this project from the beginning, they’ve sold thousands of these devices in total, while sticking to their planned Kickstarter schedule for fulfillment.
So with so many of these having been sold, if you see someone else using one in the wild, you’ll know it’s not just an exotic (and beautifully-metallic) MP3 player. Perhaps say “hello,” rather than gawking too much, as the person using it is obviously at least somewhat concerned about security!
