What is 'visKeeper'?

According to the blurb at Handango.com: "visKeeper combines maximum security with comfortable handling and storege of all your text based confidential data".

Sounds interesting, but wait............... there's more. Security "visKeeper encrypts all the data you put in (128 Bit Twofish-encryption) and stores them in a data safe. Additionally, access to this safe is protected by a visual Key-password - the well-proven graphical login based on our patented visual Key technology."

Hmmmmmmmm! sounds VERY interesting, let's take this puppy for a walk and see how it runs.

Installation

Installation is by the normal ActiveSync method from your desktop or laptop PC to your Pocket PC, and only takes approximately 285kb of storage. If you choose to install to a storage card (SD or CF) the performance continues to run extremely smoothly, however the pictures are required to be in main memory (Their relatively small so it shouldn't be a problem. I would suggest however that vizKeeper should be installed to File store so that it is available in the event of a battery drain or hard reset. Although the operation after such an event has not been tried or tested by this reviewer (Well would you!!).

Set Up

After installation you are informed that you have to select a new password.

At this stage as you'll be using the screen to input a password, it's good idean to ensure the screen been calibrated, which is very easily completed by clicking on the handy option with in the set up screen (below).

You are then presented with a straightforward process where you are required to choose a picture from a select of compatible images. Some examples are provided by vizKeeper (displayed below), but you can also use your own images if you like by just placing them on your device.

Once an image has been selected, enter your "password" on the screen, by selecting key points on the image with your stylus.

I entered a password comprised of three positions, based on the x's marked on the screen (N.b. This option of displaying the tap marks can be switched off in the settings screen option 'Show Click Hint') The order of the tap marks the password I've chosen. I then confirm my selection by tapping on the leftmost blue circle at the bottom of the screen. vizKeeper then displays the encrypted file.

If you decide your unhappy with the password or picture, no problem just follow this sequence again and hey presto. (The sequence must be followed every time you change the picture). Be warned that the documentation clearly states that if you FORGET the password is very strongly encrypted, and as such the developer CANNOT break it for you, Which acts as a reminder of the strength of the encryption and the security you are installing on your device. So act with caution.

Options

If you'd like stronger protection you can of course select to have more than three locations in your picture password, you can even configure vizKeeper to automatically open on the last tap (visKeeper options screen, tick 'Fast Login'). But what if you make an error or your not 'spot on' with your tapping, The 'Input Precision' or pixel tolerance of each tap, is 20 pixels by default. However should you want to, it is possible to reconfigure the 'Input Precision' to your own setting. Bear in mind though that if you configure the setting to too small a pixel radius, you may encounter accessibility issues due to problems hitting the image correctly, Likewise if your not too hot with your hand eye co-ordination and configure the 'Input Precision' too high, you'll find that almost any taps will suffice.

If your really conscious about your sensitive data being secure, vizKeeper comes with a default 'time out' of three minutes. After three minutes of non-usage, visKeeper will default back to the last screen you were using, so keeping your sensitive information secure from prying eyes. This option can be increased or decreased by using the 'Shut down visKeeper after:' drop down box on the options screen to suit your privacy requirements.

The table colours option on the 'Options' screen allow you to select from a range of colours a colour scheme for the informtion tables, so making the text easier on the eyes.

vizKeeper in Use

Having set my password and configured the settings, I can then access the storage area. As you can see on the images below the data is display by way of a hierarchical tree, with areas for:

• Access data
• Bank Account
• Contacts
• Mail accounts

If you like you can expand on the available categories by clicking on 'SAFE' and then hitting the new item (document) icon (bottom left of screen), you can add both categories and entries the same way. To change the name of the category or entry, just click on it to highlight it, then click on the hierarchical tree icon (bottom of screen, third from left) to enter the input screen and on the very first row input the new title.

Entering secure data is a simple process of clicking on the appropriate category (or creating your own) then clicking on a blank entry, tap the on the hierarchical tree icon (bottom of screen, third from left) to be presented with the input screen and enter your data. remember to return to the main screen tap on the hierarchical tree icon (bottom of screen, third from left) once more. NOT the X button, that will just exit the appliation and not save your data.

If your unhappy with the existing icon, No problem, from within the data input screen, just tap the icon and you can make a selection from a large range that is included within vizKeeper. Select your preferred icon for your new category or entry and Voila. vizKeeper is very flexible on customisation.

If you find that you have an entry with a lot of fields (Not VGA enabled yet!) and you want to view all the fields, rest assured this is catered for too with in visKeeper. On the bottom bar are two arrow icons select either up or down to increase the viewable field range. Don't worry too much about moving in to the hierarchical tree section as a vertical scroll bar will appear on the right side if this should happen (very intuitive).

Pros

• Very easy to set up
• Good security features
• Great flexibility
• Intuitive control system
• Very nice editable time out option that prevents the visKeeper screen from being displayed if not in use for a set time
• Excellent news that a desktop verison of visKeeper is included within the retail price
• The ability to import new icons from the desktop version is a good idea

Cons

• The ability to import contacts from outlook or third party software would be excellent

Basic Facts

• Application name: visKeeper
• Tested version: 1.0.1
• Test equipment: Ipaq 3970, Pocket PC 2002
• Author: sfr GmbH
• Download: Pocket PC (190kb) - XScale, StrongARM and MIPS
• Demo version available
• Registration: US$ $19.95, purchase at Handango.com

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