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However I always jump at the chance to write something a little more positive so I've bumped that idea for the time being and will instead write about a gadget that could change the world as we're coming to know it.

When I was a youth, I had a key ring that contained just two keys: one for my car and one for the front door to my flat.

Life was simpler in those days and those two keys were all that was required to protect all my assets and entire worldly wealth. Those keys lived in my trouser pockets and everything was sweet.

Today, that key ring has swollen somewhat, carrying a couple of car keys, two house keys, a key to my post-office box, a key to my gun-rack, a key to my lockable briefcase, and some keys I no longer recognise.

And, what's more, I also have a collection of plastic cards. There's the ubiquitous Visa and EFTPOS cards, a couple of cards for accessing doors with electronic locks, and sundry bits and pieces like a firearms and drivers licence.

Life is obviously a little more complex these days.

But there's another set of keys I'm now forced to carry around in my head.

I refer of course, to the myriad of PINs and passwords that I need to remember in order to use an ATM, access my voicemail, log onto some of my favourite websites, do my online banking, unlock my little electronic safe, and gain access to a host of other items, services or information.

The problem with these electronic keys is that I can't just pop them onto the same key ring that holds my car keys -- I have to commit them to memory.

If I write down the PIN for my EFTPOS card and a thief finds it, the bank will probably laugh in my face if I request compensation for money that might be stolen as a result.

So how do people cope with the growing demands being placed on their grey matter?

Some people use the same PIN or password for everything -- but that's not very secure is it?

Others use easily remembered passwords or PINs, such as their children's names or their car's rego number. This is equally insecure.

But here's where the "gadget" comes in.

I haven't seen one, but I'm sure they must exist.

I'm talking about a little electronic gizmo that is small enough to clip onto your regular key ring but which allows you to enter all those passwords and PINs so that they can be recalled and displayed when you need them.

Naturally, such a device would need to keep this information tightly encrypted and access to the data would be either by way of a single PIN/password, or even better, by using a biometric signature such as a thumbprint.

Sometimes, like when I'm left standing in front of an ATM with just one try left before the damned thing swallows my card, I'd kill for such a device!

So, have you seen a gadget like this? Would like one? Or is my appallingly bad memory just the onset of alzheimers disease?

If any Aardvark readers have an opinion on today's column or want to add something you're also invited to chip in and have your say in The Aardvark Forums or, if you prefer, you can contact me directly.

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