Pantech GI 100 mobile offers fingerprint operation

A state-of-the-art fingerprint recognition sensor has been built into the new Pantech GI 100 mobile phone, offering increased personal security and "secret" dialing functions. The clamshell design GI 100 also features a 1.3 megapixel camera, video caller ID and innovative video "wallpaper" in a black and silver, compact GSM phone.

Biometric recognition is a fast-growing application of technology to mapping human features, whether faces or fingerprints, for increased security. Microsoft has released a biometric mouse with a built in fingerprint reader and biometric technology continues to flourish in military and commercial applications.

Hyunsoo Jun, Vice President, of Pantech Global operations announced, 'The GI100 is a first-of-its-kind mobile phone, designed for customers for whom security is of paramount importance. With mobile phones being increasingly used as more than just a communication device, there is a strong demand for a phone that blocks unauthorized access to stored information or pictures. Fingerprint technology is a fail-safe technology, as no two people have the same fingerprint.'

The Pantech GI 100 scans the user's fingerprints and remembers them for various features such as fingerprint recognition, fingerprint authentication and embedded fingerprint dialing. The GI 100 can be programmed to remember the pattern of all ten fingers to create a separate authorisation key, allowing you to speed dial up to ten individual numbers with the press of a finger. More importantly, calls made using one's finger remain completely confidential with no record of it in the phone's call log.

In addition the GI 100 features a 1.3 million-pixel camera to capture even sharper and more vivid pictures and a built-in flash that enables you to take pictures even in the dark. The video mode allows for video caller ID, loading a pre-stored video on the LCD. What's more the innovative "video wallpaper" allows captured video clips to be shown on the main and sub LCDs in idle mode. You can also use your own video clips as video wallpaper. The phone is also equipped with games like car racing, slot machine and match making, all operable by the finger instead of pushing in keys.

The GI 100 weighs only 82g, has a talk time of up to 180 mins and 200 hours standby time,, with a RRP to be announced . It launches on the European market in 2005.

For more information: http://www.pantech.com/