Lenovo's P960 handset packs a fingerprint scanner

Samsung's P960 handset has a built-in DVR, while Lenovo's P960 includes a fingerprint scanner. Pointless trivia aside, the latter is also Lenovo's first commercial mobile phone to incorporate fingerprint biometrics. Atrua Technologies has provided a fingerprint scanner that resides on the handset's edge in order to provide additional security for folks (read: cheaters, FBI agents and Segway users) who simply cannot afford to let their contact list be known. Even dodgier, the phone has a VIP recording feature which "automatically records calls from designated numbers" -- something that's sure to provide hours upon hours of merriment. We'd bemoan the fact that pricing information isn't readily available, but we just can't get over that whole automatic recording thing.

[darkstar @ Aug 12th 2008 4:24PM]

i tried recording a phone conversation once. all i got was those static buzzing, similar to when the cell phone is placed next to the speakers. i cant believe no phones can record conversations till now!

[huh @ Aug 12th 2008 4:34PM]

I can record calls no problem with my n95, though it adds a beep every 10 seconds that both sides can hear. In my country this beep is not required if at least one sides knows the call is being recorded.

And to the comments below, I believe Lenovo has been making handsets for the Chinese market for some time now.

[Colin B @ Aug 12th 2008 4:54PM]

My crappy Verizon LG Chocolate 2 can record conversations...I'm pretty sure a lot of phones these days can. For me it's under the options only after starting a call though.

[Nexx @ Aug 12th 2008 4:24PM]

since when was lenovo in the mobile business?

[Minilap @ Aug 12th 2008 4:27PM]

They've just started

[Alex @ Aug 12th 2008 4:30PM]

Since August 12th, 2008 ;)

If you hit the link, the text starts with "Lenovo Launches Its First Commercial Mobile Phone (...)"

[Nexx @ Aug 12th 2008 4:35PM]

I wonder if these can be beat up as badly as their laptops and still function.

I love Lenovo.

[Lucas @ Aug 12th 2008 5:00PM]

Lenovo makes mobiles for china, not WW.... too bad

[quag @ Aug 12th 2008 6:58PM]

@Alex

Mildly funny, but incorrect.

The headline to the press release reads:

"Lenovo Launches Its First Commercial Mobile Phone with Fingerprint..."

This is Lenovo's first "fingerprint-aware" phone, but not their first phone.


Also from the press release:

> Lenovo Mobile Communication Technology Ltd. (“Lenovo Mobile”),
> established in 2002, is a well known player in the Chinese mobile
> phone industry, specializing in the research, development,
> production and marketing of mobile phones.

Alex, I bet you didn't score very high in reading comprehension when they were in grammar school.

Oh well, the world needs cab drivers, too.

[Rogan josh @ Aug 13th 2008 1:29AM]

I had my birthday party at Chuck E Cheese!

[Chad @ Aug 12th 2008 4:32PM]

Man....If this was sold on my side of the pond, I would seriously consider it just to prove to my wife she didn't ask me stop on my way home and pick up some milk! (just one example)

[Gerard @ Aug 12th 2008 4:35PM]

That's a great phone for a spy.

I never imagined 007 would sport that wallpaper though

[Brent @ Aug 12th 2008 4:35PM]

Wow, this is completely illegal in some states.

[smilgy @ Aug 12th 2008 4:42PM]

Who cares!

[KilgoreTrout @ Aug 12th 2008 4:53PM]

In some states is completely illegal using a cell phone

[fanthem @ Aug 12th 2008 8:27PM]

Who is this completely illegal fella and why is he using a cell phone?

[KyleC @ Aug 12th 2008 4:39PM]

Wow..that is 1337 I would record so much funny shit being said. :D

[phanbouy @ Aug 12th 2008 6:02PM]

this presumes you know funny people.

[Dan Halen @ Aug 13th 2008 11:16AM]

1773? He doesn't know any funny people.

[Dan Halen @ Aug 13th 2008 11:17AM]

Oops, I messed up my popular cool kids lingo! I obviously meant 1337. Because that is the proper spelling.

Spelling. LOL>

[jacubious @ Aug 12th 2008 4:50PM]

That is awesome!

[tawak @ Aug 12th 2008 4:56PM]

looks like a... nokia?

[Dave @ Aug 12th 2008 4:56PM]

Wow...a fingerprint scanner on a PDA!!! Now that's something to write home about. Wait, I already did...like 7 or 8 years ago when my Compaq iPAQ had one. What's next...Steve gonna announce the Newton?

[THJ @ Aug 12th 2008 9:46PM]

It's on a phone, not a PDA.

[Dave @ Aug 13th 2008 12:02AM]

You sir are a very technical one as nothing gets by you. Because of that I now present to you my HTC Touch. Is it a phone or a PDA? When people watch TV on their LG refrigerator are they really just watching the fridge? What about listening to the radio? Can I say I'm listening to the radio when I'm really just streaming the radio stations content over my broadband connection? Welcome to the wolrd of convergence. My iPAQ was pretty darn close to the same size as this Phone/PDA/TV/Walkman.

[Jason @ Aug 13th 2008 10:58AM]

Yeah, I had one of them iPacks, too. Never could get the darned phone to work, though.

[SNP @ Aug 12th 2008 5:23PM]

I thought the Toshiba 900 WM phone has a fingerprint scanner too, and also work as a optical mouse.

[Y00. @ Aug 12th 2008 5:49PM]

What happens if you blow your hand and you try to call 911 but yu can't because the hand that you blow up is the hand with the fingerprint?

[Xenoterranos @ Aug 12th 2008 6:23PM]

You're friends will have an awesome story to tell about a guy they knew once.

[matt @ Aug 12th 2008 6:29PM]

the FCC requires that 911 calls can be made from all cell phones, even if locked or without a wireless contract. so i'd imagine you could dial 911 without fingerprint verification.

[AlphaTeam @ Aug 12th 2008 9:56PM]

Plus the key is authenticate more than 1 finger [or hand]

[ShyGuy91284 @ Aug 12th 2008 7:07PM]

The article poster can joke all he wants about a fingerprint scanner being unnecessary, but for many of us who use a phone hooked up to our business email (and I suppose celebrities who have the phone numbers of people that would rather not get harassed by fans), security is extremely important. Although how effective this could be for a determined thief is somewhat debatable since your fingerprints are probably all over the device anyways....

[SomeAudioGuy @ Aug 12th 2008 10:21PM]

Uh neat.
So cell phones are FINALLY catching up to where PDA's were SEVEN years ago.
Biometrics is THE BEST WAY to lock down a mobile device. Anyone tried punching in a password on an iPhone should know what I'm talking about. I miss my old iPaq. I could unlock that thing faster than I could my own keyguard locked cellphone.