Waterproof Fujitsu cellphone unveiled

AuthenTec, a provider of fingerprint sensors and solutions, has announced that NTT DoCoMo is offering the Fujitsu F-01A, claimed to be the world's first fingerprint-enabled waterproof cellphone, writes Tech-On.

The cellphone uses AuthenTec's TouchStone packaging and incorporates its TrueNav technology for touchpad-like navigational control via AuthenTec's AES1711 fingerprint sensor.

The F-01A is based on a Symbian operating system and features a 3.5-inch widescreen VGA touch-screen display, 5.2megapixel camera with autofocus, built-in GPS using Mobile Google Maps with Street View, e-Wallet mobile payment capability, and a 1-Seg mobile TV tuner.

The cellphone industry has a plea for the throngs descending on the US capital for the presidential inauguration: go easy on the mobile communications, states The New York Times.

The largest cellphone carriers, fearful that a communicative citizenry will overwhelm its networks, have taken the unusual step of asking people to limit their phone calls and to delay sending photos.

The carriers are also spending millions of dollars to temporarily and substantially upgrade their networks in Washington.

Following a complaint late last year by patent holdings firm, Saxon Innovations, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain electronic devices, including handheld wireless communications devices, reports Cellular News.

The products at issue in this investigation are handheld devices such as smart phones, cellular telephones, and television remote controls.

The ITC has named Nokia, RIM, HTC, Palm, Panasonic and AVC Networks as affected by the investigation - which has the power to block the imports of products made by these firms.