The P903i from NTT DoCoMo, Japan's top mobile carrier, comes with a small black card about the size of a movie-ticket stub that works as a security key by connecting wirelessly with the cell phone. The phone locks automatically when its owner moves too far away and can be found via satellite navigation when it goes missing. If owners keep the card in their bag or pocket, the phone recognizes when the card moves too far away and locks automatically to prevent use. The phone can be set to lock down when it is about eight meters, 20 meters or 40 meters from its owner. People who lose their security cards can punch in a password to undo the phone lock. But they will have to buy a new card to set the lock again. The extra security is handy because, like other recent Japanese phone models, the P903i can be used as a credit card or a prepaid cash card at stores that have special reader machines, said NTT DoCoMo Nobuyuki Hatanaka.  

The P903i from NTT DoCoMo, Japan's top mobile carrier, comes with a small black card about the size of a movie-ticket stub that works as a security key by connecting wirelessly with the cell phone. The phone locks automatically when its owner moves too far away and can be found via satellite navigation when it goes missing.If owners keep the card in their bag or pocket, the phone recognizes when the card moves too far away and locks automatically to prevent use. The phone can be set to lock down when it is about eight meters, 20 meters or 40 meters from its owner. People who lose their security cards can punch in a password to undo the phone lock. But they will have to buy a new card to set the lock again.The extra security is handy because, like other recent Japanese phone models, the P903i can be used as a credit card or a prepaid cash card at stores that have special reader machines, said NTT DoCoMo Nobuyuki Hatanaka.

The new security feature, however, does not prevent snoops from getting information from the phone — reading personal e-mails, say — if they are within a safe distance of the security key. To guard against such intruders, the phone has a facial identification lock that recognizes its owner by analyzing features, such as distance between the eyes, in a digital photo image.The phone also comes with Global Positioning System satellite navigation.Enter the phone number and other information into a Web site, and a map will pop up showing the phone's location. The phone, manufactured by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and planned for sale in the next few months, is among a flood of handset models arriving at stores here.The nation's major carriers are fighting to woo customers with number portability taking effect Tuesday, allowing people to switch carriers without changing phone numbers.Additional Features of 903i Series Models:

Entertainment Features

• Enhanced music capabilities
  All 11 models support Chaku-Uta Full for downloading full music tracks.
• Windows Media® Audio for playing music files downloaded to PCs from music sites, such as the popular Napster service offering access to approximately 1.5 million tracks for a flat rate.
• Music Channel can be set to automatically record up to two favorite programs overnight.
• Up to 10MB i-motion video clip downloading service is available.
• Compatibility with "One-segment" terrestrial digital broadcasting.
  Mega i-appli
  Conventional i-appli memory is limited to 100KB per stored program and 400KB for related data, but Mega i-appli offers a total of 1MB per program and data combined. The related data can also be stored externally, increasing capacity by tens of megabytes, depending on the type of external memory used.
• G-Guide® Program List displays TV listings for BS digital and terrestrial digital broadcasting, and features improved keyword searches, color-coded program categories and greater ease of use.
  Daily Life Features
• Improved Osaifu-Keitai e-wallet functions
  Tripled capacity of IC card allows storage of more i-appli software for e-wallet services.
• iC Transfer Service enables nearly all data on the IC card to be transferred to a new phone (315 yen per usage including tax).
• Stored data, such as phone numbers and photos, can be transferred via IC card by holding one handset up to another.
• Improved ToruCa™ functions, such as capturing coupons and other promotional data directly from QR codes. Also, after the phone communicates with the in-store reader/writer, previously saved data is automatically displayed on the phone. The reader/writer also deletes expired ToruCa promotions automatically.
• All models are preinstalled with software for DoCoMo's DCMX mobile credit card on DoCoMo's iD platform. The number of iD readers/writers reached 60,000 (as of the end of September) and the number of DCMX subscribers topped 860,000 (as of October 11).

Enhanced security

• Keitai-Osagashi Service enables users to locate misplaced handsets using GPS technology by accessing the My DoCoMo portal for PCs (free until June 30, 2007, after which there will be a charge of 315 yen per usage including tax).
• The ANSHIN-KEY, which comes with the P903i, is a special IC-card key carried in a wallet or handbag to automatically lock/unlock the phone depending on the proximity of the key and the phone.
• Biometric authentication requires confirmation of the owner's fingerprint, face or voice prior to accessing most features of the phone.
• Omakase Lock and Data Security Service. The former enables users who lose their phone to call a 24-hour call center to have the phone's smart card and personal data locked immediately, and the latter allows phonebooks to be stored on the DoCoMo network.
• Original Certificate enables user identification certificates issued by banks and hospitals, for example, to be downloaded and stored in the handset and used as digital signatures for SSL client authentication over i-mode.
• GPS services
  imadoco search is a location service enabling people to use their phones to monitor the precise location of designated persons, such as children, via i-mode or PC.
• Preinstalled i-appli navigation software detects users' locations in order to guide them to where they want to go.
• Periodic monitoring of designated people using GPS contents.
• Business mopera GPS Location enables companies to use DoCoMo's FOMA network in order to have third-parties, such as security companies, track the location of designated people using GPS.
• Notification of the caller's precise location when making an emergency call to police, fire department or Japan Coast Guard, beginning April 2007 in some areas and eventually to be extended nationwide.
• Six models are compatible with DoCoMo's WORLD WING international roaming service via W-CDMA networks in 34 countries/regions, mainly in Europe.
  Communication Features

Upgraded mail

• Up to 10 files totaling 2MB (increased from 500KB) can be attached to mail, including files created with Microsoft® Word or Excel.
• Deco-mail capacity has been increased to enable text mail of up to 10KB and animated icons of up to 90KB resulting in Deco-mails up to about 100KB. Also, the number of these icons for one message has been increased from 10 to 20.
• New Deco-mail Pictograms include more than 240 20x20-dot animated icons preinstalled in all models. These high-resolution icons can be easily inserted into messages using the same simple procedure for conventional icons. Additional icons can be downloaded in a batch using the Deco-mail Pictogram Pocket function available with six models.
• Kisekae Tool is a convenient application for customizing all menu screens, ringtones, etc., including with characters downloaded via i-mode.
  Machi-chara, animated characters downloaded from i-mode sites move around on standby and menu screens according to time and other factors.
  Enhanced PushTalk service
  During a PushTalk walkie-talkie session, other people can be called up and the caller can automatically redial people who did not respond the first time. Automatic speaker phone mode is also possible.
• Enhanced i-channel™ news and information service displays captioned text for basic and favorite channels.