South Korean mobile phone maker Pantech has demo'd a handset with what it calls "finger writing recognition", a feature the company described as "unique" and which it reckons could revolutionise text entry on phones.

The PG-2800 supports text entry in the usual way, but the clamshell handset's touch-sensitive keypad also allows users to draw out characters with their fingers. Software on the phone translates the strokes into numbers and letters.

Showing the handset off in Moscow this week, Pantech said the system would be particularly useful for entering Cyrillic characters and writing in Chinese. The company didn't say which languages the handset would support from the outset.

The PG-2800 itself is a tri-band GSM phone with a 2in, 262,144-colour main display and a 1.2in, 65,536 secondary panel. It's got a 1.3 megapixel camera and all the usual features of a modern mid-range handset. It weighs 87.9g and measures 9 x 4.5 x 1.9cm.

Pantech didn't say when the PG-2800 will ship, or provide pricing details. ®