AuthenTec's TruePrint Named World's Best Biometric Fingerprint Sensor Technology; Frost & Sullivan gives AuthenTec 2006 Technology Leadership Award

Melbourne, FL/San Jose, CA – AuthenTec’s patented TruePrint® fingerprint technology – already used in more than 9 million PCs, cell phones and access control devices -- has been named the world’s best biometric fingerprint sensor technology in a major new industry report released today.

Global analyst firm Frost & Sullivan awarded AuthenTec the 2006 Leadership Award in Fingerprint Sensor Technology after an extensive analysis of various available fingerprint sensor solutions.

"AuthenTec’s TruePrint is a breakthrough technology, and is far and away the leading fingerprint sensor solution on the market today," said Harithra Ramachandran, research analyst with Frost & Sullivan. "TruePrint overcomes problems that plague competing technologies, and can read virtually every fingerprint – something many other technologies can not do well. TruePrint technology has helped make AuthenTec the overall leader in the fingerprint sensor industry."

AuthenTec’s unique TruePrint and TrueMatch matcher technologies are at the heart of the company’s 14 different touch and swipe fingerprint sensors. The sensors provide The Power of Touch – including advanced security, convenience, navigation and other functions – at the simple swipe or touch of a person’s finger.

Unlike optical, thermal and DC capacitive solutions that read the surface of the skin, AuthenTec’s TruePrint technology uses tiny RF signals to read below the surface to the live layer below. This unique subsurface approach is not affected by common surface skin conditions – such as dry, worn, calloused, dirty or oily skin – enabling AuthenTec sensors to read virtually every fingerprint, anywhere.

By reading below the surface, TruePrint technology also captures the most accurate fingerprint image possible, allowing AuthenTec to create sensors that are more secure, smaller, and lower cost than sensors using surface technologies. During the past year, the company introduced the EntréPad 1510 and 1610 sensors, the smallest and lowest cost solutions for the cell phone and PC markets.

"Frost & Sullivan’s technology leadership award is a tremendous tribute to AuthenTec, and reaffirms the choice made by our customers seeking to add the most advanced fingerprint technology to their products," said Scott Moody, president and CEO of AuthenTec. "We will continue to leverage our TruePrint and TrueMatch technologies to drive advances in biometric security and convenience even further."

AuthenTec sensors are used in more than 150 different models of PCs, cell phones, and access control devices. The sensors are used by two thirds of the top PC manufacturers -- including HP, Lenovo/IBM, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Samsung, MPC and others. In cell phones, the company sensors were selected for more than 95 percent of today’s biometric cell phones, supplied by LG, Samsung, NTT DoCoMo and Pantech. The company’s sensors also are used in a wide variety of access control devices to protect airports, government buildings, corporate offices, homes, and other facilities.

In addition to the new technology award, AuthenTec has been named the worldwide fingerprint biometrics market leader by Frost in Sullivan for the past four years; the Most Respected Private Company by the Fabless Semiconductor Association, a Breakout Company by Fortune Magazine, and has received numerous other technology and company awards.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit www.frost.com/.

About AuthenTec

With more than nine million sensors in use worldwide, AuthenTec is the world leader in fingerprint sensor security, innovation and sales to the PC, wireless, and access control markets. AuthenTec’s award-winning FingerLoc® and EntréPad® sensors take full advantage of The Power of Touch™ by utilizing the company’s patented TruePrint® technology to deliver the most convenient, reliable and cost-effective means available for enabling touch-powered features that extend beyond user authentication. The company’s network of partners, solution providers and customers include: Analog Devices, APC, ASUSTek, Compal, Cherry, Fujitsu Computer, Computer Associates, HP, IBM, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Microsoft, Motion Computing, MPC Computers, NEC Packard Bell, Pantech, Quanta, Samsung, Tatung, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, and Wistron, among others. Visit www.authentec.com/.