BenQ-Siemens drops first handsets: EF81, S68, & S88

by Ryan Block, posted Jan 17th 2006 at 9:00AM

It's not exactly breaking hallowed ground at this point, but today BenQ-Siemens finally launched three three new devices -- the EF81, S68, and S88 -- thereby culminating in product form their acquisition/merger last year. Not surprisingly, the BS (we can call them that, can't we?) EF81 is 0.6-inch thick 3G RAZR-competitor with a 1.3-inch 120 x 160 external display, and a 2.2-inch 262k color internal QVGA display, as well as 64MB RAM and MicroSD. The S68 is slightly less interesting with a 1.8-inch 132 x 176 display, Bluetooth, USB, EDGE, and 8MB of memory; the S88 (the black device above) at least features a two megapixel camera in addition to its 2-inch 176 x 220 262k color OLED display, MicroSD, and Bluetooth, though it only supports GPRS. So essentially the only phone you or we or anyone else will probably care anything about is the EF81, which is due to ship in March (where and for how much we don't yet know).

Filed under: Cellphones

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

James @ Jan 17th 2006 9:30AM

Wow, the EF81 looks stunning. And even smaller than the V3x.

I hope a UK operator will take it quickly, otherwise I guess I need to buy from Germany.

Neutral

xbit @ Jan 17th 2006 9:53AM

So from left to right, we've got a RAZR knock-off, a 6230 knock-off and a K750 knock-off.

Good work guys, you've got all the design bases covered.

Neutral

Ben @ Jan 17th 2006 9:58AM

With a QVGA screen, thin form factor, external music controls (I assume) and expansion that 3G clamshell could well do good things for BS - LG hitched their star to 3 in the UK and have never looked back, so here's hoping..

Neutral

Ben @ Jan 17th 2006 10:00AM

xbit, I agree - shame they couldn't get a CDMA chipset in the old SL65 chassis, which at least had some originality and was very nice to handle.

Neutral

Dr Doom @ Jan 17th 2006 10:51AM

The good thing about these is that they are likely to come in very reasonably priced. I hope BenqSiemens establishes itself :-)

Neutral

Paul @ Jan 17th 2006 10:58AM

The EF81 will be available through Vodafone in late March or early April.

Neutral

GeeksAreSexy @ Jan 17th 2006 1:05PM

the EF81 looks sweet.. stylish and modern. Certainly better then the RAZR.

Each time Benq released some new products, we are always in for a surprice..

Neutral

Russell Page @ Jan 17th 2006 3:23PM

Um . . . how exactly do you pronounce BenQ?]

Benk?

Ben, Q?

Neutral

Muki Mukolo @ Jan 22nd 2006 8:25AM

Who on earth is going to buy something like that?! ..

And BenQ is pronounced like you pronounce "Bench". Yes, it is a bit strange, but thats true.

Neutral

wissam @ Jan 26th 2006 8:00AM

guys...
first u pronounce it ben,Q..not bench

second, these phones sure look nicer than previous siemens phones, but u have to know that they were designed before BenQ came. so basically, these r siemens phones with the BenQ logo on them

Neutral

keith @ Apr 6th 2006 11:06AM

were can i get hold of the new ef81,any ideas,,,thanks

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