BenQ-Siemens CeBIT announcements

Today BenQ-Siemens announced six new models for the CeBIT. This year is really dynamic for the company, as by now they have presented 12 new phones, including those six. This time, the new additions are EL71, C81, CF61, CL71, E61 and P51. The new series are all multimedia devices with music features. The CL71 and E61 models have iF product design awards. The E61 phone also has the red-dot award for design.

The BenQ-Siemens EL71 slim slider phone (16.5mm) bets on elegance and metal look. The casing in magnesium and aluminum and the semi-automatic slider mechanism should attract the customers, who make decision for their purchase, based on look and feel. The slider is equipped with high-class 2.0" 262K colors QVGA display. The features of the tri-band BenQ-Siemens EL71 also include 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD card slot, EDGE and Bluetooth. After the EF81 clamshell mobile and the S68 in classic bar form, the EL71 slider phone is the third mobile in the BenQ Mobile range to combine ultra-slim design and authentic metal materials. The BenQ-Siemens EL71 will be available on the market in April 2006 in the color "Quartz Anthracite" and will also be available shortly thereafter in the color "Opal Black".

The BenQ-Siemens C81 is an affordable music-oriented bar phone. The phone promises up to 10 hours of music playback. The features of the BenQ-Siemens C81 are very similar to the Siemens CX75 model - 1.3 megapixel camera, 123x176 pixels display, RS-MMC card slot and Bluetooth. The difference is the EDGE support and that the BenQ-Siemens C81 comes bundled with 128 MB card. It will be available on the market in the second quarter of 2006 in the color Black.

BenQ-Siemens also presented the CF61 clamshell with interchangeable covers in fashionable designs. The phone also offers 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD card slot, MP3 player and Bluetooth connectivity. The BenQ-Siemens CF61 will be available on the market in the second quarter of 2006.

The BenQ-Siemens CL71, another slim slider (17.8 mm) was also presented today. The phone has iF design award for 2006, it was code named Cupid when its pictures leaked a month ago from the iF awards web site. The BenQ-Siemens CL71 has 2" 262K colors TFT display with 172x200 pixels resolution, 1.3 megapixel camera, FM radio, microSD slot and Bluetooth. It will be available on the market in Q2, 2006.

The music oriented BenQ-Siemens E61 also has iF design award. It was named Hermes B when we first saw its pictures. The bar phone has an unique music interface, the five buttons are positioned on the upper rim of the phone. The BenQ-Siemens E61 will be an affordable solution for the music lovers. It offers only a VGA camera, but the MP3 player with 6-band equalizer and miniSD card slot should compensate for this. The BenQ-Siemens E61 will come on the market in the first quarter of 2006 in the colors Silver and Orange.

The BenQ-Siemens P51 smartphone upgrades the BenQ P50 model with the new Windows Mobile 5.0 OS, GPS features and support for the faster 802.11g WLAN standard. The BenQ-Siemens P51 will come on the market in July 2006 in the color "Silver."

BenQ-Siemens press release

BenQ Mobile further expands product portfolio at CeBIT

Emphasis on ultra slim design, real materials and an enhanced consumer experience

BenQ Mobile at CeBIT 2006 View Hanover, Mar 7, 2006 | BenQ Mobile, the new business division of the BenQ Corporation, today announced six new handsets under its BenQ-Siemens brand, including the flagship EL71, which completes its collection of ultra slim mobile phones across all form-factors. Beyond award-winning design, the new handsets also demonstrate expertise across multimedia functionality and innovative display technologies, such as OLED. With a total of 12 new products launched since January, BenQ Mobile has already carved a distinct position in the industry offering consumers worldwide a broad and engaging portfolio that encapsulates the combined strengths of Siemens and BenQ. BenQ Mobile brings together BenQ’s expertise in multimedia and award-wining lifestyle design with Siemens engineering heritage and reputation for quality. Since its launch the company has demonstrated its ability to lead the market with technological innovations, and was proud to announce last month that the EF91 will be the first handset to bring the benefits of HSDPA to consumers, in time for the Football World Cup. BenQ Mobile is also the first company to incorporate innovative screen technologies into its range, building on the particular expertise of BenQ in this area. The S88, launched in January, features an outstanding 2.0 inch Active Matrix OLED display that shows images in brilliant color, and the CL71, launched today, uses IPS to offer consumers high definition viewing, even at a wide angle.

Additionally, the BenQ-Siemens brand has become associated with elegant and ingenious design, incorporating real materials such as aluminum and brushed steel to create a superior user experience. A third of the new handsets have been awarded a coveted iF product design award, including the CL71 launched today. The E61 will go to the market even with two design awards: The iF and red-dot design award 2006. One clear theme brought to life across the portfolio is ultra-slim design and the launch of the EL71 brings this trend to the slider category, complementing the clamshell EF81 and bar phones S68 and S81 launched earlier this year.

Rooted in the theme of exploration and a desire to find new ways to communicate, the BenQ-Siemens brand is set to engage consumers with innovative ideas as it continues to announce new products throughout 2006. Clemens J. Joos, CEO of BenQ Mobile comments, “ Within quarter one alone we have launched 12 new handsets under the new BenQ-Siemens brand, combining technical know-how with design flair in an original way that will excite consumers. Operators are certainly showing confidence in our approach, with many of our products now listed across the major regions, and I have great confidence that consumers will identify with the spirit of the BenQ-Siemens brand. You should expect the unexpected in 2006”

Beyond new handsets, BenQ Mobile continues to break new ground with integrated technology and partnerships that will deliver an enhanced experience for consumers. Today it announced a deal with Google to preinstall a selection of mobile search services on a range of handsets. The relationship will enable BenQ mobile phone users to more quickly and easily access information they need while on-the-go. In addition BenQ Mobile has confirmed that it will be the first manufacturer to offer comprehensive Services over Air (S.O.A), allowing consumers to extend and update their mobile software on the move at any time. This means BenQ Mobile consumers have greater flexibility over the configuration and personalization of their mobile phones.

At the start of 2006 BenQ Mobile committed that it would place significant focus on multimedia and today’s line up of new handsets delivers on this promise. All of the new phones launched today – EL71, C81, CF61, CL71, E61 and P51 - feature multimedia capabilities such as MP3 and 3D surround sound, meeting a wide range of consumer needs. The P51 also brings multimedia functionality to a high performance smart phone. It incorporates Windows Mobile 5.0, W-Lan and VoIP with an integrated GPS receiver to offer professional users a complete navigation and communication solution, and demonstrates another aspect of BenQ Mobile’s growing portfolio.

All the new handsets follow BenQ Mobile’s high quality standards and inspiring design language. After only two months of operating under the new brand, BenQ-Siemens moves forward into 2006 with confidence and consumers should be excited about what is to come.