The BenQ-Siemens S68 is another of the new products from BenQ Mobile, which were unveiled at today's press conference in Berlin, Germany. If the BenQ-Siemens EF81 can be called slim at 16mm, then the S68 should be called slimmer, because it's just 13mm thick! Amazing. It has everything that a decent mobile phone should have. As BenQ says, "The S68 is slim but fully loaded."

The BenQ-Siemens S68 is positioned as a premium mobile. It's exteriors are made of brushed aluminium in the front (in a matt shimmering finish) and a black soft-touch material on the back. This mobile phone has been designed keeping voice telephony at the forefront. I like it. It has tri-band GSM capability, a dual speaker system, an integrated handsfree function, 64-tone ringtones, 8MB of onboard memory, and Bluetooth and USB for connectivity. More importantly, there's NO camera. The 1.8 inch, 132 x 176 pixels, and 262,144 color display has been designed for maximum visibility in any condition. The dictation feature on the phone lets you save short voice clips and send them across via MMS.

The BenQ-Siemens S68 will be available in “Brushed Aluminum” from the end of February 2006 onward. Prices will be available locally. It's a refreshing phone in the crowded market. I would go do far as to predict its success.

Manufacturer website: BenQ-Siemens

Product website: BenQ-Siemens S68