Cheap and cheerful
Giant UK mobile operator Vodafone has launched its latest own-branded smartphone. The appropriately named Vodafone Smart is an Android 2.2 smartphone that has the main selling point of costing well under £100.
"More and more Vodafone customers are enjoying the benefits of smartphones which currently account for over 40 percent of the phones we sell in Europe," said Patrick Chomet, Vodafone group terminals director.
"Continuing to push the boundaries through our own-brand range, the Vodafone Smart is a new smartphone concept. It takes the higher end mobile internet experience and packages it for the mass market, its range of covers and accessories making it a fun fashion statement."
The Vodafone Smart is in fact made by Chinese telco giant Huawei. As you would expect from an entry-level smartphone, the chip isn't going to set the world on fire. In this case it's the pre-Snapdragon Qualcomm MSM7225, also found in the original HTC Wildfire. So this phone will probably be quite like the Huawei U8110.
It has all the usual Google products, 3G, a 2.8 inch capacitive touch screen, 2MP camera and a bunch of funky replaceable covers, which gives you an idea of the target demographic. Vodafone says it will be available in the UK by ‘early summer' but has only given price guidance in euros - €90. Here's an image and a vid.
