Benq is preparing a new clamshell mobile phone for launch, a model dubbed 'SF71' that comes with 3G capabilities and a rather stylish design. Compared to the slim handsets that Samsung and others have been releasing lately, the Benq Siemens SF 71 is rather thick, at 19mm. But it seems to be a nice and compact clamshell, resembling what Siemens used to release when it was still producing phones.

The sliding design of the external LCD screen is quite interesting, with the camera module hidden underneath it. If the user slides the screen down, the camera module will be revealed. The phone also features dedicated music controls, positioned right below the secondary screen.

While not excelling from the point of view of the features either, it does include a set of features that will suit the needs of the less pretentious users. The SF71 packs a 2-inch 256k color screen with a 320 x 240 pixel resolution, 2-megapixel camera with flash, as well as a VGA camera for video calling and Bluetooth for connectivity with A2DP profile.

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