The BenQ-Siemens E61: A Classic Feature Phone from 2006
In 2006, the BenQ-Siemens E61 was released and quickly became a popular choice for those seeking a reliable feature phone. With its compact design, minimalistic features, and great battery life, the E61 was a hit among users.
Compact and Simple Design
The E61 weighed only 88g and had a thickness of 17mm, making it a lightweight and easy-to-carry device. Its dimensions of 101 x 44 x 17 mm made it small enough to fit into any pocket or bag. The phone came with a mini-SIM, which was the standard at the time, and had a 1.8-inch TFT display with 65K colors, providing clear and vivid visuals.
Minimal Storage and Network Capabilities
The E61 had 1MB of internal storage, which was more than enough to store contacts, messages, and a few photos. For those needing more storage, the phone also had a miniSD slot. In terms of network capabilities, the E61 was a GSM phone, supporting bands 900/1800/1900 and had Class 10 GPRS, allowing for basic internet browsing and messaging.
Simple Features for Everyday Use
The E61 may not have had all the flashy features that modern smartphones have, but it had everything you needed for everyday use. It could store up to 500 contacts, each with 12 fields and a photo. It could also keep track of your call records, including 20 dialed, received, and missed calls. The phone also had a VGA camera for taking basic photos.
Basic Entertainment and Organizational Tools
The E61 came with a few pre-installed games to keep users entertained, and the phone also had an AAC/AAC+/AAC++/MIDI/MP3/PCM(WAV)/XMF player. It could also serve as an organizer with features like voice memos, a stopwatch, and a predictive text input for convenience.
Great Battery Life
The E61 was powered by a removable Li-Ion 840 mAh battery, which could last up to 215 hours on standby and up to 3 hours and 20 minutes of talk time. This made it a reliable device for users who needed a long-lasting battery.
Discontinued but not Forgotten
Although the BenQ-Siemens E61 may have been discontinued, it remains a classic among feature phones. Its simple design, reliable features, and great battery life made it a popular choice in its time and will always hold a special place in the hearts of those who used it.
So while it may not be the latest and greatest device, the E61 is a reminder that sometimes, all we need is a simple and reliable phone to get us through the day.
BenQ-Siemens E61 Full Specifications
Network
Technology
GSM
2G bands
GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
GPRS
Class 10
EDGE
No
Launch
Announced
2006, March
Status
Discontinued
Body
Dimensions
101 x 44 x 17 mm (3.98 x 1.73 x 0.67 in)
Weight
88 g (3.10 oz)
SIM
Mini-SIM
Display
Type
TFT, 65K colors
Size
1.8 inches, 29 x 35 mm, 10.2 cm2 (~22.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution
128 x 160 pixels (~114 ppi density)
Memory
Card slot
miniSD
Phonebook
500 x 12 fields, Photo call
Call records
20 dialed, 20 received, 20 missed calls
Internal
1MB
Main Camera
Single
VGA
Video
No
Selfie camera
Other
No
Sound
Loudspeaker
Yes
Alert types
Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones
3.5mm jack
No
Comms
WLAN
No
Bluetooth
No
Positioning
No
Radio
No
USB
1.1
Features
Sensors
Messaging
SMS, MMS
Browser
WAP 2.0/xHTML
Games
Yes
Java
No
Other
AAC/AAC+/AAC++/MIDI/MP3/PCM(WAV)/XMF player
Predictive text input
Voice memo
Organizer
Stopwatch