Yahoo! Launched its own mobile phone in Asia

If Google has quickly become a key player in the smartphone market, Yahoo does not expect to be left out and begins to deploy its strategy in emerging Asia. Thus, in partnership with Alcatel, the Internet portal has unveiled the One Touch Internet.

Boasting a full QWERTY keyboard, a trackpad and a light 2.4-inch screen, the phone incorporates ergonomics standard BlackBerry. In terms of functionality, the device is regarded more as an entry-level smartphone. We find a camera with 2 megapixel camera, FM radio, MP3 player and an internal memory of 80 MB is not compatible 3G terminal and the surfing will be done in EDGE.

Software level, so it's Yahoo! Leading dance by integrating its various web services directly. The Mobinaute will be able to access their Yahoo! Mail or chat on Yahoo Messenger. The address book and calendar are synchronized directly to the phone. Yahoo! Has added other features like voice search on the engine or Social Pulse to read the latest updates to his contacts on different networks community.

In an interview obtained by the BBC, Irv Henderson, vice president of Yahoo! Connected Life, said that in some Asian countries, "we save more of queries on mobile devices than on PCs." Although the Net One Touch is not 3G compatible, he added that the sites have been optimized and the firm expects an improvement in network infrastructure by 12-18 months.

The One Touch Net will be sold for less than $ 100. It will be available during the third quarter first in India and Indonesia.