BenQ has taken the wraps off its latest phone. The E72 opts for quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge connectivity instead of 3G but it can connect you to five instant messaging networks.

E72: entry-level Windows Mobile

BenQ's chosen to bundle multoi-network IM client Mundu, which connects the E72 to Yahoo!, Google, ICQ and AOL. The Windows Mobile 6-based handset also comes with Microsoft's own MSN Messenger.

E72: basic styling

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The E72 has 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 in addition to its cellular connectivity. Its 2in, 65,536-colour display may mean IM messages are a little tricky to read, but the 240 x 320 resolution should be good enough for viewing pictures snapped with the E72's two-megapixel camera.

There’s 64MB of user memory on-board and a Micro SD card slot that gives a maximum 2GB of extra storage. The phone supports a varied range of media formats, such as H.264 and MP3.

The BenQ E72 will be available in Europe and Asia Pacific before the end of the year. A price has yet to be announced.