It looks like a BlackBerry. And handles e-mail like a BlackBerry - letting you view and reply to mails the moment they arrive in your inbox. But unlike a BlackBerry, it does not do anything other than that. And before you start complaining, we should point out that it costs a fraction of a BlackBerry. We are talking of Peek, the e-mail-only device released by Aircel. It is a device that lets you access your mail on the move with a bright 2.5 inch screen and a very spacious QWERTY keypad. And all at a price of Rs 2,990, with unlimited mail access at the rate of Rs 299 per month, available on both prepaid and postpaid. It allows you to configure up to three e-mail accounts on it, including most popular Web mail services like Gmail, and also allows you to view (but not edit) MS Office and most popular image format attachments.
And that’s it - it does no calls, no texts, no music, no games, no photography….just e-mail.
Convergence fans are going to frown at a device that is dedicated only to e-mail, but it could prove to be a very economical deal for those who like to send and receive mail on the go, without busting a hole in their pockets. And there is something to be said for simplicity too - as the Peek is dedicated to e-mail, it has a staggering battery life that runs well into three days. So you can have your mails in a pocket-friendly QWERTY device that weighs around a 100 gms, has great battery life, costs about Rs 3000 (and Rs 299 per month), and looks sleek as hell in the bargain.
Hmm…we can see people being tempted. We certainly are.
March 16th, 2010 at 11:25 am
‘It looks like a BlackBerry. And handles e-mail like a BlackBerry’…. well, really dont know if PEEK will function at all… I bought mine three days ago and it has still NOT got activated. This is inspite of all the calls, emails to their help centre.
March 16th, 2010 at 11:29 am
Good lord! A classic case of a good gadget being undone by bad service.
May 10th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
I rather liked the device, to be honest, but I think it was tripped up VERY badly by the network. And yes, I do agree - in the existing market, one can get phones at a much lower rate. I think Aircel messed up badly by offering the device at a Rs 299 per month plan - that is way TOO high for just accessing e-mail, especially when you consider that Aircel itself offers unlimited access to its other users at Rs 98 per month.