Twitter-only handset launches

A US handset vendor has shipped a new device dedicated to accessing the Twitter microblogging service.

US vendor Peek said that the new Twitter Peek model would allow users to access the service throughout the country without the need for a Wi-Fi or network internet connection.

The Twitter Peek service utilises existing mobile data networks to send and receive Twitter data and allow users to perform common operations such as posting tweets and messages and managing follower lists.

The device is currently being offered through Amazon at a cost of US$99 which includes six months of free service.

After the six months, users will pay a US$7.95 monthly data fee. The company is also giving the option for a US$199 version of the device which includes free data service for the life of the device.

Peek hopes that the device appeals to users who want to access the Twitter service without requiring a smartphone or PC.

"Twitter is so much more interesting when you can tweet and reply to conversations as they happen, in real time, not from behind a PC," the company said in a blog posting.

"TwitterPeek is designed to make it affordable for people of all ages and walks of life to take the world of Twitter with them wherever they go."