Vodafone’s clamshell 710 is the company’s first shot at a self branded 3G consumer handset. It is only available on Vodafone Pay as You Talk. In fact, it is the first handset manufactured for Vodafone by China’s Huawei Technologies as a result of a strategic handset alliance signed by the two companies in February 2006.
The handset is part of the company’s strategy to leverage its purchasing power with Original Design Manufacturers (ODM) to the benefit of its customers and offers all the latest 3G consumer services and a sleek, clamshell design at a new, low cost. The 710 is a small and neat 3G handset – you could easily mistake it for a standard non 3G clamshell phone. It shades under the magic 100g marker by a single gram, and in overall size it is very comfortable for the hand and pocket when closed. It has that ‘bar of soap’ feel about it thanks to its nicely rounded edges and the rubberised surface on the casing.