BenQ isn't a power player in the European mobile phone market and its new E72 handset (announced at Computex) isn't a mass market smartphone.

Exclusively available as part of BT's Fusion package, the E72 acts a GSM/GPRS mobile phone when you're out and about. And, thanks to an integrated Wi-Fi module, it can seamlessly switch over to use VOIP when you're in range of your BT Home Hub router or a BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspot. Even if you're in mid-call.

You can already see this sort of intelligent network switching on laptops that include 3G data cards or on Apple's iPhone. Devices will automatically use the fastest wireless connection available – first Wi-Fi, then 3G/HSDPA data, and then slower EDGE/GPRS services.

It's as good as the E72 gets

Unfortunately, praising the BenQ E72's ability to hop between GSM and wireless networks is as good as this review is going to get. Yes, so the black and red E72 might be attractively slim (it's only 13mm thick) and surprisingly light (a mere 90g). But this lozenge-shaped candybar phone is also frustratingly underpowered and seriously lacking in features.

Look at the spec-sheet and the BenQ E72 is actually a fairly basic phone. You might expect 3G. But the E72 only has GPRS (and occasionally EDGE) in its locker. You'd hope for a 5 Megapixel camera. You don't get one – the E72 uses bog-standard 2MP technology. Of the 64MB of quoted RAM onboard, only 24MB is user-accessible. You'll need to invest in a MicroSD card to boost the storage.

Even with a 260MHz OMAP 1030 processor inside, the UI (powered by Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6) is horribly sluggish. Quick launching apps via the top-level carousel (showing recently used applications) is far from quick. Below this, you'll find lethargic one-click shortcuts to the Scheduler, Task list and Programs. The start page is certainly logically organised. But clicking through the menus is as joyous as sprinting through stinging nettles in shorts.

On a slightly brighter note, the BenQ E72 features the Mundu IM client, which manages chat access to the likes of Google Talk, MSN, Yahoo!, AOL, Jabber and ICQ. It also boasts applications including: Quickmark 2D barcode reader software, a calculator, a Bubble Break game, classic Solitaire and a ringtone editor. There's also a frill-free photo viewer, FM radio and Windows Media Player software handles any MPEG-4, WMV, H.264 and 3GP video playback.