Peek unveils dedicated Twitter device

IDG News Service - Peek has debuted a dedicated Twitter mobile device, the company said Tuesday.

The TwitterPeek will be sold via Amazon.com or TwitterPeek.com and will be priced at $199 for an unlimited number of Twitter messages during the lifetime of the device. Consumers can also pay $99 for six months of unlimited messaging. After that users will have to pay $7.95 per month.

The device offers always-on, instant delivery of Twitter messages and a QWERTY keyboard. With what Peek calls average usage, the TwitterPeek should last up to four days without having to be recharged. The company also promises nationwide coverage.

For now, the device is available only in the U.S.

The TwitterPeek is far from the only mobile device with support for Twitter. The number of mobile phones with Twitter support is constantly growing, and many new smartphones come with tightly integrated support for the microblogging service.

But Peek still sees the need for a dedicated Twitter device. The TwitterPeek offers a lower cost compared to smartphones, according to Peek. It's also much easier to use compared to sending SMS messages using traditional cell phones, it said.

However, the cost of Twitter-capable phones is dropping. For example, a U.K operator is selling the new INQ Mini 3G for $80 with a prepaid subscription. The phone also comes with integrated support for Facebook and Skype.