Last week we reported that the San Francisco will be Orange’s Project JAL, Orange makes official their own branded, budget friendly device. As this is pretty much the same device as the ZTE Blade, this device will run you just £99 on the Orange Pay as you go plan.

Official specs of the Orange San Francisco include:

• Android 2.1
• 3.5 inch touchscreen, 480×800
• 600MHz CPU
• 130g
• 116 x 56.5 x 11.8
• 3-megapixel camera
• FM Radio
• 150 MB internal storage with expandable via micro SD up to 32 GB

While it is clear that this device won’t compete with any heavy hitters like the HTC Desire, this device offers a budget friendly device while still maintaining a decent Android device. If your looking to get your mitts on this device, it will be available sometime this week in Orange shops, Orange telesales and www.orange.co.uk.

Anyone looking to grab this device?

Official presser below.

Orange brings Android to the masses with the launch of San Francisco

• The San Francisco is the first in a series of Orange-branded affordable Android devices
• At just £99, the San Francisco provides customers with access to great Android technology whilst also offering excellent value for money
• Combined with Orange’s pay as you go Dolphin tariff – the San Francisco is perfect for users wanting access to thousands of apps on the go

Orange today unveiled the San Francisco, a super sleek and stylish touchscreen Android mobile phone, priced at only £99 on Orange pay as you go. Offering Orange customers access to thousands of apps, the San Francisco handset is the first in a series of new affordable Android devices to be ranged from Orange in the UK.

Available fully loaded with the easy-to-use Android 2.1 operating platform, the handset allows users to access thousands of great apps at their finger tips including those specifically designed to offer customers a great Orange experience including Orange Wednesdays, Orange Maps – which uses the device’s built in sat-nav. Keen music fans are also catered for with the San Francisco featuring an MP3 player and built-in FM radio to listen to music when you want, where you want. Available in a stylish slate grey the handset also offers users a high quality 3 megapixel camera to share photos with friends on the go, and with wifi, bluetooth as well as a 3G+ connection – uploading images will be a cinch.

Offering fantastic value with all the functionality and style that you’d expect at a higher price, the San Francisco is perfect for keeping in touch with friends and family. And with the Orange pay as you go Dolphin plan, it’s also great for staying in touch on the go through social networking sites like Bebo, Facebook or Twitter. Finally, when you top up by £10 on pay as you go Dolphin, you not only receive inclusive internet, you also get 300 free texts and £10 credit to spend however you want. 

Phil Roberson, Director of Devices said: “The San Francisco is the first in a series of affordable Android devices we have planned for Orange. Combining its great functionality with our pay as you go price plans, really does offer users tremendous value for money”.

The San Francisco supports a data capacity of up to 32GB, and comes with a 2GB microSD card inbox and in-built memory of 150MB. Available for only £99 on Orange pay as you go, the San Francisco is available this week from Orange shops, Orange telesales and www.orange.co.uk.

Notes to editors

Full specification list:

• Talk Time: 4 hours
• Standby Time: 9 days
• Weight: 130g
• Dimensions: 116 x 56.5 x 11.8
• 3.5 inch touchscreen, 480×800
• 600MHz CPU
• Camera Features: 3 megapixel
• Connectivity: WiFi / Bluetooth / USB / SatNav
• Music: MP3 / FM Radio
• Network Band: Tri band
• Video: Messaging
• Memory: 150 MB internal / Up to 32gb Micro SD Card
• Email: POP3 / IMAP4
• Data Speed: 3G +
• Operating System: Android
• Version: Eclair v2.1
• Other: Orange WiFi, Your Account
• Applications and Features: Orange Maps, Orange Messenger by Windows Live, Orange App Store, Email, Orange Wednesdays

Review units available on request. 

About Orange UK

Orange is the key brand of the France Telecom Group, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. With 131.8 million customers, the Orange brand now covers Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates. 

In the UK, Orange provides high quality GSM coverage to 99% of the UK population, and 3G coverage to more than 93%. At the end of March 2010, Orange had more than 17.305 million customers in the UK – 16.442 million active mobile customers and approximately 863,000 fixed line internet customers.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Brand Services Limited.

On July 1 2010, the company became part of Everything Everywhere, one company that runs two of Britain’s most famous brands – Orange UK and T-Mobile UK – with plans to transform the industry by giving customers instant access to everything, everywhere, offering them the best value, best choice and best network coverage in the country. Everything Everywhere Limited is registered at Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9BW under the registered company number 02382161.

Via: Orange, Phandroid