A while back, I had the chance to take a look at the Peek email device.  This is a standalone mobile device, about the size of a Blackberry, which does nothing except check email (text messaging was added later).  While this felt a bit limiting to me, I thought it seemed like a very nice solution for someone like my Mom, who might want to check email but does not have any interest in a full scale smartphone.  Let’s be honest, everyone uses email almost every day, whether they are technologically inclined or not.  So, the ability for non-techies to check email on the go made sense.

Today, I got an email from Amol Sarva, the creator of the Peek, with a sneak peek (sorry about that) at his latest creation, TwitterPeek.  Like the original Peek, this is a sole purposed mobile device.  Instead of email, however, the TwitterPeek will log into your Twitter account, allowing you to read and send tweets from anywhere.

While I could really see the attraction of the original Peek, I simply cannot say I see the same niche for the TwitterPeek.  Twitter has simply not worked its way into every day life the way email has.  Most of the non-technical people I know use email, but do not necessarily see the same need for Twitter.  Furthermore, unlike email, most of the people I know on Twitter are at least savvy enough to access it from their iPhone or other smart device.  Add to that, the price of the Twitter Peek, which will run you a whopping $99 with 6 months of service or $199 with unlimited service; and I am having a hard time coming up with a good reason to opt for this one instead of a feature phone like the Sprint Instinct or other smart phone.  Nonetheless, you can find out more at www.twitterpeek.com.

What do you think?  Would you purchase a single purpose mobile device like the Peek or TwitterPeek?