Puma has just announced that its branded Puma Phone has started shipping on three continents: Europe, Africa and Middle East. Showcased at the beginning of the year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the device hits the shelves five months after the official announcement. It is the result of the partnership created by Puma and Sagem back in October 2009 whose intention was to design “something distinctive.”

The mobile phone features a solar panel on the back that recharges the battery, PUMA WORLD, a dedicated service that offers direct and easy to access multimedia news, social networking, downloadable PUMA applications and accessories.

Advertised as a phone targeting those who like outdoor activities, the device also comes with stopwatch, Sports tracker, GPS speedo, GPS maps and 3D yachting compass. The proprietary user interface includes around 100 Puma message icons, which work best with the integrated Speak Puma application on Facebook.

Spec-wise, the Puma Phone features a 2.8-inch QVGA touch screen, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps connectivity, built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support, microSD memory card slot, 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash, as well as a secondary video-call camera. Besides the pre-installed apps, users will be able to take advantage of web browsing, email and Instant Messaging options.

Even though the phone has been announced as being available on three continents, only a few countries have actually started its distribution: Europe (Germany, UK, Italy, The Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Romania, Macedonia and Slovenia), Africa (Uganda, Madagascar, Kenya, Mauritius, Cameroon, Botswana, Tunisia and Senegal) and the Middle East (UAE).

Puma Phone will probably be available in more selected countries in the near future. The device can be acquired for 399 EUR unlocked, but in some countries, operators might offer it subsidized with a plan.