3 launches the “INQ1” phone, promises social networking nirvana

by Alex Zaharov-Reutt

Friday, 14 November 2008

Page 1 of 3 ! Billed as “the world’s most advanced social networking phone”, and by some as being “INQ”-redible (while looking similar to the Nokia N85), the INQ1 has been designed to integrate your Facebook, Skype, email and Windows Live Messenger “life” and contacts in arguably the most advanced way possible – but is it something competitors will quickly copy? Imagine a phone that could synchronise all your Facebook contacts into your phone’s contact list, automatically pulling in their avatars, status messages and other details? Or if it could do the same with Skype and Windows Live Messenger? If you’re someone that lives on Facebook, this kind of feature could be very handy, although the INQ1 isn’t the first phone to offer a Facebook client. Worked on for over two years by INQ Mobile, the INQ1 is its first handset, and while the company is entering what is already a crowded smartphone market, INQ are clearly hoping to make a massive splash. Interestingly, INQ Mobile is backed by Hutchison Whampoa, the company behind 3 Mobile itself, so 3 will be very motivated to make this phone a success – while naturally ensuring the phone remains a 3 Mobile exclusive. Noting the fact that Facebook is already visited 250,000 times per week by 3 Mobile customers on existing non-INQ1 mobile phones, 3 is naturally predicting a massive increase once INQ1 phones start getting into social networking addicted 3 Mobile customers. The phone is “expected in Australian stores in time for Christmas”, it's a "slider" phone that comes with the usual bells and whistles associated with today’s smartphones, from HSDPA Internet access and a 3.2 megapixel camera, mp3 player, access to 3 Mobile’s “Live TV” streams, memory that can be expanded to 4GB (although only 50MB is built into the phone) and even a two-year warranty, but it’s the social networking, Skype and even 1GB included monthly data as standard that sets this phone apart from its competition. Sadly it doesn't seem to come with a 3.5mm headphone socket, even though it comes with headphones in the box - if only phone companies could figure this out and just make 3.5mm standard, the kids and adults that buy this "social mobile" could feel more comfy leaving their socially acceptable iPods at home - once they've purchased a separately available 4GB microSD card to load tracks onto, of course. But being a music phone isn't the "wow" the INQ1 offers. As noted in the introduction, the INQ1 gives you “1 click access” to Facebook which then gives you a “first ever live address book with friends’ Facebook status and profile picture displayed against their contact details”. Of course, if this is such a great idea, one can only wonder how long it will be before competitors enable the same feature in their phones, or if Facebook will somehow try to “block” that from happening for a time in support of the INQ1. In addition to email (be it Gmail or Pop3 mail), Windows Live Messeger and Skype, you also get RSS feeds (among others) and the 3.2 megapixel camera which lets you take photos and then upload them straight to your Facebook page. The INQ1 Mobile phone from INQ and 3 Mobile Interestingly, no mention of the camera also being a video camera is apparent, so that’s not clear, but hopefully the INQ1 doesn’t join the iPhone as a camera equipped smartphone that can’t do video. More details on page 2, along with links to YouTube video clips showing the phone in action on page 3... please read on. << First page <   1 2 3 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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