[Ben]

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/11/13/3_launches_inq_facebook_phone/

Network operator 3 has unveiled a handset that’ll make Facebook fans up and down the country jump for joy.

The INQ1 is a slider designed with just one thing in mind: social networking. It features access to a whole series of communication apps, including Facebook, Windows Live Messenger and Skype.

Manufactured by Amoi, the INQ1 runs on a platform designed by self-styled “new company” INQ, which claimed that the device is “the world’s most advanced social networking phone”.

Scrolling icons on the main menu provide direct access to said social networking apps, a very basic web browser and Google tools. Facebook’s layout is different from the website's design, but proved as easy as pie to navigate around.

Facebook, Windows Live Messenger and Skype
For example, INQ automatically adds contacts from Facebook to its address book – and from other apps – so that a user’s avatar appears when they call you. A Facebook friend’s status, such as “Will is eating chicken”, will also appear in your INQ1 contacts menu.

If you’re not a social networking addict, then INQ1 doesn’t have much else to offer. It does sport HSDPA 3G connections of up to 3.6Mb/s and a three-megapixel camera.

But when we tried the phone out at its London launch this morning, we found the 2.2in, 320 x 240 screen difficult to read text on. It's not touch-sensitive, either.

The lack of a Qwerty keyboard will put some users off, but 3 did hint at the launch of a Qwerty-enabled model next year. There’s no support for GPS, but 3 also said this will come in 2009.

Bluetooth is present and there’s a USB port. A 1GB memory card’s supplied with the device.

The INQ1 will be free on a £15-per-month ($25/€20) 3 contract which gets you unlimited web, texts and 75 minutes of calls. It’ll cost £80 ($150/€100) on a pay-as-you-go basis. An availability date hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Try not to get too excited.

[miffed]

Do we have a "yawn" Smiley ?

I'd hazard a guess this is not a patch on the iPhone's facebook app without even seeing it !

[Hands0n]

Oh, so its not just me that the Amoi INQ1 leaves cold?

I must say that my experience with the Amoi Skypephone was not particularly good, one of the two decided to give up the ghost for no reason other than being ignored by me. If a handset cannot handle sitting around on a ledge plugged in to its charger then what hope for the brand? Others on here who were the original Skypephone trialists had negative experiences also. Moreso with 3's customer services. I gave up.

[Ben]

Trusted Reviews are still gushing over Three. http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2008/11/13/3-Launches-Brilliant-INQ1-Social-Networking-Phone/p1

[chaslam]

I personally think it looks a really nice phones, but I think looks are as far as it will go (I mean ascetically with the brushed metal). I HATE it when Three announce something make a HUGE deal about it (eg this time was "A new Groundbreaking revolution!") and then they come out with some tat like this.

I mean lets look at it. o2 have the iphone. Fair enough. Vodafone have the storm. Fair enough. Tmobile have the G1. Fair enough. 3 have the.............INQ1?!?! Surely they learnt with the skypephone that phones made for a specific purpose just dont work. Pretty much anyone can go on their facebook now using their phone or even an ipod or anything with an internet connection! Why do 3 have to make it so special that they need to release a dedicated phone to do a simple task (albeit maybe a little bit better then most phones. Who do you know who is THAT obsessed with facebook that cant bear to not check it when their outside their house? Not many.

Please 3, if your going to make a fuss about something, make it someone to actually make a fuss about, not a cheap piece of crap that no one will want and then call it a revolutionary phone.

[Ben]

The one thing this handset has going for it is that it's pretty damn cheap. Trusted Reviews also seem to think the always-on features of the social networking apps with automatic phonebook integration are serious winners... I can't see it being a massive departure from the Skype phone, though, and that just wasn't fun after a while.