3mobilebuzz brings you the latest news, reviews, opinion and hype on 3 from across the web. Find out what other people are saying about all of 3’s mobiles, price plans, products and services online, plus troubleshooting hints and tips.
Fred (@wingdisk) of tekimage has been trialling the INQ Mini 3G and has gone as far as to compare it to Superman!
He has been putting it through its paces testing out the Skype and Twitter apps and uploading photos straight to facebook.
Fred also talks us through his experience with 3’s 3G network and the improvements he’s seen over the months, due to the work that 3 has been doing to enhance and expand its network.
So, who does Fred see using the INQ Mini 3G? Not just the youths of today - pop over to his blog post and find out. Do you agree?
As reported over the past couple of weeks, we provided 8 fashion addicts with HTC Heros and INQ Chat 3Gs so they could report from the catwalk for free to celebrate 3 offering free Twitter throughout February & March.
The girls took full advantage of the offer and tweeted profusely all day long. Check out #FreeTwitteron3 for a review of the day, from what’s on trend in Spring / Summer 2010 to who bought what (and a lot of buying was done!)
The girls really enjoyed the phones they were using, Natasha (@natashabailie) said of the Hero:
“I was given a HTC Hero phone, which took some getting used to, but if you like gadgets and nifty handheld devices then you will love the (super) Hero phone on 3mobile.”
Whilst half the girls had HTC Heros, the other half had INQ Chat 3Gs which went down a storm with Fiona of SaveOurShoes, a self-confessed technophobe:
“I got to play around with an INQ Mobile for a bit. And now, I am addicted to tweeting, twitpicing and being a general nuisance.”
Follow them on Saturday to find out what they’ve been doing and what amazing stuff they’ve been seeing.
@nechbi from mypocketOS has also been spreading the word about Free Twitter on 3 throughout February and March, and makes a good point that “if you haven’t used Twitter before, now is a good opportunity to try it out for free.” So why not have a go?!
Amy (@wolfwhistle) and Carrie’s (@wishwishwish) +1s are still to be decided. If you want to be in with a chance of joining them, pop over to their twitter feeds and twitpic them something that you think proves that “the best things in life are free”.
All 8, will be tweeting for free from the catwalk to make the most of 3’s offering free Twitter throughout February & March. They will be using either an HTC Hero or an INQ Chat 3G. These phones are new to the girls, so if anyone has any hints & tips for them, make sure to let them know.
Steve from last100 (@sohear & @last100) has been trialing the INQ Chat 3G and shared his thoughts this week.
He compares the INQ Chat 3G to his “much more expensive smartphone” in terms of the built-in apps that are available. In his words:
“…the INQ Chat fulfills its mission: bringing a social messaging QWERTY phone to the mass market.”
He talks about the pros and cons of this phone, from the camera to the Twitter & Skype apps. For all his thoughts, and to ask him any questions about the phone, head over to last100 to find out more.
There’s been quite a lot of talk about the INQ Chat 3G recently from the guys who are trialling it from us so we thought we’d give you an update of their thoughts..
“The camera and integration with the services is excellent as is the integration of the Phonebook and Facebook.”
The most negative thing that @adonisdemon could pull up was the fact that it doesn’t have WiFi connectivity as back up, all connection is done through the 3 network, so there’s no option to use WiFi if it’s available.
@markb44z liked the improvement of the Twitter app on the INQ Chat 3G as compared to the INQ Mini 3G, but feels that it could still be better,
“The same problem remains however that you can only view your most recent tweets and you still have to go online and log-in to the mobile Twitter website to view older tweets.”
Do we have any art students in the audience tonight? If so, Liam states in his review post that he thinks the INQ Chat 3G is your equivalent in the phone world,
“If the INQ Chat 3G was a person it would be an art student with its distinctive visual identity that sets it apart from other mobile phones.”
Liam goes onto talking about using the INQ Chat 3G with Ubuntu, with a couple of tips for getting the phone connected up via Bluetooth. The browser and the processor speed are areas where Liam thinks the phone needs improving, but the overall impression left by the phone is still a positive one,
“I think you get a lot for your money, this is a phone you can be proud of thanks to its strong visual identity and it feels like it is well made.”
Stephen has also been putting the INQ Chat 3G through its paces. The integration of the social networking apps is seen as a real bonus to the phone, with Skype and Facebook working well. However he feels the Twitter integration isn’t quiet as strong as that of the other two and had some issues with the phone freezing when all were running at once.
Stephen wraps up by recommending the phone to those who don’t want all the apps running all the time, but want them all ready to go out of the box,
“So, if you don’t want to run all the Social Networking apps all the time,but want a device with a QWERTY keyboard, and the ability to use your favourite Social Networking sites out of the box, then certainly go and try out the INQ Chat 3G.”
Have you tried the INQ Chat 3G yet? If you have, hop over to their sites and let them know what you thought of it. If not, and you fancy trying one & sharing your thoughts, let us know and we’ll see what we can do.
A happy new year to all our readers, we trust you had a fantastic Christmas. We got a little festive ourselves, but we’re over it now don’t worry.
A quick summary of some of the interesting recent goings on, starting with an INQ Chat 3G review by Mobile Choice UK. A positive experience overall with usability and social networking integration especially good, the processor and camera areas stated as needing improvements.
“Verdict: The INQ Chat 3G achieves all it sets out to. An excellent ‘affordable’ social networking phone that could just do with a little extra oomph”
Something for the Android and Google fans, as reported by Engadget there will be a press conference held this morning in California where the Nexus One is rumoured to be the focus. The Nexus One will only be available in the States to start with, but will be available unlocked, how about this as the perfect accompanying SIM for anyone thinking of importing one? Check out the Twitter buzz on Nexus One here.
The BBC and IntoMobile have reported on a small increase in the number of UK drivers who talk on the phone whilst driving. Personally something I’ve never done, why would you need to when there is such a range of Bluetooth headsets available?
Slightly older news, but maybe you missed it, 3 now support the UK Twitter 86444 shortcode, more info and set up details can be found on Twitter.
What is the most interesting piece of mobile related news you heard over the holiday period?
All you have to do is send him a funny picture, the one which he finds the funniest wins. Don’t forget to include your Twitter name so everyone can see the results.
We haven’t entered because we’d obviously win, and we already have plenty of INQ Mini 3Gs. But feel free to discuss entries here and Simon if you need any help judging give us a shout, we like a giggle.
A message to the winner, as Simon says get in touch, we’re happy to help.
“If you are looking for a simple, but easy-to-use communication device without all the hassle or expense of the App Store and open source operating systems, the INQ Chat 3G will do you nicely.”
“We love INQ’s packaging: if you’re a mobile novice, it couldn’t be clearer how to set up.”
There are also loads of great pictures on both reviews, however if video is more your thing then check out our friend Simon’s unboxing video:
Our Chats are currently winging their way to our first set of trialists, so over the coming weeks you will be able to hound them for their opinions and experiences.
Have you got hands on with one already? Let us know what you think.
Available for £99.99 on PAYG or £15 on contract the INQ Chat 3G could be just the gift for someone at Xmas. What’s so special about it? The full QWERTY keyboard, email integration and let’s not forget free Skype and WLM. That’s not all though, as explained by 3G.co.uk there is more:
“The fun isn’t all in the chatting though – the INQ Chat 3G has entertainment as well as communication covered with iTunes and Windows Media Player media syncing for PCs and Macs.”
Mark Boulton has been taking part in our INQ Mini trial, and has shared his thoughts on his brilliantly named “Boulton Bugle”
Mark was disappointed with the in-built Twitter app:
“..only the very most recent tweets are displayed, if you wish to view older messages you have to go online and log-in to the mobile Twitter site which to me seems a little daft”
Instead, he prefers to use Dabr, which is fast becoming the benchmark against which other mobile Twitter apps are measured.
On the plus side, it’s a positive that, “on the Contacts list you can synchronize with your Facebook contacts so they are displayed alongside your regular contacts”.
He also echoes other feedback we’ve had about the look and feel of the phone – “the handset itself is an extremely nice looking and small phone, feels very well built and very good to hold”
The INQ mini has been widely praised for its combination of social media integration, good looks and low pricing. With INQ moving onto the Android platform next year it’ll be interesting to see what the next generation of INQ handsets bring to the table.
If it’s tips on how to get the best out of your INQ Mini you’re after, then you’d be well advised to get yourself over to UKGadgeteer, where they’ve posted a second useful piece of advice.
You might remember that we drew attention to Sam’sfirst INQ Mini tip, which suggested hooking your mobile’s browser to m.inq.getjar.comto get access to an array of free and paid for apps.
The latest snippet will help you to capture new fixes and features into some of the applications of your device as INQ rolls them out, such as Skype, Facebook and Twitter.
UKGadgeteer says: ‘It’s nice to know it’s this easy to get updates. As you may remember, the INQ1 had a number of updates delivered this way after a few months of release. We should also add that INQ also stated they update their manufacturing build with these new updates, so a brand new phone may not need updates when taken out of the box.’
If you’re a social networking type and you think that the INQ Mini could be your bag, don’t forget that 3 last week dropped the prepay handset price last week. Sounds like a decent stocking filler… Santa can expect a lot of new Facebook friends and Twitter followers this Christmas.
“The first INQ handset…though wouldn’t probably hold itself against the iPhones, Blackberries or the N-Series of the mobile world, had proven to be a very good contender for the middle to low market, and the INQ Mini has promised to bring some improvement to its Big Brother.”
This was a common topic of discussion on the night itself – where in the market does the INQ Mini sit?General consensus was that INQ is carving an interesting niche for itself as a kind of “Smartphone Lite”, one for users who want some online features, but don’t want to get involved in installing apps.
During the meetup we took some videos of the guys discussing their first impressions of the handset.Chris has embedded his contribution on his posting, so check it out.
Fred (@wingdisk) of tekimage has been trialling the INQ Mini 3G and has gone as far as to compare it to Superman!
Steve from 
