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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.”
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.
Seeping throughout the online space currently is the rumour that INQ are going to be building and releasing a Spotify branded phone.
TechCrunch and TechDigest have put together cases as to why this is likely, notably the recent investment by INQ backer Li Ka-Shing in the streaming (and now downloadable) music service. Engadget have gone a step further, adding fuel to the fire by suggesting the possibility of new OS for INQ,
“The last thing we heard from INQ about future plans was a forthcoming Android handset […] so the optimist in us would like to believe that this Spotify phone could be INQ’s big Android play - there is already an official Spotify Android app to make that whole process seem even more doable.”
For now we’re going to have to delve among the ‘possible’ and ‘maybe’ because, as Pocket-Lint confirm,
“Here in the UK, INQ’s press office has no comment on the news.”
“The social networking mobile is back in a new, smaller, faster, pumped up guise. Called the INQ Mini 3G, it adds Twitter and a 3G internet connection to a smaller package. But is it any good? Read our INQ Mini 3G review and we’ll give you our verdict.”
And true to their word that is exactly what they do! Comparisons are made with the INQ1, a device they refer to as breakthrough, and therefore expectations are high. Regardless of this the INQ Mini fares well. The only minor gripes are in relation to only packing in a 2-megapixel camera and the need for an adaptor to use headphones, which seems odd considering the phone’s young target audience.
Nevertheless Electricpig believes, “If you’re after the functionality of a smart phone on a budget, look no further.”
Frank Meehan has been talking at Mobilise ‘09 and has subsequently sparked a few rumours, notably that INQ would be dropping the BREW platform and moving to the Android.
“Speaking directly to INQ we were told that despite what was printed ‘INQ isn’t saying anything at the moment other than that they are looking at Android. INQ is not dropping Brew. They’re looking at both platforms in parallel. We’re not totally sure where [the rumours] came from and appreciate you setting the story straight!’”
It all seems to be a loss of context, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see INQ making the switch as it something they are clearly investigating.
During an interview with Om Malik of GIGAOM at Mobilize 09 in San Francisco, INQ CEO Frank Meehan has revealed that INQ will release an Android powered handset by the close of next year.
This news, which you can read at Pocket-Lint, comes just before the launch of the Chat and Mini devices from the manufacturer. The company’s unrelenting drive to compete is something Meehan is proud of,
“We can beat Nokia and Sony Ericsson and Motorola at this … we’re small, we’re nimble, and we’re fast”.
The decision to change from BREW to Android is assessed by UKGadgeteer,
“Whilst the BREW platform is a good and easy platform, it has a number of limitations (things like not being able to support cell ID location information for apps, meaning Google Maps either has no location information, or has to have a GPS), which simply don’t exist with Android.”
If you want to see the interview, jump to The Really Mobile Project who have posted it in its entirety.
At Tech Digest there is a picture based article (be sure to click on the pics to get the text) of the five coolest British made phones ever. Enjoying the article greatly is IntoMobile who have highlighted the Sendo X and the INQ1, both of which are in the Tech Crunch cool to call list.
Noted by Into Mobile is the positivity that currently surrounds INQ, “Actually INQ have just released two new handsets (see here), but their first device, lauded by press and public alike, was the INQ1 – a very nice little slider which has a ton of social networking features in it.”
To have a look at all five make sure you head through and reminisce, proud to be a British mobile user!
We know that Hutchison Whampoa main manLi Ka-Shing has invested cash into Spotify and now, we also know it was enough to get a chair on the music streaming company’s board.
This chair has been filled by INQ Mobile’s CEO Frank Meehan. As The Really Mobile Project’sDan Lane states, “Frank Meehan [is] a whirlwind of business savvy, it’s tiring just being in the same room as him.” With this knowledge Dan is confident that a BREW Spotify app is being worked on right now (BREW being the platform the INQs run on) – hopefully to be ready for the release of the Chat and Mini? Watch this space… and, if speculation is your thing when it comes to 3UK and Spotify, read this post by UKGadgeteer.
3 have always innovated; as evidenced by having their slogan ‘changing mobile forever’ as their lead message. It is this that saw them forge into the social networking space in partnership with INQ around this time last year, a move that was well received. However, both Orange and Vodafone are, as UKGadgeteer reports, “preparing some social networking software to improve their customer experience…”
Orange has ‘Social Life’ (which you can read about courtesy of Mobile Europe) that will aggregate activity from Facebook, MySpace and Bebo. It will be accessible through the operator’s portal, Orange World.
The third player in this battle is Vodafone with ‘Vodafone People’. TechCrunch covered this with insider videos, which have since been removed, but there is still plenty to get your teeth into, “Vodafone is now aiming squarely at integrating social networks, an area which the 3 network has pushed heavily to date. Vodafone People has ‘active contacts’, similar to the old Jaiku format and seems to be taking on INQ Mobile by syncing contacts on multiple devices and details with Facebook. In other words, Vodafone appears spooked by Three’s focus on social networking.”
As UKGadgeteer concludes “it seems these three networks are going to be going head to head to claim superiority in the Social Networking space.” Is there space for all of them? How will it all pan out? We’d love to hear your thoughts…
Referring to his previous handset, the N95 as “excellent but now quite senile”, Shiv has been on the lookout for a new device and had his eye caught by the INQ1. Tempted by the integration of Facebook, WLM and Skype he had a full-on “ooooh…aaaaah!” moment when he saw the address book 2.0.
His review goes from unboxing to summary and gives attention to everything inbetween. This especially focuses on issues he has had with the INQ1 and what he’d like to see next from the manufacturer. Will the Chat and Mini sync with his thoughts?
In a move that Omio describes as a “stark contrast” to other networks, 3 have done away with their 12 month pay monthly offerings and switched to 6 month tariffs instead.
Omio’s Ernest Doku gives the details, “The 6 month contracts are available on 3’s Mix and Match 300 and 500 packages, which offers sign-ups a flexible combination of free any network minutes and texts, varying based on usage. Both offer a free handset on deals from £15 and £18 per month respectively, and are already on the site alongside the existing 18 and 24 month contracts.”
All the details including the handsets available are here, which is a point of debate for Ernest who believes the new generation of INQ phones - the Chat and Mini - may be worth the wait and therefore keep people away. What do you think? Let Ernest know.
