INQ claims to be the world’s first social mobile
INQ Mobile(Credit: INQ Mobile)
The idea of a "social networking phone" seems redundant at first -- don't all phones have an ability to connect to a social network of some kind? But INQ Mobile, a company based in the U.K., claims that it is the first to really bring social networks in the form of Facebook, MySpace, et al. to those of us who prefer to have regular affordable phones. INQ's argument is that most handsets with dedicated Facebook and Skype applications have so far been of the smart phone variety, and thus out of touch from the mainstream. But with the INQ1, as it's called, these social networking applications are now available in a simple and affordable phone.
Indeed, as we played around with a sample model at a CES press event yesterday, we could go directly to Facebook with a single push of a button from the device's home screen. Facebook and other similar applications are laid out along the bottom row of the home screen, allowing for simple and direct access. The INQ1 comes with Facebook, Skype, Yahoo, Google, eBay, and Windows Messenger built-in, but since it also supports Java and BREW, you're able to add other applications like MySpace. The phone's contacts list is closely integrated with these applications, allowing you to see the online presence of all your contacts directly from the address book. For example, as you scroll down your contacts list, you can see the person's Facebook online status, Skype availability, and IM status. And then you can just choose whichever way you wish to contact him or her.
