Entering the market at a time when others are contemplating leaving it is a brave move, but INQ is a brave company. The INQ 1 is an innovative phone that pulls together social networking services in a compact slider. Is this the Facebook phone we've all been waiting for? Read on to find out.
The INQ is available on 3 for free on a contract as cheap as £15 per month, or for £80 on pay as you go.
Design
When we first saw the INQ 1 in a picture we didn't think much of it at all. It looked like a bog-standard slider phone, with an extreme pizzazz deficit. In the flesh -- well, plastic and aluminium -- the INQ 1 isn't half bad, however. It's not the most attractive slider out there, but it's functional, well made and sturdy enough to take a few hits.
A medium-sized colour screen displays a bright and sharp picture and all the keys, including those on the keypad, are large and easy to press. The slim casing slips easily into a pocket and there's a mini-USB port for all your charging and syncing needs.
An interesting feature that works well is a small key on the side of the INQ 1 that lets you scroll through the shortcut icons on the main screen. These shortcuts allow you to access apps and services at the click of the button, similar to the Quick Launch feature on Windows Mobile.
We only have two issues with the INQ 1's design: firstly, there's no 3.5mm headphone jack for plugging your headphones straight in; and secondly, given that you're going to be using it to type long emails and messages, we think a full Qwerty keypad -- as on the LG KS360 -- would have been better than the standard numerical one.
Features
It's not often we're excited by a phone as inexpensive as this, but the INQ 1 is much more than your average talker and texter. INQ has created a simple user interface with large, easy-to-understand icons and straightforward option menus. Almost anyone could pick this phone up and start using it.
In addition to a simple user interface, INQ has tightly integrated popular Web services into the INQ 1, in particular Facebook. When you access the FB, it automatically integrates your contact details with your phone contacts, cleverly allowing you to see your friends' profile pictures when they call you.
The Facebook app lets you see your profile wall and gives you access to your photos, contacts and inbox. You can quickly and easily upload pictures straight from the INQ 1 over HSDPA (3.5G). This is by far the best and easiest-to-use Facebook app we've seen.
The INQ 1 also gives you access to Windows Live messenger, so you can IM your friends, and Skype, so you can make VoIP calls. As with Facebook, these apps let you tie in all their contact details with the INQ's contact list.
On your average phone, the contact list merely displays telephone numbers and a few extra details such as email addresses, but the INQ 1's list brilliantly shows you who's online and then lets you contact them via the three Web-based services.
An interesting, useful feature is the ability to add widgets to the INQ 1's start page, allowing you to see a large clock or search Google, for example. These widgets can be customised so that only the most important information is displayed, meaning you don't have to fiddle around in the menu looking for it.
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User reviews9
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hereyee 20 February 2011
Good: you can go on facebook and twitter and also it has some good mp3 specialities
Bad: it is hard to use and you can hardly get a signal on it, i think it is ugly and very bad for its price range therefore i have had to bid for a HTC hero g2 as this is the phone you need if u have had the INQ1 in the past.
Comment: therefore im giving it 1 star out of 5
richard12345 27 September 2010
Good: Keypad size
Bad: Most things
Comment: I have had this phone for a year, which I use for phoneing and texting only. In the first week, the battery had to changed twice, as it would last only for 10 minutes of calls, then finaly they supplied a battery that worked properly. Like most mobile phone batteries, at first it would last a day and a half with moderate use, after 6 months it had to be charged overnight,every night, now one year later I am lucky to make one 10 minute call. At home I keep it on charge, as I do in the car, but it is useless when on trains or at meetings,
The answer is to buy another battery! only problem is, at the local 3 stores they say "we don't sell battries, but you could buy another handset". Even the technical support don't have batteries, the best they can do is offer £5 off the next bill and say buy a battery from some where else, I asked where, "they say anywhere you like".
I do not want to buy another phone, because when the 18 month contract, with 3, is up I will go back to T-Mobile, not only because of the battery problem, I get no reception in my office at home, I have to go into the lounge, or even outside to use the phone, which is not convenient, if I am taking a call and need to make notes. I am not happy with the past year with 3.
disgusted 14 May 2010
Good: absolutely nothing
Bad: everything
Comment: Looks like a phone, but that's it. Cuts off when connected to PC, cannot take pictures (no flash) video facility awful. And Don't try to use it to call anyone it switches itself off. Battery life is terrible. I sent it back 3 times to manufacturer after the last time I went back to using a 4 year old Sony and give it to the baby to play with. Good for nothingelse. Phone of the Year Ha Ha,
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