The INQ Mini 3G is a funky little smartphone; it comes in a very bright range of colours, giving it that fun feel. Even at the very low end of the market it will appeal to plenty of people, not only those on a budget, thanks to its friendly look and tiny, compact size.

The point of the handset seems to be to integrate a number of different social networking services in one; there are several different applications that support over the air updates, as well as quick ways to set up all your favourite social sites.

Instant Messenger, Skype and Facebook can all be found on the mobile phone right from the start. Twitter has also been added to the handset however as of yet you are unable to perform instant status updates using push technology from the home screen; something that is expected to change in the near future.

In terms of performance it seems that the INQ Mini 3G does exactly what it was designed to do without much trouble; there were a few times we noticed a second or two delay, but the battery life was better than expected and overall, for a budget smartphone, this handset is definitely an over achiever.

When we look at the wide range of colours available, the very successful integration of various different social networking services and the low end price tag, the INQ 3G Mini seems set to be the must have mobile phone for teenaged consumers, as well as those who like to constantly update their social networking status throughout the day.

As soon as push technology is paired up with Twitter on this particular handset it will definitely be the ultimate in low cost smartphones.

Following from its highly successful Skypephone and multi-awarded INQ1, the Hutchison Whampoa backed mobile phone maker INQ is releasing the new Mini 3G as a social networking mobile phone that has integrated support for Twitter, Skype and Facebook as well as instant messaging and email clients.

It’s No Mini INQ

It goes to market by the end of the year together with the new QWERTY smartphone INQ Chat 3G with which it shares many features.   The INQ Mini 3G though is a lot simpler and sports a conventional candybar form like many in its class.  INQ might have misnamed it a “mini” as there’s nothing in the model to suggest it’s the smaller cousin of a more full-featured handset.  It has a 2.2” QVGA screen and a very basic 2 megapixel camera with 3G and 3.5G support.  Its media players support the popular audio and video formats except Windows Media, though there may be 3^rd party apps that can do file conversion for those that can’t play in it.  There’s no WiFi or GPS to boast of but this is no showcase of a phone to begin with.

Social Networking Integration

The Mini 3G also features a unique media synchronization facility called doubleTwist that enables you to sync with your laptop of desktop PC for music and video files such as those in iTunes.  But its strength lies on its social networking features.  Unlike other mobile phones that have them as add-ons, the INQ Mini 3G has them fully integrated into the phone.  Using them on the fly can be a real breeze.

The candybar monoblock Mini 3G looks like any conventional mobile phone and is pocket-friendly enough at 103 x 46 x 13mm. While not a stand-out, the Mini 3G is sure to appeal to social networking crowd who wants better value on a mobile phone.  Good thing Christmas is just around the corner.

INQ Mini 3G Links:

• INQ Mini 3G Contracts

A Budget Social Networker

INQ has just released a full-featured smartphone that it calls a Twitter phone focused on the social networking crowd. Coming after its multi-awarded INQ1, the new INQ Mini 3G packs all the right features on a budget sub ₤100 phone that is nowhere near a “Mini” except its price.   Following its official launch, you can expect a slew of hands-on reviews on the net and here are some highlights from these unofficial reviews.

Value Features for Everyone

It looks like any ordinary mobile phone on the candybar form factor and feels lightweight enough to be pocket-friendly.  But what distinguishes it from the rest is its great value offering built-in apps for such popular social networking sites as Twitter and Facebook. You may even get free Skype calls with it.   It can integrate with Windows Live and synchronizes with your desktop iTunes.  The trendy social networking crowd will also love its user-replaceable and interchangeable covers that harken back to the good old days when you can have different body colors and designs on Nokia phones.

Form its moniker, the INQ Mini 3G supports 3G and high speed HSDPA so you can browse and download over the net to your heart’s content.   It even allows you to use it as a high speed modem with 3G tethering. It sports a 2.2” QVGA display and a 2 megapixel camera.

Understandably, there’s no fashionable WiFi and GPS features alright.  Not much compared with other smartphones but at its price point, you really can’t complain. But as a social networking phone, it gets the job done faster than many others costing a lot more.  The INQ Mini 3G boasts of having these social networking apps fully integrated into the phone, unlike being after-thought add-ons in others.

The new INQ Mini 3G should hit the stores anytime during the last quarter of the year.  It’s one great option to add to your Christmas shopping list.

INQ Mini 3G Links:

• INQ Mini 3G Contracts