After getting busy with product launches the past two weeks, we’re finally back to our usual program line-up! This week we finally get to take a look at the INQ Mini 3G, one of the phones with the best Facebook integration we’ve seen so far on a feature phone! There’s so much to talk about this phone that we’ve made this into a two-parter.

As a smartphone, I wouldn’t consider buying this device. But non-smartphone users will definitely love it, especially since it’s $0 with a contract! In fact, I’ve let some non-geeks play with it, and they really loved it.

Link: Inq Mini 3G with Singtel

Be sure to read on for Part 2 of this episode!

http://youtu.be/Sa6flW42K

DK, Farinelli, Hisham, Justin, Nicole

Stories this week:

[1:00] Microsoft Launches Office Web Trial
[3:30] No TCP/IP patches Windows XP
[8:00] Stay connected while in-camp
[11:00] Twitter’s New Avatar Takes Over Unsuspecting Accounts
[13:55] Log In to Facebook With Your Username
[14:25] No More Windows Mobile Phones From Palm
[16:05] iNQ Mobile
[22:25] HP Launch new Notebook/Netbook
[25:30] Sony Ericsson promises to change things forever on September 21

[28:30] Question of the week: Which is better, Omnia II or i8910HD?

Bonus: Starwar Geek Discussion: Jedi to boycott supermarket after being banned for wearing a hood

Frank Meehan, CEO of INQ Mobile, gave us a sneak peak at their upcoming device, the INQ Chat 3G, which is a QWERTY version of the Mini 3G, with added email functionality in addition to the existing social media applications.

Don’t forget to check out our first look at the INQ Mini 3G, as well as its unboxing video!

If you missed the first look video, check it out here. Stay tuned for one more video from the INQ Mini 3G launch, a sneak peak at their upcoming device, the INQ Chat 3G!

• Size – Width 45.8mm x Height 12.8mm x Length 102.9mm
• Weight – 90g (with 1150mAh battery)
• Battery Life -
  Standby: 2G – 260 hours
  3G – 285 hours
  Talktime: 2G – 210 minutes
  3G – 160 minutes
• Chipset – Qualcomm QSC 6270
• Radio – UMTS 2100 MHz (HSDPA 3.6Mbps – No 7.2Mbps available for Singapore handsets) GSM/GPRS/Edge 900/1800/1900 MHz
• Main Display – 2.2 inch, QVGA (240×320 pixels), 262K TFT
• Camera – 2.0 Megapixels fixed focus outward facing camera Video calling available for the outward facing camera
• Memory – On board user memory: 100MB (usable) Expandable: up to 8GB via MicroSD/SDHC memory card slot
• Connectivity – Micro Mini USB to USB 2.0
• Bluetooth – Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (support profiles: Headset, Hands free, File Transfer, ObjectPush, A2DP, AVRCP, DUN)
• Platform – BREW 4.0 plus INQ System 1 extensions

Software Overview:

• Java MIDP2.0 (support SVN multi-tasking)
• Access Net Front 3.5 browser (Opera Mini will work too, but as a separate download)
• OMA DRM v1.o
• OMA SyncML v1.1.2 (Over the Air only)
• OMA Download v1.0

Features Overview:

• Deep integration with Twitter, Facebook, IM and email.
• Active Address Book – Able to add, merge, remove and selectively choose contacts to display from Facebook and Twitter.
• Facebook is not “on” your phone, but “in” your phone. Integrates into your contacts so you can see everything about a contact at one look. Able to send pictures to Facebook. Twitter will be supported in the next update. Able to select which contacts in Facebook to show on your phone contacts. Uses Facebook profile photos as your phone contact profile.
• Native Twitter Application.
• Plug and Play HSDPA modem on both PCs and Macs without any 3rd party software. Windows 7 and Snow Leopard supported.
• Applications are updated over the air.
• Double Twist is used to do media syncing between your INQ Mini 3G and PCs or Macs. That includes syncing music from iTunes and WMP. Videos and photos are supported too.
• Able to run multiple applications with the “Switcher” feature.
• Synchronization of contacts on Windows and Macs a *possibility*. Will update when there is more information.
• Java Applications are supported. SingTel AMPed, IM on Mobile are preinstalled.
• Able to add up to 3 widgets on the screen. Weather, Date/Time, Search, Twitter, Facebook, RSS Feed, etc widgets are available. More widgets will be available in future.

Launch Overview:

• SingTel is the first in Asia and the world to launch INQ Mini 3G, the ultimate 3G social networking mobile phone.
• INQ Mini 3G will hit the stores on September 19th.
• It will launch 2 weeks later in UK, Italy, Hong Kong, Australia, etc.
• Meant to be low-cost budget Social Mobile Featurephone.
• *Possibly* $0 with contract. (Not confirmed yet)
• No 3.5mm headphone jack. But able to get a USB to 3.5mm connector separately. Comes with a headphones.
• Comes in red by default, pink, yellow, green, blue, black, glossy black. Unsure what which colours SingTel will offer. Will update when there is more information. Update: From 19 – 21st Sept, SingTel will be giving away 3 more covers in yellow, blue and chrome. No word about colours after 21st Sept.

Other tidbits about INQ:

• INQ Chat 3G will be launched in Europe in November ’09. It will depend on SingTel whether they want to import INQ Chat 3G too.
• INQ will release an Android phone next year.
• INQ Mini 3G and Chat 3G will take some time to get to US. Planned to release next year.

I will do a more in-depth review of the phone when I get the chance. Here are more pictures from the event.

Original Post: INQ Mini 3G SingTel Launch in Singapore

Don’t forget to check out our video coverage of the INQ Mini 3G launch!

• INQ Mini 3G first look
• INQ Mini 3G unbox
• INQ Chat 3G first look

We got a chance to take a close look (a bit too close) at the INQ Mini 3G, a brand new feature phone designed specifically for casual users that still want to be connected to their social network at all times. The INQ Mini 3G, unlike Sony Ericsson’s C510, actually integrates Facebook into the phone’s messaging, address book and camera functionality rather than just provide an app or a link to the Facebook web application. It also has a built-in twitter client as well as integration with Singtel’s new AMPed music store and a Windows Live IM client.

This is probably the first time you’ll get to take a look at INQ’s brand new phone launched with Singtel in full HD video, as Singapore’s the first country in the world to get this phone! Brought to you, of course, by the friendly Tech65.org crew…

Stay tuned for an unboxing video of the INQ Mini 3G, as well as a sneak peak at their upcoming QWERTY phone, the INQ Chat 3G. We’re uploading them as fast as we can!