INQ triumph for Qualcomm Brew

THE OFFICIAL launch of the Hutchison Whampoa Group's new INQ handset brand – while confusing for our readers – will be good news for 3G chip maker, Qualcomm. The whole range will be based around Brew.

INQ's CEO, Frank Meehan, claimed that one reason for picking Brew as the operating environment for what will obviously be a whole range of 3G handsets is the fact it can multi-task.

The handsets sport a carousel of application icon which enables the handset user to flit easily between live applications. The INQ thought the carousel was based on Qualcomm's Uione interface but apparently it has been built entirely from Brew.

Another aid for the handset user is a special 'switcher' button on the side of the handset that pops up the carousel within an application – making it easy for the user to pick options.

Another major benefit of using Brew has been the tight integration of applications into the handset. INQ has worked very closely with Facebook to make the INQ1 "the world's first social networking" handset.

The advantage to this tight integration is that notworking fans can work away on their Facebook pages while out of signal range but as soon as there's a 3G signal, the handset will sync itself.

This tight application integration is the result of research carried out by network operator, 3 UK, which found that 82 per cent of its mobile data traffic came from just five applications.

Besides social networking the others were VoIP; IM; email and video sharing. 3 was already closely co-operating with Skype so the INQ1 carries on the tradition of the original 3 Skypephones. The INQ1 is made by China's Amoi just like the Skypephone.

On the IM front, INQ has chosen to partner closely with Beast for Windows Live Messenger. With email, 3 has its own offering but offers integration with the majors like Hotmail and Gmail.

The INQ1 has an extremely useful facility which the folks at Android need to steal. As you sign into an online environment, your existing contacts are integrated into the address book.

So, for example, you could end up with three entries – Skype, hotmail and Facebook – for the same person. The addressbook has a built in 'merge' function which enables you to highlight multiple entries and consolidate them into one.

There's a very useful spin-off to this. If you pick Skype as the principal entry for a particular person then his or her Facebook avatar will be displayed every time they call. Meehan didn't say whether the handsets use text to speech to speak their names too.

The downside of using Brew and a tightly integrated apps environment is that INQ won't be offering an Android market or Itumes app store.

It's possible that Brew games – which haven't made much impact in Europe – might suddenly find an outlet. Better ask Player X that one.

The fact that the INQ1 boasts a candybar format is deliberate because Meehan says the chief target is youngsters who are very familiar with one-handed operation and T9 for texting.

However, a full Qwerty keyboard version is promised for 2009.
The upshot of all this is that the INQ1 handset is very competitively priced. It's a mere £79.99 on prepay and free on contracts which include stuff like unlimited Facebook surfing.

Shame they didn't consult us before picking the company name, though. Did the Mageek really forget to register the INQ as a trademark? µ

See also
INQ branded phones available from 3