Opinions: The Facebook Phone

The INQ1 does everything you need but not everything you might want, and it does that quite well but not well enough to cut the umbilical cord to your netbook. My friends sometimes ask me if I recommend products and the majority will buy that product if I give it the thumbs up, whilst a minority will purchase a product if I give strict instructions not to buy it - usually this applies to pink phones. The INQ1 is a recommendation I would be prepared to lie about to the minority, but not because I think it's perfect.

Consider the facts:

• INQ1 is the first handset that INQ has produced and it has gone straight to the top by winning at MWC.
• Blog posts claim that the next handset will have Twitter integration, or at least more of the same converged thinking.
• INQ aims to build software that brings the web to mass market phones, and then slowly scale up to smartphones whilst maintaining margins.

What does that mean? The INQ3 will be awesome.

The only way INQ will bring us a smart phone with even smarter software is if people go forth and buy INQ1, support INQ and boost the brand.

Merging multiple addresses and profiles into one contact list entry and quick app switching are INQ1 attributes at the epicentre of this industry wake-up call. But the beauty of integration on INQ1 extends far beyond Facebook. Being able to message your mates, write on their walls and upload photos to Facebook is extremely appealing, but what I found of greater value was Skype and WLM integration.

Phones are primarily tools that provide instant communication. Both calls and text messages immediately connect you with another person, whereas Facebook is closer in speed to email or forum posting. I love being able to see if people are online through Skype and WLM and get in touch instantly. Often they are also on a phone, so we're getting calls and messaging that only cut into our data allowances. Bonus!

The switcher is as good at moving between apps as everyone says it is, and having it ever present on the home screen means you barely resort to the full menu. Up to three widgets can fill the home screen and I found scrolling RSS feeds and Google search provided greatest value, but sadly the "Feeds" app was then a let down because posts are truncated. If anything, then, I think there's a lot to be said for just improving on what's already installed instead of adding more apps to later releases of INQ software.

I'd like deeper integration and the ability to do more on the INQ1 than I can on the Facebook website, although that's not asking much as I get lost trying to navigate around the new site layout. I'm not angling for those silly Facebook applications like vampire bites and mob wars, I mean really useful stuff like syncing the phone's calendar with Facebook events. The ability to update Facebook pages would be a nice touch but if phones are, as I've suggested, mostly for instant communication then access to Facebook chat would be a natural way forward.

I have adopted INQ1 as my primary handset and blogged my progress through INQ1.mled.me, but that mostly reflects the little glitches I've found. What's missing is how appreciative I am of its capabilities when compared to my previous handset - Nokia 6120 Classic. S60 3rd Edition is a tinkering geek's dream come true because there are an abundance of applications to install that give the handset Swiss army knife character. INQ1 comes with a collection of apps bundled and integrated, adequately addressing your basic internet needs. I added Google Maps and then failed at trying to install a Twitter client; so just as I was with S60, I'm using Dabr.

S60 disappointed most often with "Email on 3", the problem being hinted at in the title - my email stayed on 3's servers and downloaded half way through intense app use, such as Qik streaming, leading to crashes or freezes. I admit I was harsh on it and that running 4 email accounts simultaneously is probably a task reserved for a Blackberry or similar smartphone. However INQ1 can handle this workload remarkably well. That special sibling relationship between INQ and 3 has paid off and I feel like I now understand what 3 were trying to achieve before. S60 was built to power phones and then internet apps have been developed to add value, whereas INQ software begins with web access at its core.

What's next? If INQ's over-the-air updates continue to improve the software and increase the extraordinary battery life, as has been promised, then I'm really gutted about the prospect of handing this device back to 3monkeys. Watch out for the arrival of Friends of INQ which will see early releases of software upgrades shared with a keen group of beta testers. As a new and relatively small phone-maker, INQ has a golden opportunity to build a community of happy customers that virally generate brand buzz through the social media channels that INQ phones integrate. With or without an INQ1 in my possession, tracking this company definitely interests me enough to continue maintaining a dedicated blog.