INQ Mobile Launches Two New Social Mobile Phones

INQ Mobile, the company behind the INQ1 social mobile phone, launched its second and third devices today dubbed the Mini 3G and the INQ Chat 3G.

Both of the phones run on a customized BREW operating system which the company calls INQ System 1. Neither are smart phones, and the company says it’s targeting a different audience: one that wants an inexpensive, but solid, “social mobile” device.

INQ Chat 3G

The INQ Chat 3G sports a full QWERTY “bloke proof” keyboard, a 2.4-inch display, a 3.2MP auto-focus camera, GPS, and integration with Facebook, Skype, Twitter, and Windows Live. You can place widgets for some of the social networks, like Facebook, on the home screen and they will update in real-time with your friend’s status updates. It also features an INQ customized push-GMail application.

You can also sync the device with your computer–and even to iTunes–using a “DoubleTwist” sync application that was created by DVD Jon, the guy who worked to break DVD encryption. INQ says you can add up to 4GB microSD cards to store your media on.

INQ Mini 3G

The INQ Mini 3G is a second 3G device which sports a similar widget-based operating system. It features a smaller 2.2 inch display, a 2MP camera, and supports microSD cards up to 4GB in size. INQ says it spent a lot of time working on the balance of the device so that it’s easy to use with just one hand. Like the INQ Chat 3G, it will sport the INQ icon carousel at the bottom of the screen.

A Brief Hands-On

We had a chance to play with both devices last week and were impressed by the attention to detail INQ put into both phones. Both look like premium devices, but come with budget friendly price tags. You can also purchase new back covers for each in a variety of colors (blue, green, pink, yellow, etc.) to customize the device for your taste at the time of purchase. You can use both phones as modems simply by plugging them in to your computer using a USB cord.

Roll out Plans

Both phones will launch on the wireless carrier 3 in the UK in the fourth quarter. INQ does not currently have an official US launch plan at this time, but we’d love to see them here within the next few years.