1. Inq Network Services
2. Inq Network Provider
3. Inq Network Speed Test

Business Nigeria has been providing network connectivity to Halliburton Company in Nigeria for more than 15 years. Our company currently uses its solutions in four of our locations in Nigeria as well as in Ghana and Cameroon. The Philadelphia Inquirer announced Tuesday that its Schuylkill Printing Plant has been sold to developer J. Brian O’Neill for $37 million, according to reporting by the Inquirer’s Jacob.

The INQ Chat 3G (occasionally dropping the '3G' to be called the INQ Chat) is a fully featured, 3G enabled 'Candy Bar' smartphone created by the British manufacturer INQ, designed to easily interface with popular social media applications.

SDN Business growth leads to increasing demand for cloud services, video streaming and business digitalization. Software-Defined Networks and Network Function Technologies (SDN/NFV) enable a transformation of your network infrastructure to deliver these services with agility and improved network performance. The top editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer has stepped down from his role after the newspaper published an article with the headline 'Buildings Matter, Too,' last week, according to an internal. (Editor's Note: Happy Valentine's Day from The Inquirer and Mirror. Here is the full version of Sarah Leah Chase's 'Good Dish' column from this week's issue. To read more of Chase's columns.

Dubbed the 'Twitter phone', the INQ Chat 3G features integrated Twitter, Facebook, Skype and Windows Live Messenger applications. The phone sports a full QWERTY keypad, a 3.2-megapixel camera and a 2.4-inch screen. The phone was launched alongside the INQ Mini 3G - both of which succeed the hugely successful INQ1.

History[edit]

The BREW device was announced on 4 August 2009, and developed in response to consumer demand for a full QWERTY keypad layout device from INQ. The phone debuted on 30 November 2009 in Italy,^[1] with a Sweden launch shortly after on 7 December 2009.^[2] The INQ Chat 3G had a simultaneous UK and Hong Kong launch, on 11 December,^[3] 2009. It was later released in Singapore on 22 December 2009,^[4] and in India on 16 March 2010.^[5] The mobile phone has also been released in Australia on 2 July^[6] and in Canada on 27 July.^[7]

Appearance[edit]

The phone features a red and black colour scheme, a full QWERTY keypad, a 2.4' QVGATFT LCD screen, a mini-USB port, volume control buttons and a Switcher button (to switch between applications).

Artwork[edit]

INQ's packaging and instruction manual style is unique. The packaging the phone comes in is laden with artwork from various artists, and there is no manual as such, instead a set of 'Help Cards'. Each help card focusses on a particular part of the phone - for example Contacts, E-mail or Twitter - on one side, and then on the other side one of the many artworks selected by INQ. In their words: 'We have collaborated with illustrators we love to turn our packaging and help cards into objects to cherish, not chuck.'

Along with this, all of the artworks are included as images on the phone and can set as the wallpaper or screensaver if desired. The artwork use on the Chat 3G's box is by Matt Huynh. The artwork for all of INQ's phones can be seen here, along with an introduction to 'INQ+Art', brief descriptions of each artist, their artwork and which phone it was used for. (Note: some artists have had more than one of their pieces used, and on multiple phones).

Battery Covers[edit]

Like the Mini 3G, the INQ Chat 3G's battery covers are interchangeable with other colours. The default is the red battery cover, but black, pink and yellow battery covers can be purchased at participating stores of the default network in the respective countries. In Canada, phones bought on Telus receive, two battery covers, a solid color and an artwork cover - feature either the artwork by Paul Vizzari[1] or one of the pieces of artwork by Matt Huynh (different from the one use on the phone's box); both artworks feature on the back of the help cards.

On the reverse of all of the battery covers is a maze, and the Latin phrase 'Audaces Fortuna Iuvat', meaning 'fortune favours the brave', all leading to a mysterious secret embedded within the phone.

Features[edit]

Software[edit]

General[edit]

• The user of the phone can display widgets on their home screen for quick and easy access to information. Widgets include Facebook, Twitter, Weather and RSS.
• Compatibility with doubleTwist.
• Option to use the phone as a mobile modem, either over USB or DUN Bluetooth.

Applications[edit]

Applications include, but are not limited to:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Skype & Windows Live Messenger, which both make use of the free Skype and Messenger on selected Three networks
• E-mail, including free PushGMail, as well as supporting the IMAP4, POP3 and SMTP e-mail protocols.
• A media player, capable of playing Audio:AMR, AAC, AAC+, MIDI, MP3, WAV; Video:MPEG4, H.263, H.264^[8]
• Google Maps for Mobile, making use of the built-in GPS
• The NetFront browser, v3.5. In some countries, Opera Mini is the default browser instead.

Social Networking[edit]

The Chat 3G, as with all INQ phones, is built for social-networking, and it is highly integrated into the phone:

• When the user take a picture they are immediately given the option to post to Twitter, using Twitpic, or to Facebook.
• In the Contacts list, the user can assign social-networking profiles to a contact, including information about Facebook, Skype, Windows Live Messenger and e-mail. The contacts list then displays the Facebook or Windows Live Messenger profile picture, including the latest 'status update' from Facebook if the user is logged into the Facebook client. It also displays a small icon showing whether they are logged into Skype or Windows Live Messenger.

Hardware[edit]

Carriers[edit]

INQ is owned by Hutchison Whampoa, which own Hutchison 3G; because of this the phone is usually carried on the 3 network where possible. INQ have adopted a style whereby they launch their phones on one network in that country. There are exceptions (i.e. Australia & Canada), but these are where the networks are commercially linked.

The INQ Chat 3G is currently carried on the following networks:

• 3 Denmark
• 3 Hong Kong
• 3 Ireland
• 3 Italy
• 3 Sweden
• 3 United Kingdom
• Aircel
• SingTel
• Vodafone Australia and 3 Australia, both part of the Vodafone Hutchison Australia Group.
• Telus and Koodo Mobile (which is a subsidiary of Telus)

References[edit]

1. ^Ciao Italia! INQ Chat 3G now on sale | INQ Blog
2. ^INQ Chat 3G Available in Sweden | INQ Blog
3. ^INQ Chat 3G has arrived in the UK and Hong Kong | INQ Blog
4. ^INQ Chat 3G now in Singapore | INQ Blog
5. ^INQ now in India | INQ Blog
6. ^@INQMobile on Twitter
7. ^'New Brunswick Business Journal - Smartphone maker INQ launches new phone'. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
8. ^'3 Denmark, INQ Chat 3G Specification'. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010.

External links[edit]

Inq was a social software and app manufacturer who launched two successful software products and a series of award-winning handsets. Material, Inq's personalised magazine, became the top free news app in the UK App Store and achieved a number 4 position in the US, shortly after launch.^[1] SO.HO, a social launcher developed by Inq, was also warmly received with press positioning it as an alternative to Facebook Home.^[2]

Prior to focusing on software, Inq released a series of 'social mobiles' for which they were awarded 'Best Newcomer' and 'Best Handset' at the GSMA in 2009.^[3]

In January 2014 Inq announced that the business was to close down and that the apps they had in market would not be updated after this point.^[4]

Company Overview[edit]

Inq held offices in London and Rome and employed between 11 and 50 staff across the two offices.

The company was founded in 2007 by Ken Johnstone (Inq's current CEO), Frank Meehan and Jeff Taylor. It is a fully owned subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa and is backed by Li Ka-shing who is Chairman of Hutchison Whampoa and is also an investor in Facebook and Spotify.^{[citation needed]}

Inq Software and Apps[edit]

Inq launched two software only products in 2013; Material a discovery app that delivered each of its users a personalised magazine based on their interests and SO.HO, a launcher and app that brought together Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in one place. Shortly after its release, the Material iOS app became a ^[5] and achieved a number 4 rank in the Free News chart in the US app store.^[5]

Inq describe their apps as social software and parts of the functionality are based on surfacing social networks or using elements from the social graph.

Material[edit]

Inq describe Material as a 'personalised magazine' that 'hunts out content based on your interests'.^[6] The app delivers a fresh update of content twice a day, grouping each delivery into a 'morning/evening edition' The topics and stories in each edition are personalised to match the interests of each user and users can also add topics via a menu. The more a user uses Material, the more it learns about his or her interests.^[7] Users may also add additional topics of interest.^[8] In a press release regarding the product, CEO Ken Johnstone positioned Material as an anti-dote to content overload stating 'With the avalanche of content out there, we're focused on finding new and exciting ways for people to get directly to the things they love. Material was the result of this thinking, an app that takes all the hard work out of finding great stuff.” ^[9] and Inq state that the discovery app will help users 'discover new content from new places'.^[10] Material is available for iPhone and Androidsmartphones.

Inq released Material in BETA as an Android only product. The BETA app was praised by press for 'its colorful and intelligent design' ^[11] and UI. Similarly the Android public showed an interest in the app with the BETA achieving over 50,000 installs.^[12] In August 2014 Inq launched an iOS version of Material which had a redesigned UI and improvements to Inq's “interest extraction engine,” which forms the intelligence behind the app. Shortly after its release, the Material iOS app became a number 1 app in the Free News category and achieved a rank of number 4 rank in the Free News chart in the US app store.^[1]

The app has been compared by press to other personalised news services such as Flipboard and Zite. In a review of the Material app, VentureBeat commented 'While there are quite a few news-reading apps out there and Flipboard holds the dominant position, Material sets itself apart with design and intelligent curation.'^[13] Unlike Flipboard, the makers of MATERIAL claim it will 'evolve with you', learning what you like and recognising when your interests change ^[14]

SO.HO[edit]

The mobile launcher, SO.HO was launched by Inq for Android devices in 2013 The interface was designed by Chris Kelly.^[15] SO.HO allows the user to have Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds on their homescreen, additionally the homescreen app allows for tweets, status updates, likes and comments to be made through the launcher.^[16] The launcher provides the user a full screen version of their respective Twitter, Instagram and Facebook networks after they unlock their phone, in a similar manner to Facebook Home or HTC Blinkfeed.^[17] SO.HO is available in English, Spanish (Europe/US) Portuguese, Korean, Hindi, Italian, German and French. In press commentary about the launcher, Inq initially stated that they intend to add more social networks to the launcher.^[18] However more recent updates to the app have added in bespoke social media feeds that mix content from multiple networks in one view. The SO.HO feed is described by Ina as 'a place where you can see the latest videos, pictures and links shared from all your friends across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.'^[19] whilst the 'Hashtag feed' shows users 'the conversations happening right now across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram about that subject'.^[19]

Inq Phones[edit]

Inq Network Services

When it was founded in 2007, Inq's business model focused on creating affordable, mid-range smartphones which deeply integrated social networking and a range of usability features. Inq phones were sold in Canada, India, Singapore, UK, Austria, Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy and Sweden.

As per news reports, Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), on 14 September 2009 announced that it would be start selling the social networking phone INQ Mini 3G, developed by INQ mobile. This phone launched on 19 September 2009 in Singapore.^[20] On 18 March 2010 Aircel in India started selling the INQ Mini and INQ Chat, and on 28 July 2010 the INQ Chat went onsale in Canada from Telus and Koodo.^[21][22]

In January 2013 Inq announced that they would no longer manufacture handsets but would focus exclusively on producing social software. A Venturebeat article at CES quoted Ken Johnston as saying that “We’ve finished up with hardware a year ago, and we’ve been working our app engine since then,” Inq CEO and cofounder Ken Johnstone said last night at a CES 2013 event.^[23] Inq stated on their Facebook page that they will not be making further handsets but that they will continue to support those who own an Inq handset.

INQ1[edit]

The INQ1 was INQ's first mobile phone. It was released in December 2008, featuring a 2.2' QVGA screen, and a 3.2megapixel camera. Applications on the phone include: Skype, Last.fm, eBay, Facebook, Myspace and Windows Live Messenger.

INQ Mini 3G[edit]

The follow on from the INQ1, this time with added Twitter functionality. Sharing a similar design to its 'sister' phone the Chat 3G, interchangeable back covers are available to purchase. The phone has a 2.0megapixel camera and was launched at £39.99 in the UK. The INQ1 is notable for its very tight integration with Windows Live Messenger, Facebook and Skype. It was endorsed at launch by Mark Zuckerberg and other industry identities.

A high level of firmware branding is present in the phone's operating system, this signifies a push for highly proprietary 'for the network, by the network' mobile telephones which are extremely hard to unlock or debrand. In September 2009 Inq publicly stated that the company would build phones based on the Android mobile operating system, and claims they will be ready in early 2011.

INQ Chat 3G[edit]

The 'big sister' to the Mini 3G, featuring similar functionality. However, the phone has an additional QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2megapixel camera and a GPS device.

Inq Cloud Touch[edit]

The first of INQ's new Android-powered phones, moving away from BREW used in their previous phones. The mobile has more integration to Facebook than the previous phones, with direct access from the homescreen to popular aspects like Chat and Places. This is also the first INQ phone to feature Spotify, which replaces a proprietary music player altogether. The Cloud Touch has a button dedicated to Spotify so you can access immediately, in addition to an 'Info' button for quick access to settings and information. The phone has a 3.5' HVGA touchscreen, and will be available in three different colours from April in the UK.^[24]

Social networks and related services embedded into Inq phones

• Orkut (India)

History[edit]

Inq was founded in 2008 by Ken Johnstone, Frank Meehan and Jeff Taylor. In August 2009, the company launched two phones-the INQ Mini 3G (a candy-bar type form factor with Twitter and Facebook) and the INQ Chat 3G (a QWERTY device with Twitter, Facebook and GMail integration). Both models went on sale in Q4 2009 and feature removable coloured back panels. The INQ1 won Phone of the Year at the 2009 GSMA Awards in Barcelona which are known informally as the industry Oscars. The judges highlighted the handset's affordability, deep integration of social networks and ease of use in their winner's announcement.^[25]

In September 2010 news reports speculated about rumors that Facebook and Inq were working together on a “Facebook Phone”.^[26] To date no Facebook phone has emerged from either Inq or Facebook themselves.

In June 2011 it was reported that Jeff Taylor had left the company to start his own venture with Inq PR Head Soheb Panja ^[27] This was followed by an announcement in September 2011 that Frank Meehan had been replaced as CEO by Ken Johnstone, co-founder and formerly Director of Products for Inq.

In January 2013 Inq announced that they would be focusing exclusively on producing social software moving forward and would no longer be involved in the manufacture or distribution of handsets. A Venturebeat article at CES quoted Ken Johnston as saying that “We’ve finished up with hardware a year ago, and we’ve been working our app engine since then,” Inq CEO and cofounder Ken Johnstone said last night at a CES 2013 event.^[23] This announcement was followed by a company rebrand, at which the company redesigned its logo and began to write the company name as Inq Mobile rather than the original INQ.

Inq launched a beta version of MATERIAL, a content discovery engine in February 2013. In an interview with Pocket-lint MATERIAL was positioned as a continuation of the Inq business, rather than a pivot from phones, with Pocket-Lint writing that 'Inq is no stranger to 'social DNA'. The brief foray into devices with the INQ Cloud Touch back in 2011 very much centred on a granular integration of services like Facebook, helping important content rise to the surface. That ethos still sits at the core of what Inq is working on.'.^[28] Other titles presented MATERIAL as a 'pivot' for Inq, suggesting a change in business strategy.^[29]

Inq followed this with the launch a second beta app, SO.HO in May 2013.^[30] SO.HO (short for Social Homescreen) is an Android launcher. On the Inq Mobile blog, Inq say that SO.HO 'allows you to put your favourite social networks on the homescreen of your Android mobile so that you can check what’s happening on multiple social networks without diving in and out of apps.'

In August 2013 Inq launched the iOS version of Material and brought the Android version of Material out of beta. The launch of Material for iPhone was covered by many key press titles including Engagdet, TechCrunch and Venturebeat.

Inq Network Provider

As of 31 January 2014 they have ceased operations, the last issue of Material was on the 28th. SO.HO will continue to work but will no longer be offered/updated.^[4]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abMaterial: Tailored magazine featuring news, blogs & RSS - Daily Ranks | App Annie
2. ^Why settle for Facebook Home when you can have Twitter Home, too? | VentureBeat | Social | by John Koetsier
3. ^YouTube
4. ^ ^abTung, Liam. 'Facebook-phone and app maker Inq quietly shuts up shop'. ZDNet. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
5. ^ ^abApp Annie Ranking (Subscription Required)
6. ^'Inq Mobile'. Archived from the original on 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
7. ^Belic, Dusan (28 April 2013). 'Inq's personalized magazine Material comes to the iPhone'. IntoMobile.
8. ^Karlson, Douglas (26 February 2013). 'Inq Mobile's MATERIAL Personalizes Content…'. ContentStandard. skyword.
9. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2014-01-18. Retrieved 2014-01-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. ^YouTube
11. ^Inq's stunning Material app launches to take down Flipboard & Grokr | VentureBeat | Mobile | by Sean Ludwig
12. ^INQ Extends Its Social Magazine App, Material, To iOS After 50,000+ Downloads On Android | TechCrunch
13. ^Material, a sexy Flipboard competitor, comes to the iPhone | VentureBeat | Mobile | by Sean Ludwig
14. ^http://www.inqmobile.com/en-gb/about-us/news/17
15. ^'Chris Kelly: Digital Designer'. 'Chris Kelly'. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
16. ^'SOHO Android App Combines Facebook and Twitter Feeds as Homescreen'. 'LAPTOP'. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
17. ^'SOHO Social Homescreen Launcher Hits Play Store Beta'. 'Android Central'. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
18. ^http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/50261/inq-soho-social-homepage-is-like-blink-feed','http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/50261/inq-soho-social-homepage-is-like-blink-feed
19. ^ ^abhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inqmobile.soho&hl=en_GB
20. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2009-09-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
21. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2010-07-30. Retrieved 2010-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
22. ^Aircel Delhi- Mobile Service Provider, Postpaid & Prepaid Mobile Plans, 3G Services
23. ^ ^abFormer 'Facebook phone' maker Inq pivots to apps with beautiful Flipboard killer Material | VentureBeat | Mobile | by Sean Ludwig
24. ^INQ Cloud Touch and Cloud Q Press Release
25. ^http://www.globalmobileawards.com/awards/winners_archive.shtml#winner_cat3a
26. ^http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-22/facebook-said-to-be-working-on-phones-with-partner-inq-for-at-t.html
27. ^Mobile Today - INQ co-founder Jeff Taylor leaves to set up consultancy
28. ^INQ Material serves up your daily news based on Twitter and Facebook 'social DNA' - Pocket-lint
29. ^'After scrapping phone business, INQ pivots into app maker - FierceMobileIT'. Archived from the original on 2013-06-20. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
30. ^http://blog.inqmobile.com/get-facebook-twitter-on-your-home-screen-with-so-ho/

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 51°28′48″N0°10′11″W / 51.4799°N 0.1696°W

Inq Network Speed Test