The INQ Cloud Touch is one of three new Facebook phones
Waiting for the Facebook phone is like waiting for a bus, wait for one and then three get announced at once.
The first to come with the all singing all dancing Facebook integration is the INQ cloud touch. Sporting a lovely 3.5 inch touchscreen the Cloud Touchhas been totally optimised for social networking.
The Facebook elements run deep throughout, instead of a normal home screen you have a live Facebook news feed. Instead of a normal Calendar your Facebook events are automatically synced straight in to your phone. Instead of a normal list of default apps you get Facebook chat, places, people and notifications as standard. So you get the picture; the INQ Cloud Touch is all about sociability and quick and easy sociability at that.
So what about the operating software? Well with the INQ Cloud Touch you can have your cake and eat it as INQ haven’t skimped on the software functionality either. Coming with Android 2.2 the INQ Cloud Touch comes with all of Google’s most loved features as well as access to the hundreds of thousands of apps waiting for you in the Android Market.
When looking back, INQ have always been good at making social networking phones. The INQ Chat 3G or Mini 3G for example. These were built with Push email, Facebook, Twitter and IM seamlessly integrated in to the phone. It makes sense then that they took the first crack at making a Facebook phone, the INQ Cloud touch.
Sadly the INQ Cloud Touch isn’t going to have long to hold on to its unique Facebook status though as HTC have recently unveiled another two Facebook phones with Facebook integration scheduled for release in the second quarter, so around April through to June time.
Similar to the INQ pro both phones will come with a deep Facebook integration that is expected to differ slightly across brands.
For example one of the key standout features HTC has that is different to INQ is the inclusion of a light up Facebook icon on the phones. This whacky little addition is context sensitive, lighting up whenever there is an opportunity to share content or updates through Facebook.
When looking at photos tap the Facebook button and voila, you can now upload it through Facebook. Want to share that song you’re jamming too? Tap the button again and it’ll send out a status update letting your friends know exactly what you’re listening too.
With rumours circulating over the past months the confirmation of these Facebook phones is for many (us included) what we had been hoping and waiting for. It was only last month in fact that Facebook had to again douse rumours of any official Facebook phones appearing in the near future. Then again they never denied any reports of deeper Facebook integration within mobile devices, which obviously is what we are seeing now.
Zuckerberg even appeared at the HTC mobile world congress event on a pre recorded video, promising even more Facebook phones with even deeper integration to appear throughout the year. This all sounds well and good but just how much further can Facebook be integrated in to your phone asides from official branding. Maybe you can send a text in to your news feed? Or leave answer phone messages on someone’s wall? Either way I guess we will just have to sit tight until Zuckerberg decides the time is right to reveal all.