3 unveils cut price 'Facebook phone'

Finally a phone that will give you unlimited access to social networking sites at a cost that doesn't rip your wallet! And what better time to gift than Christmas? The new phone already tagged with a nickname 'facebook phone' has been created by 3 under the new brand INQ and will be available around Christmas in western markets. Launch in Asian markets is scheduled a year later.

It is the first of its kind to fully integrate the social network into the phone's address book and message inbox while the 3G handset has been built around Skype and Windows Live Messenger. This internet communications device iNQ1 incorporates a 3.2 megapixel camera and MP3 player too. Windows Live Messenger and email are integrated into the device from the ground up and optimised to run on the 2.2-inch screen.

Users simply have to sign in to those services once and from then on they are always connected, with notifications of new messages popping up along the top of the phone. Scrolling through the applications is achieved by pushing a single button on the side.

When a contact is added to the phone's address book, as well as the usual details there is room for their Skype, Windows Live Messenger and Facebook accounts. The phone can be set to automatically grab the latest profile photo and status update from the contact's Facebook account, which are displayed against their contact details.

All these services are integrated into a single message inbox. Making a call or sending an SMS is as simple as placing a Skype call or sending a Facebook message.

The INQ phone has a web browser not as slick or effective at surfing the open web as the iPhone, which displays web pages as they appear on a PC. With INQ, internet communication is best done through the integrated apps.

Handsets like the iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices have grabbed headlines but since 90 per cent of phones sold are low-end, basic devices, this one is bound to catch the masses.