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INQ Mobile

(Credit: INQ Mobile)

The idea of a “social networking phone” seems redundant at first — don’t all phones have an ability to connect to a social network of some kind? But INQ Mobile, a company based in the U.K., claims that it is the first to really bring social networks in the form of Facebook, MySpace, et al. to those of us who prefer to have regular affordable phones. INQ’s argument is that most handsets with dedicated Facebook and Skype applications have so far been of the smart phone variety, and thus out of touch from the mainstream. But with the INQ1, as it’s called, these social networking applications are now available in a simple and affordable phone.

Indeed, as we played around with a sample model at a CES press event yesterday, we could go directly to Facebook with a single push of a button from the device’s home screen. Facebook and other similar applications are laid out along the bottom row of the home screen, allowing for simple and direct access. The INQ1 comes with Facebook, Skype, Yahoo, Google, eBay, and Windows Messenger built-in, but since it also supports Java and BREW, you’re able to add other applications like MySpace. The phone’s contacts list is closely integrated with these applications, allowing you to see the online presence of all your contacts directly from the address book. For example, as you scroll down your contacts list, you can see the person’s Facebook online status, Skype availability, and IM status. And then you can just choose whichever way you wish to contact him or her.

The hardware itself is decent but nothing out of the ordinary. It has a nice display and a slider form factor. It also has a 3.2-megapixel camera, and once you take a picture, you can immediately upload it to Facebook, MySpace, or whichever site you want. The INQ1 also has a music player, which you can then connect to last.fm right out of the box, allowing you listen to your favorite streaming music. Of course it also has stereo Bluetooth, text messaging, and a speakerphone.

INQ slides open

(Credit: Nicole Lee/CNET)

The way it works is that you’re prompted to enter in your login and password the first time, and from then on, you’ll always be connected. We asked the INQ1 rep about security concerns, and he said that it does prompt you to enter the password every once in awhile. That said, the surest way to prevent a security breach is that in case your phone is stolen, is to just change the password on the site itself.

So the big question is, is it affordable? INQ said that for now, the handset will go for 79 pounds, and right now the handset is only available in the U.K. and Australia. The company is shopping around for U.S. providers at the moment, and hopes to expand its partnership to other European carriers this year as well. We’re not too sure how this will sell in the U.S., but perhaps its simplicity and ease of use will appeal to some.

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INQ claims to be the world’s first social mobile

3D designers looking to sell their creations have a new place to do so with Shapeways. The site, which launched back in July of last year as part of Royal Philips Electronics’ Lifestyle Incubator formerly acted only as a virtual 3D printing service. Designers could use the service to print out a single design, or a large batch without leaving their house.

Now the service does the dirty work of packaging and shipping out what it creates to people who buy designed items. 3D designers simply put together which items they want in their shop, set the prices, then direct potential purchasers there. Meanwhile Shapeways gets a small cut based on its end of the production and shipping.

This might be quite appealing for small-time designers who want to sell their creations without having to set up a shipping operation out of the garage. The company is also taking care of the customer service, which keeps designers from having to worry about customer e-mail and phone calls.

This new storefront system goes head to head with Ponoko, which also offers a printing and shipping service for user-designed goods. Where the two differ is that Shapeways can let purchasers tweak a design before ordering, something that gives them a higher level of control over what they’re buying.

One designer storefront worth checking out is Woody’s Minifig Shop, which supplies tiny costume add-ons for LEGO characters:

Designers can sell their goods without worrying about production or shipping using Shapeways new store system. The items with the pink shopping cart on them mean they are available for purchase.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

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Shapeways gives 3D designers a place to sell

A guy I know created an Elf Yourself video of his friends. Um, I'm on the bottom right.

(Credit: JibJab, user-gen work by Peter Feld)

Because we need to ensure that silly do-it-yourself comedy will stay alive during these harrowing financial times, the magic venture capital fairies have infused JibJab.com with a $7.5 million Series C round. And by “magic venture capital fairies” I actually mean Overbrook Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and existing investor Polaris Venture Partners.

Founded in 1999 by brothers Gregg and Evan Spiridellis, JibJab started as a hub for funny political song-and-dance videos that the two created, but in 2007 the company began an e-card service called “Starring You!” in which visitors to the site could insert photos of themselves (or their bosses!) into geeky cartoon videos. Around the ‘07 holiday season, this led to those “Elf Yourself” greeting cards that I’m sure more than a few of you were sent. (See image for embarrassing example.)

This holiday season, JibJab says a whopping 35 million of its greeting cards were sent across the Web. That’s a lot of elves.

JibJab forged a deal with CNN Politics around that time last year when everyone was either thinking about Halloween or the presidential election, launching a zombie politician video creator.

The site has a business model beyond advertising and sponsorship, thank goodness: some of its content is subscription-based, and JibJab also sells additional video. To keep an “Elf Yourself” video past the holidays, for example, you can pay to download it.

“We sensed that customers would pay for access to unique, high-quality entertainment that they could use to express themselves online,” co-founder and CEO Gregg Spiridellis said in a release. “With this thesis well proven, and the capital from this financing now in place, we plan to aggressively innovate the online greetings category in the months and years ahead.”

Hey, guys, I have a suggestion: recession-themed dance video greeting cards!

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JibJab jacks up $7.5 million

(Credit: Burger King)

Facebook’s developer platform has been used for a zillion marketing campaigns so far, but this one is actually dead-on hilarious. Fast-food chain Burger King has created “Whopper Sacrifice,” a Facebook app that will give you a coupon for a free Whopper hamburger if you delete ten people from your friends list.

Burger King has put out some interesting campaigns as of late (cf. “Whopper Virgin,” “Subservient Chicken”) but this one piques our interest because of how gleefully it pokes fun at our social-networking obsessions. “Now is the time to put your fair-weather Web friendships to the test,” the Whopper Sacrifice site explains. “Install Whopper Sacrifice on your Facebook profile, and we’ll reward you with a free flame-broiled Whopper when you sacrifice ten of your friends.

The funniest part: The “sacrifices” show up in your activity feed. So it’ll say, for example, “Caroline sacrificed Josh Lowensohn for a free Whopper.” Unfortunately, you can’t delete your whole friends list and eat free (however unhealthily) for a week. The promotion is limited to one coupon per Facebook account.

My Facebook friends had better appreciate the fact that I made a New Year’s resolution to cut out red meat. Hint, hint.

Excerpted from:
Burger King: Delete 10 Facebook friends, get a free Whopper

(Credit: Burger King)

Facebook’s developer platform has been used for a zillion marketing campaigns so far, but this one is actually dead-on hilarious.

Fast-food chain Burger King has created “Whopper Sacrifice,” a Facebook app that will give you a coupon for a free hamburger if you delete 10 people from your friends list.

Burger King has put out some interesting campaigns as of late (”Whopper Virgin,” “Subservient Chicken”), but this one piques our interest because of how gleefully it pokes fun at our social-networking obsessions. “Now is the time to put your fair-weather Web friendships to the test,” the Whopper Sacrifice site explains. “Install Whopper Sacrifice on your Facebook profile, and we’ll reward you with a free flame-broiled Whopper when you sacrifice ten of your friends.

The funniest part: The “sacrifices” show up in your activity feed. So it’ll say, for example, “Caroline sacrificed Josh Lowensohn for a free Whopper.” Unfortunately, you can’t delete your whole friends list and eat free (however unhealthily) for a week. The promotion is limited to one coupon per Facebook account.

My Facebook friends had better appreciate the fact that I made a New Year’s resolution to cut out red meat. Hint, hint.

Delete 10 Facebook friends, get a free Whopper