We first met INQ, the U.K.-based manufacturer of "social mobile" phones, at the 2009 CTIA WIRELESS trade show in Vegas. And now, the company, pronounced "ink" is finally coming to Canada through a partnership with Telus and Koodo.

What is the INQ phone? The 3G device, which is targeted specifically to the youth market, focuses predominantly on social networking Website access. The idea behind INQ as a company is that most smartphones are way too costly for the young person to purchase. And while the teens and tweens desire access to things like social networking and instant messaging, they don't necessarily need the functions that a more sophisticated smartphone would provide.

"We focus on what our core consumers want to do most with their mobile phone and deliver it at a price point that's affordable, especially for the youth that are driving the social media revolution," says Frank Meehan, Founder and CEO of INQ. "Our mission here in Canada is to bring a great mobile Internet experience to the masses."

INQ's Chat 3G is an affordable device that not only provides access to applications like Facebook and Twitter, but has these applications built right into the operating software. Thus, they are always running in the background, and accessible via a single click of the home screen. This proprietary widget shows real-time updates from the connected sites, integrated with the onboard camera, and appearing in a unified Inbox. As with many other mobile content aggregators from the likes of Motorola, Samsung, LG, and Sony Ericsson (to name a few), the INQ Chat 3G also links a person's phonebook contact with his social networking profile, providing real-time status updates, and syncing uploaded videos and photos.

In addition to social networking, the QWERTY phone is also capable of playing back media files, and comes with software for syncing tunes, as well as photos and video, with a Mac and/or PC.

"We know there's a whole generation of people out there with no ‘off button,'" says Meehan. "They are messaging, texting and uploading and updating 24/7. We exist for them."

The Canadian version of the phone, which will be available "soon" through both Telus and Koodo, comes with a customized phone back. It will sell through Koodo for $50 for new customers who put the price on their Tab. Plans will include the standard Koodo offerings, plus the ability to add 100 MB of data for an additional $10/mo. A special Stay Social plan (pricing TBA and subject to vary) will include unlimited messaging, unlimited incoming calls, 300 anytime calling minutes, 100 MB of data surfing, Windows Live Messenger, Facebook, and Twitter built in.

We'll be chatting with Meehan later today on the company's entrance into Canada. Stay tuned for the full interview. Is there a question you want answered? Let me know in the comments section below. And see our video footage of the first INQ phone, the INQ 1, which debuted at CTIA WIRELESS in Las Vegas in April 2009.

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