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INQ Cloud Touch review: Internet
The internet browser on the INQ Cloud Touch isn't too different from stock Android offerings, although it does err a little on the laggy side at times.
Connectivity is well stocked: 3G and HSDPA 7.2Mbps is included, and held connection very well in our tests no matter if we were standing next to a mobile mast or travelling on a train, and the Wi-Fi (up to 802.11 b/g standard) was quick to connect and offered slick internet browsing too.
The HVGA resolution of the screen means that web pages look a little shonky zoomed out - trying to work out the link you're looking to tap isn't going to happen unless you zoom in.
Pinch to zoom is pretty good though - it's slick under the finger and responds when you want it to. If you double tap, the browser zooms you in close enough to read the text, but if you want to get closer you'll need to tap the magnifying icon or pinch again to see the letters a little larger and filling the screen.
If you want the text to reflow, you'll need to tap again... it's a flaw in the Android system, and one that the likes of HTC have ironed out with the Desire S... we'd have hoped an innovative company like INQ would have managed the same.
Another thing we hoped to see is nowhere to be found, and is a limitation of the Qualcomm 7227 chip's hardware: no Flash video anywhere. Come on INQ, this isn't the iPhone - we want Flash Player 10.2 and we want it now so we can watch videos on the go that we don't really care about.
On the plus side, the Android OS does still provide some nice little touches to the system, such as visual thumbnails of a bookmarked page - it makes it so much easier to see where you're trying to tap to. Also, your most visited pages are offered as potential bookmarks too... just make sure you keep a regular eye on what you're looking at if your ladyfriend often picks up your handset.
If you're not into any of these options, then Opera Mini is pre-installed as well - this offers a cool tabbed browsing system, speed dial bookmarks and a generally quicker experience to the normal Android browser thanks to the compression algorithms.
However, the speed tests we conducted showed it to be about the same time to load certain pages across both browsers, and the overall functionality of the standard Android option worked better in our opinion.
We're more annoyed that Firefox for Android wasn't included, as that's a really modernised browser for the platform - but once again INQ users are left out in the cold when it comes to the cutting edge apps.
