The Android-powered HTC Status with a BlackBerry-like physical QWERTY keyboard and dedicated Facebook button seemed like a good design and phone choice for frequent Facebook users who, presumably, want to type in a lot of status updates. It made its debut just two months ago.
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Image courtesy of MIC Gadget
So, while the HTC Status launched in the U.S. with a dedicated Facebook button, HTC produced a phone for the Chinese market with a dedicated Sina Weibo button.
HTC Status: Android Phone With a Dedicated Facebook Button
HTC Launch Weibo Phone in China ( Video ) (MIC Gadget)
Note that the phone is not a version of the HTC Status sold in the U.S. It is, however, based on the HTC Salsa which also has a dedicated Facebook button.
Could a phone with a dedicated Google+ button be far behind?
As the current 11th Dr. Who might say: I like thumb keyboards. Thumb keyboards are cool (and functional). And, the Android OS 2.3 (Gingerbread) based HTC Status looks cool.
And, check out that blue button sitting by itself under the navigation keys. Yep, that’s a dedicated Facebook share button. Facebook integration extends to voice calls too: Every time you get or make a call, you see your friend’s profile pic and latest status update right on the call screen. If it’s their birthday that week, you’ll see that, too. Laptop mag reports that the Facebook button glows when some social activity is related to you.
The HTC Status features a 2.6-inch (480×320) touch screen as well as a physical keyboard. It has a 5 megapixel rear camera and a VGA (640×480) front-facing camera. Its GSM and 3G radios are for use on AT&T’s network.
Via Laptop Mag: Hands On with HTC Status for AT&T: Facebook Button for Easy Updates
HTC’s HD7 caught my eye as soon as I saw it listed among the first generation of Windows Phone smartphones. Its big 4.3-inch display (just below my personal threshold of “too big for a phone”) was the draw for me. However, WMPowerUser and TheNextWeb report that the HD7′s camera subsystem have been the cause of problems for some of its users. Photography has become an integral part of social networks. So, this is a huge problem for HD7 users who frequently share photos.
HTC HD7 having camera failure issue? (WMPowerUser)
Users report severe HTC HD7 camera issues (TheNextWeb)
I have not experienced this specific problem with my HD7 (my primary voice phone). However, I have had several recurring problems which makes me wonder if any of these problems are related. Here’s are the problems I’ve seen (several times each).
1. HD7 will not switch out of flight mode. Power cycle required to remedy this.
2. HD7 wakes from a normal suspend (screen off) and does not connect to my mobile carrier. Power cycle required to remedy this.
3. Photos cannot be uploaded directly to Microsoft SkyDrive (cloud storage). I’m told by a reliable source that the HD7 needs to be hard reset to remedy this problem. I have not tried to do this yet.
Have you experienced any of these issues with your HD7?
Mobile-phone manufacturer HTC is on board as the sponsor of the next phase of the partnership between Entertainment Weekly and GetGlue.
Today I received a new toy, the HTC Flyer, which is a seven inch Android tablet that runs Android 2.3.3. While I have only had a few hours to play with this new tablet, I thought I would show you a couple of features that you might find of interest.
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For everyone out there who wants an iPhone 3G-type phone but doesn’t want an iPhone, InformationWeek has an article talking up what it calls “8 killer iPhone 3G alternatives.”
If you don’t want to get roped into a two-year contract with AT&T, need a physical keypad or have a thing against the App Store, the magazine suggests you check out one of the following:
BlackBerry Bold for its “snazzy redesign, integrated Wi-Fi, 3G network capabilities and assisted GPS.”
HTC Touch Pro because it has both a touch-screen interface and a physical keyboard, plus Wi-Fi, 3G and GPS.
LG Voyager for its physical keyboard and touch-screen. This option has some drawbacks, though – it’s not a true smartphone.
LG Dare because, although its target is the casual user, it has “features and a design that may make mobile professionals look twice.”
Nokia N 96 because, well, it’s the latest addition to Nokia’s N series.
Samsung Omnia for its 3.2-inch touch-screen, five-megapixel camera, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi and handwriting recognition.
Samsung Instinct, which InformationWeek describes as “a legitimate alternative” to the iPhone for Sprint customers.
Garmin Nuvifone, which is due out later this year, and boasts a touch-screen, Wi-Fi, e-mail capabilities and, because it’s a Garmin, killer GPS features.
