AT&T's HTC Status on sale July 17 for $49
The Facebook phone finally comes to the United States in the form of AT&T's HTC Status. Will prospective customers "like" the $49 price tag?
AT&T has begun taking preorders for the HTC Status, aka the "Facebook Phone."
Formally announced last month, the smartphone arrives on July 17 with an attractive $49.99 price point. AT&T will provide the handset in a variety of color options (black, silver, pink, blue), but Best Buy also will offer the Android 2.3.3-powered device in its own exclusive color of mauve.
As AT&T's first phone to run Gingerbread, the Status comes with an enhanced version of HTC's Sense UI. Thanks to its deep Facebook integration, the HTC Status makes it easy to post on walls, share images and videos, and check in to Facebook Places.
The dedicated Facebook button is contextually aware and lights up when there is something worth sharing, be it a song, video, or Web page. The Status also offers a Facebook chat application and widget as well as integration with the handset's clock, dialer, calendar, address book, and photo gallery applications.
Additional hardware details for the HTC Status include a 2.6-inch touch display, a 5-megapixel camera, and a VGA front-facing camera.