On July 17, AT&T will launch the first Facebook-optimized smartphone. Get a closer look at the HTC Status here.
Bonnie Cha
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
Originally introduced as the HTC ChaCha at Mobile World Congress, the HTC Status will be available from AT&T starting on July 17 for $49.99 with a two-year contract.
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Facebook button
The Status features a dedicated Facebook button that allows you to easily post status updates, check in to places, share links, and more. It's also context aware, so if you take a photo, the button will glow to remind you that you can upload it to Facebook.
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Status update
With a short press of the Facebook button, the phone will automatically launch the status update screen.
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Check in
Meanwhile, a long press takes you to the page where you can check into locations.
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Facebook chat
The HTC Status also comes preloaded with a Facebook chat client, so you can instant message with any online friends.
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Share stories
In addition to the ability to share what music you're listening to, you can post links from around the Web to your wall.
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HTC Sense
Though the Facebook integration is the main attraction, the Status has other things to offer. It's running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and also features the latest HTC Sense user interface.
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Display
The menus have been redesigned to accommodate the phone's smaller 2.6-inch HVGA touch screen. Even with the modified menus, we found it pretty difficult to navigate the phone with such a small display.
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Chin, chin
Like a number of other HTC devices, the Status has a slight chin at the bottom. The phone itself is nice and compact, and the unibody design gives it a premium feel.
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Top view
On top of the phone, you'll find the power button and 3.5mm headphone jack.
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Camera
The HTC Status has two cameras: a 5-megapixel camera and flash on back and a front-facing VGA camera for video calls.
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Uploading photos
After taking a photo, you can simply press the Facebook button to upload it to the social networking site.
