HTC Takes to Facebook to Announce AT&T Status

In a move that makes total sense to us, HTC has taken to Facebook to announce the social networking-heavy HTC Status for AT&T.  Perhaps this is could be considered more of a re-announcement than anything being that the carrier was expected to offer the phone since it was unveiled (HTC ChaCha) back at Mobile World Congress.  And really, there’s no firm launch date (“summer”) or price to share with you at this point.  

All in all, the “announcement” is essentially a list of detailed specifications and functions.  In other words, more of what most of us already know.  We have to assume that some of their Facebook followers aren’t avid fans who scour Android blogs.   And what better place to announce a device that’s centered around the very platform is centered around?  Yeah, that’s confusing, but it makes sense.

Why bother with a “Facebook phone”, you ask?

• One touch to share- Press the Facebook share button from your home screen to instantly post on your wall.
• Snap, shoot, share- Take a picture or shoot a video and share it instantly with a press of the Facebook share button. You can even post pictures automatically as you’re taking them..
• Quick-on-the-draw check-in- Just long press the Facebook share button to check in your location with Facebook Places.
• Be first with the news- See something cool on the web? Share your latest find with a quick press of the Facebook share button.
• Post to your wall – or a friend’s wall – From the home screen, a quick tap of the Facebook HTC share button makes sharing anything on your mind quick and easy.
• Share what you’re listening to- The Facebook share button glows when you’re listening to music, to let you know you can share. Let your friends in on the music you love with the push of a button.

We hope to have a price and solid launch date in the near future.  Being that it’s already summer, we expect to see the HTC Status any day.

*****PRESS RELEASE*****

Today, HTC launched a new page on Facebook, all about the HTC Status, coming exclusively to AT&T this summer. You know those priceless moments with your friends on Facebook—that quick pic, inside joke, or perfectly timed post? The first device with a Facebook share button, the HTC Status ensures those moments happen more often, keeping you at the center of your social circle. The HTC Status lets you share just about anything with just one touch, including music, photos, location and status updates. HTC Status also features a chat widget that allows you to, at a glance, see when your friends are online. You can start a live instant chat and juggle between as many private conversations as you want, all straight from the device.

“HTC Status brings a Facebook experience to people who want to share their experiences with their friends faster and easier than ever before,” said Jason Mackenzie, President, HTC Americas. “With a dedicated Facebook share button combined with the hallmark HTC Sense experience, HTC Status makes it easy for people to stay connected to the things that are important to them.”

Dedicated Facebook share button

• One touch to share- Press the Facebook share button from your home screen to instantly post on your wall.
• Snap, shoot, share- Take a picture or shoot a video and share it instantly with a press of the Facebook share button. You can even post pictures automatically as you’re taking them..
• Quick-on-the-draw check-in- Just long press the Facebook share button to check in your location with Facebook Places.
• Be first with the news- See something cool on the web? Share your latest find with a quick press of the Facebook share button.
• Post to your wall – or a friend’s wall – From the home screen, a quick tap of the Facebook HTC share button makes sharing anything on your mind quick and easy.
• Share what you’re listening to- The Facebook share button glows when you’re listening to music, to let you know you can share. Let your friends in on the music you love with the push of a button.

Lock screen shortcuts

Instead of a barrier, the HTC shortcut lock screen just became a launch pad to what you want to do now! Open your favorite apps by just dragging their shortcut icons into the lock screen ring.

See what’s happening before you pick up

Every time you get or make a call, you see your friend’s profile picture and latest status update right on the call screen. If it’s their birthday that week, you’ll see that, too.

Special effects for photos and videos

Anyone can be an artist. Use camera effects to make your photos and videos look like they’ve been taken through special lenses and filters—like Sepia for an old-fashioned look, or Aqua for a touch of cool. Apply effects right in the viewfinder, or apply them afterwards in the Gallery.

Front and back cameras

Take a spontaneous self-portrait or a quick cheek-to-cheek pic with your best pal on the VGA front-facing camera—or just double-check your hair with the Mirror app. With the 5.0 MP main camera with LED flash, you can capture every moment, with pictures or high-quality video.

A smarter ringer

The “Quiet ring on pickup” setting reduces the ring volume when you pick the phone up. The “Pocket mode” setting increases ring volume when your phone is in a pocket or bag, and then returns the volume to a reasonable level when you take it out.

Tech Specs

• Platform: Android™ 2.3 + HTC Sense
• Display: 2.6-inch touch screen with 480 x 320 resolution
• Network: Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900
• Memory: 512 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM
• Processor: MSM7227, 800 MHz
• Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 1250 mAh
• Camera resolution: 5 MP main camera with autofocus, VGA front-facing camera

Please check out the HTC Status Facebook page and the AT&T Facebook page for more information on the device as we get closer to retail availability.