Handset maker HTC launched a new Facebook page on Wednesday, exclusively for the Status, the first phone with a Facebook share button, reports Geek.
The share button lets you share music, photos, location and status. The phone also has other buttons and a QWERTY keyboard allowing for speedy status updating. Additionally, it has a widget for Facebook chatting, which lets you see when your friends are online and lets you chat with as many people as you want.
The Facebook button is packed with functionality. A long press lets you check in your location with Facebook Places. When you’re listening to music on your phone, the share button glows, and pushing it lets you share your tunes with your friends. Pressing it when on your home screen takes you instantly to your wall. After clicking a photo, you can press the button to post it directly for all your friends to see
When your friend calls you, her Facebook photo and status will show up on your screen. There will be special Facebook widgets, like a Friend Stream, which will let you follow your closest friends. This is similar to what Google is trying to do with its new Google + social network app.
A Techland report states, “In terms of software, the phone will run Android’s 2.3 Gingerbread with HTC’s Sense UI, all powered by a mid-level 800MHz processor — nothing exactly to write home about. It’ll have a 5-megapixel camera on the back plus a secondary front-facing VGA camera for video chatting.”
The most obvious aspect of its design, though, is its BlackBerry-ish build with a QWERTY keypad, which should speak to the folks who prefer physical buttons instead of touch screens.
So, who is this phone targeted at? Techland opines, “Facebook addicts, maybe. Its rugged exterior seems like something that’d be beneficial for share-happy teenagers, especially if it’s their first smartphone.”
HTC has not yet let out word on the Status availability or pricing.