HTC Status Review: A Phone for Facebook Fanatics

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Designed for Status Updates

The 2.6-inch display feels pretty cramped, however, and the low, 480-by-320-pixel resolution won't do your friends' profile photos any favors. The screen is too small for videos (aside from the quick YouTube clip), and the limited surface makes gaming difficult.

At the top of the phone, you'll find the power button and the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Facebook Integration and Software

The HTC Status runs Android 2.3 with the latest version of the HTC Sense interface (Sense 2.3.3), as well as some unique Facebook features. In this version of Sense, you get the spruced-up lock screen, where you can pin shortcuts to your most frequently used, go-to apps. Unfortunately, you don't get cool, 3D-like spinning walls (see our HTC Sensation review), but you can pinch anywhere on the home screen to see thumbnails of your walls (as on all of the most recent HTC phones).

If you want to stay connected on Google's new social network, we recommend downloading the excellent Google+ Android app.

Camera

The Status has a back-facing 5-megapixel camera with an LED flash. Image quality is okay. My indoor photos had a bit of a dark cast to them without the flash, but then they looked blown out with the flash. Outdoor photos seemed better, with brighter, more natural-looking colors.

Performance

The phone runs on AT&T's 3G network, not the carrier's "4G" HSPA+ network. If you're looking for a keyboard phone on AT&T's 4G network, your only option is the HP Veer 4G, with its tiny slide-out keyboard. Network performance was decent. I frequently got two or three bars of reception, as I normally encounter with AT&T phones in San Francisco.

Bottom Line

While the HTC Status might not have the most cutting-edge specs, it gets the job done, letting you easily stay connected to all of your social networks. The hardware integration, in the form of the Share button, is especially useful; the special Facebook widgets are unique, as well.

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Review: HTC ThunderBolt (Verizon Wireless)

The HTC ThunderBolt is my new best friend. At first, I was skeptical – usually a device so hyped turns out to be a let-down. Dead wrong this time around. The ThunderBolt may be the best Android Smartphone yet, at least for now.

The hardware in the ThunderBolt package is well built and thoughtful, including a sleek (for what it is) USB wall charger and MicroUSB cable. HTC didn’t see fit to include earphones, but that’s fine by me, as I like my Logitech IP Noise-Isolating Earbuds, ’cause they rock (they’re about $50 online, and worth every penny). Most plans I’ve seen come with either a 16 or 32GB microSD card pre-installed (

The ThunderBolt includes Adobe Reader, QuickOffice for editing and viewing Office documents, Verizon’s V CAST services, Kindle, and (ick) some trialware games (I detest trial apps preinstalled on phones, but it’s the norm these days…). 

One thing I really like about the ThunderBolt and Verizon’s LTE network is the mobile hotspot functionality. Speeds are almost in the range of cable Internet, and the latency (I got between 80 and 120ms) on the LTE network is far better than most 4G systems.

Overall, the ThunderBolt is the best phone HTC has produced to date, as fas as this user is concerned. HTC took the best parts of their previous Android smartphone and turned out something impressive. 

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Smartphone usage growth 'has stalled'

The proportion of Brits using a smartphone has crept up only two per cent in the last six months, YouGov’s survey found.

Analysts said that manufacturers and networks need to do a better job of explaining the benefits smartphone ownership, especially to older people. Only 14 per cent of over-55s are smartphone users, the online poll found.

Women are also currently less likely to use a smartphone than men, who account for 59 per cent of the market.

“It could be that the growing sales figures are being driven by existing smartphone users upgrading,” he said.
But YouGov’s findings were not necessarily a cause for concern for the industry, he added, saying that not using a smartphone doesn’t mean people are “rejecting” them.
“Over time a higher and higher proportion of phones in use are going to naturally be smartphones as prices come down,” Mr Cripps said.
“In the long run the situation won’t remain the same simply because technology always percolates down.”
Indeed, YouGov’s survey of 4,176 adults also found that a third of ordinary mobile users plan to get a smartphone next time they upgrade.

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