HTC has become the first smartphone manufacturer to create a true “Facebook phone.” Handsets in the past have claimed to offer Facebook-friendly operation, or even deliver dedicated Facebook buttons. But it appears that the new HTC First, set to launch on April 19, will appropriately enough be the first handset to truly claim the title of Facebook phone. Yes, a lot of smartphone lovers are gearing up for the upcoming release of the HTC One, and it will deliver a bigger feature set and more powerful profile.
But when you realize that 159 million active users logged into Facebook in the last 90 days in the United States alone, the HTC First could pull the rug out from under the HTC One, becoming the one Facebook-dedicated handset to first and finally deliver instant Facebook integration to a smartphone. The excitement behind the First is all about Facebook, with little concerns or questions prevailing about typical smartphone features like processing power, camera capability or display resolution.
When AT&T launches the First this Friday the handset should be around $99 with a two-year contract, and many online retailers might take a stab at offering a discount to attract even more shoppers. The handset will arrive with the new Facebook Home pre-installed, and actually delivers a rather high pixel density, decent amount of onboard storage and the Android Jelly Bean 4.1 operating system. Pixel density runs higher than both the Samsung Galaxy S III (306 ppi) and Apple iPhone 5 (326 ppi), at 341 pixels per inch.
That gives the large 4.30 inch touch screen an overall display resolution of 1,280 by 720 pixels, and the HTC First is powered by a dual core 1.4 GHz Snapdragon central processor. 16 GB of internal storage is present out-of-the-box, as is 1.0 GB of RAM memory. The handset also includes a front facing 1.6 megapixel chat cam and rear facing 5.0 megapixel camcorder so you can instantly record and share your snapshots and video memories with your Facebook followers.
Wireless access is available through 802.11a/g/b/n Wi-Fi channels, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and LTE connectivity options. The Verge went as far as to call the First “a throwback in design to the era of the iPhone 3G and 3GS” and USA Today said the phone is “capable, but not exceptional.” But for smartphone shoppers who are addicted to Facebook fanatically, and who do not feel like plunking down two or three Franklins for the next big thing in the mobile marketplace, The HTC First Facebook phone may just be the one they are looking for.
