HTC Status

“The main pressure on the Salsa will be coming from the Android midrange, where LG and Samsung are traditionally doing well. Windows Phone 7 too is in the picture with a more than solid approach to Facebook.But, the HTC Salsa has just the right reply to all of them. The little blue button does not entitle the HTC Salsa to call Facebook its own. But it gives a certain set of users something to connect with. It may seem a small thing - but the Salsa will only benefit from being focused and knowing its audience. Shame it doesn’t come cheaper. We're ready to like this one. Not so sure about share. At over 300 euro sim-free, it’s a tough one to recommend.”

“The HTC Status is a beautiful phone with good Facebook integration and an excellent keyboard, at the right price. But I can't recommend it with much enthusiasm because of how badly many apps (including Facebook!) work with the horizontal screen. Other Android phones don't have the hardware Facebook button, but they still integrate Facebook into their contact books and are more compatible with third-party apps.”

“When it comes right down to it, the HTC Status is a good choice and at the right price for those who like to stay connected to Facebook, but being an Android device, you have all the extra benefits that come along with it. The QWERTY keyboard is very useful, though it can feel a bit cramped with large hands, and the 2.6” display is about as small as you get on a smartphone without being too small, though it does work well – we just wish is were a bit larger.”

“If you find it hard to take the HTC ChaCha seriously with its funny name and interesting take on social networking, we'd like to take the opportunity to assure you that without the blue button, the ChaCha is still a solid performer. While it can be a little buggy, with better hardware across the board than its main competitors and Sense UI adding a decent amount of functionality, the HTC ChaCha delivers a good amount of fun, functionality and affordability.”