Just when you thought Facebook was everywhere, along comes HTC with their Status (aka ChaCha), a phone with a dedicated Facebook button implanted right on its keypad. The impossible to miss button lets you quickly update your status or share photos and videos you capture with the decent 5-megapixel shooter. Gimmick? Maybe. Handy for some? No doubt.
Facebook aside, the Status has a number of other "like"-able features, namely its construction. The phone feels solid, a slightly curved mix of plastic and metal. The QWERTY keyboard's tactile buttons are raised, rubberized and likely usable by even the chubbiest of digits.
The screen is a relatively small 2.6 inches with 480x320 pixel resolution. While images are sharp, the landscape display can make it awkward to use apps normally designed for portrait mode. Lack of screen real estate is probably this phone's greatest flaw.
Under the hood, you'll find a middle-of-the-road 800MHz processor, 512MB of RAM and a microSD card slot for extra storage. This will not win it any benchmarking awards, but the Status is no slouch and should run most apps smoothly on the installed Android operating system.
Overall, the Status looks to be a solid performer and a good budget choice if you're a first-time smartphone buyer or a self-admitted Facebook junkie.
Need to know: HTC ChaCha
1. With the ChaCha's dedicated Facebook button, you can upload your pics and vids faster than you can say "dude, you have to Facebook that". (The Good)
2. Ahh...the smooth, satisfying sound of a 'click'. That's what you'll get with this phone's comfy QWERTY keyboard. (The Good)
3. Flash support is limited on the browser; a major bummer for cat video lovers! (The Bad)
4. To better accommodate a 2.6 inch landscape display; HTC has tweaked its 'Sense' user interface. The result can feel a bit like a Tokyo apartment - cramped. (The Bad)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- GSMArena Team, GSMArenaThe 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 en...
- Chandrakant Isi, TechTreeThe ChaCha is a well-built phone with deep Facebook integration. HTC has nicely customised the Sense UI to match the device's form factor. However, the gadget fails to impress as an all-round device. For a similar price, you can get the Nokia E6 that comes with better design and build quality. It al...
- Adama D. Brown, BrighthandThe HTC Status is, for all intents and purposes, a phone made for teenagers and young adults. Between the tiny screen that demands perfect vision, the excellent Facebook integration, and the low pricetag, it's well suited to that market... and, admittedly, not many others.The specs are surprisingly...
- Chris Burns, Android CommunityThis device is one that feels amazing to use on one hand, but doesn’t have the power and versatility of the rest of the HTC line on the other. There’s a few different people who will very much enjoy this phone, a Facebook addict being one of them. You can just as easily check on your fri...
- What Mobile, What MobileIn terms of Qwerty phones, it’s hard to beat BlackBerry for its keyboard and businesslike efficiency. The ChaCha comes close, but it’s aimed at a different market, adding the funkiness of Android, the class of HTC Sense and above all the convenience of a Facebook button. If you like watching video o...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the HTC Status user manual here.
HTC backs up the Status with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Status has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact HTC support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find HTC's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- HTC Status Manual (PDF)
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