HTC First for $350!

[lopri]

I love how the competition expands the consumers' choices. Evidently the HTC lowered its "Facebook Phone" price from $450 to $350. Considering that this phone runs stock Android (with Facebook launcher that can be easily disabled) and support LTE, it really positioned well against the Nexus 4. Official blessings from the carriers mean there will be less quirks with connections. This is a very attractive product, IMO.

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/htc/first-black.html#fbid=M8mlxm9LgLL

 

[wirednuts]

cool. their next device must be called the uno

 

[Red Storm]

Even if it's stock Android though, it's not going to get official updates as fast as a Nexus phone. You're still at the whim of HTC and AT&T and possibly even Facebook.

 

[gorcorps]

cool. their next device must be called the uno

Followed closely by the HTC Primero

 

[blairharrington]

I wonder if they are doing this because it isn't selling well.

I actually really like this phone a lot. Not my first choice but for $350 unlocked I think it's really good.

 

[lopri]

This is a great deal if you look at the alternatives in the same price bracket. I actually liked this phone quite a lot in person. (more so than the One, ironically) Fits very nicely in my hand for one-handed operation.

Lots of people grumbled about lack of mid-sized phones with decent specs and this phone should fill their needs perfectly. Its internals are practically the N4 + LTE. As to timely updates, those are not limited to this phone, but all Android phones other than the Nexus franchise are subject to varying degrees of brand/carrier willingness. And I think 4.1.2 should suffice for majority of tasks people do on a regular basis for quite some time.

But more than anything, it's exciting that smart phone prices are becoming sane. I don't think this will change anything overnight, but hopefully consumers will slowly realize the carrier-driven smart phone pricing and will better be able to discern products.

 

[lothar]

This is a great deal if you look at the alternatives in the same price bracket. I actually liked this phone quite a lot in person. (more so than the One, ironically) Fits very nicely in my hand for one-handed operation.

Lots of people grumbled about lack of mid-sized phones with decent specs and this phone should fill their needs perfectly. Its internals are practically the N4 + LTE. As to timely updates, those are not limited to this phone, but all Android phones other than the Nexus franchise are subject to varying degrees of brand/carrier willingness. And I think 4.1.2 should suffice for majority of tasks people do on a regular basis for quite some time.

But more than anything, it's exciting that smart phone prices are becoming sane. I don't think this will change anything overnight, but hopefully consumers will slowly realize the carrier-driven smart phone pricing and will better be able to discern products.

If you're talking price "out of pocket", Nexus 4 still gets the upper hand(unless you badly need AT&T's LTE network). If you're talking contract price, then yes this phone is a steal at $0.99 compared to all the other PoS devices phone carriers usually sell for $100 or less.

Nope.

 

[lothar]

Even if it's stock Android though, it's not going to get official updates as fast as a Nexus phone. You're still at the whim of HTC and AT&T and possibly even Facebook.

In order words, it's no different from a Motorola phone since they practically have stock Android now.
This is my biggest problem with this HTC device.

 

[Daniel Jones]

I was out of touch from mobile market for over a month and didn't even know that FB phone is released. Looks like they have not done the marketing right.