Is Facebook on the HTC First and HTC One the savior of HTC?

You can set up BlinkFeed on the HTC One to just show Facebook updates and quickly post your own status updates, and now we see HTC taking Facebook integration a step further with the upcoming HTC First from AT&T. You can pre-order the HTC First today for $99.99, with availability slated for April 12.

Specifications of the HTC First include:

• 4.3-inch HD 720p display

• 1.4GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8930AA chipset

• Android 4.1 with Facebook Home

• 1GB RAM

• Up to 16GB storage

• 5-megapixel rear camera and 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera

• Wi-fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

• FM radio

• 2000mAh non-removable battery

• Dimensions: 4.96x2.56x0.35 inches and 4.37 ounces

My wife enjoyed the Facebook BlinkFeed experience, and since she uses Facebook quite a bit on her phone, she may like installing the Facebook Home application onto a device like the HTC One when it is released in the Google Play Store. However, like James, I am not yet sold on the idea of a phone having such deep Facebook integration and focus. It's been tried before by HTC and didn't do well at all.

HTC needs something to generate excitement for its fantastic hardware, and Facebook may help. Facebook is one of the most popular applications used on mobile phones, and HTC made a good move being a part of the Facebook Home launch event.

I think it also needs to build on the HTC First discussion by letting people know that the HTC One can offer some Facebook home screen functionality while still giving the consumer full control over the experience. HTC has not done well in marketing its products, and should use the opportunity with Facebook to promote the heck out of the HTC First and the HTC One.

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