HTC Freestyle

HTC may have vaulted to glory in recent years with its selection of Android phones, but last month at CES the company broadened its portfolio just a bit with the new Freestyle quick-messaging phone.

The Freestyle, which goes on sale from AT&T this Sunday, February 13, lacks the high-end features of the new HTC Thunderbolt and its simple design won't stand out in the cell phone crowd. Yet, for users who don't need a lot, the BREW-powered Freestyle should deliver.

The aluminum body features a 3.2-inch touch screen with just a few navigation controls below. There's no physical keyboard, so you'll have to type all your messages on virtual keys. It is, however, the first quick-messaging phone with HTC's Sense UI and the Friend Stream app.

Other features include a full HTML browser, a 3.2-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headset jack, a microSD slot (up to 32GB), FM radio, and a 528MHz processor. You'll also find support for AT&T Navigator, AT&T Music, AT&T Radio, and the carrier's 3G network.

The Freestyle is $99.99 after a two-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate.