By MATT MYFTIU
Of The Oakland Press

Most phones are pretty much genderless — just black slabs that could be used by male or female without any issue.

The HTC Rhyme, a new phone from Verizon Wireless, is the rare phone that is somewhat gender specific: Between its plum shade, the alert charm that comes with it and its petite look, it’s pretty clearly aimed at women, a rarity among today’s smartphones.


This is a risky strategy, as you’re effectively eliminating half your buying public with this kind of design, but if even of the target group like it you could have a hit on your hands.

LOOKS

As I said, this phone screams feminine with its look. Your only color choice is plum (actually three shades of plum to be more specific). It’s smaller than most new smartphones, which is good for people with more petite hands. This also means it weighs in at a light 4.77 ounces.

And, of course, there is the charm, which is designed to hang out of your bag (presumably a purse) and will blink when someone calls or messages you.

Overall, I thought the phone felt very good in the hand, especially its textured backplate.

To read the full review, click here.