The new Facebook Home-optimised HTC First runs a stock version of Android Jelly Bean, which can be accessed simply by turning off the social network's new, custom UI, reports on Friday revealed.

The Phandroid site discovered that those seeking to use Android in its purest form can, ironically, achieve this by buying a phone designed to almost completely hide the Google-built OS from view.

In its hands-on time with the device, Phandroid found that the Facebook Home skin can be completely disabled with one tap of the app's settings menu.

It also found that the Android notifications bar, missing from the core Facebook Home experience, could be summoned through the same setting application, while still using Facebook Home.

You want pure Android? Turn of Facebook Home

HTC later confirmed to The Verge that this was indeed the case and stock Android is the beneath-the-surface version of the OS.

Why is this somewhat of a surprise? Well HTC phones are usually dripping in its own skin for Android, the love-it-or-hate-it Sense UI.

In fact, it hasn't launched a Sense-less Android phone since 2010's T-Mobile G2 handset. Indeed, the company recently admitted it was "very proud of Sense" and wants it to ship on every device.

Android fans are often seeking more handets with pure versions of the operating system, beyond the Nexus series, so the 'Facebook Phone' could all of a sudden become an option for those folks.

Check out the video below from around 6:30.

Apple has always had a leg-up in the "cool factor" over Microsoft, but its devices may also finally outsell Windows hardware in 2013, according to a market research group this week.

Devices such as the iPhone, iPad and Mac will result in more sales than Windows PCs, tablets, and smartphone, according to analysis by Gartner picked up by The Financial Times.

This is significant because Windows PCs have long-dominated Apple's market share.

However, it's not all that surprising given consumers' trend away from buying PCs in favor of purchasing smaller devices like smartphones and tablets.

Apple vs Microsoft sales in 2013

Apple's Mac and iDevice sales totaled 159 million in 2012, with hardware running Microsoft's Windows operating system slightly ahead at 175 million.

For 2013, Apple's sales forecast is currently at 233 million, according to Gartner, with Microsoft reaching 181 million, but losing its lead over its long-time rival.

"If consumers don't buy [Windows], developers aren't interested in it," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi to the Times.

"Microsoft needs to win in the consumer space if they want to remain relevant."

Microsoft's game plan

The good news for Microsoft is that it saw this trend coming before these forecasts were released - though perhaps a little too late.

The company went so far as to release its own tablet, the Surface, and it's rumored to be developing a Surface smartphone, possibly one that runs its Windows Phone 8 mobile OS.

Microsoft isn't the only company struggling in this PC-turned-mobile world, as other computer manufacturers are complaining about the slow sales of Windows-based products.

Samsung, for example, called Windows 8 no better than the much-maligned Vista operating system. Likewise, Fujitsu referred to W8 demand as "weak," and blamed its poor sales on the OS.

Whether or not sales of Microsoft-branded devices reverse Apple's rising trend remains to be seen. At the same time, it's just as unclear if Apple can maintain its level of cool now that it's no longer the underdog.