Back in the days before the iPhone, it seemed like the smartphone sphere was a lot less cramped. You had a few decent offerings here or there, but certainly nothing like 2010 were literally every other handset that comes out at least grabs my attention for a few minutes.
Yes, before the iPhone there was Helio. The first Helio device was a game changer with it’s cheap plans and smartphone-like features transformed for consumer oriented ventures. And then the iPhone happened, literally killing the Helio. The Helio 2 was born to little fan fare. Soon after, Helio was belly up.
But there was one last device that was to save the company, the Helio Ocean 3. And now, the one and only prototype in the world has finally been caught in camera and shown to the world…
Fall into the Helio craze did you? Better keep that Ocean/Ocean2 in tip top shape because it appears those will be the last Helio branded devices ever. As Engadget points out, it never made sense of Virgin Mobile to hobble along supporting two different brands. Whether the exec’s at Virgin Mobile finally stopped tapping that funny kool-aid or they just came to their senses is a moot point. The fact of the matter is Helio branded devices are being erased from Virgin’s memory save for two lonely survivors seen above. What’s sort of odd is that the Helio Ocean 2 which was hardware wise a newer (hello captain obvious…is that you?) and ultimately better than the original Ocean has been nixed. In it’s place is the older, original Ocean. Another blow to the face is that the few remaining Helio devices are being referenced by their manufacturer’s names. Ouch. No love.
In case you’re feeling a little directionless in life now that you can’t get that Helio 2 you’ve been eying for months, as long as your know some Korean (or know how to translate Google Translate’s sometimes not quite right translations), the Korean market of Virgin Mobile USA still has your fix. For how much longer though is anybody’s guess. If I were you and really wanting an Ocean 2, I’d get on it pretty fast as there’s no telling how much longer these devices are going to be available anywhere.
I don’t quite understand Virgin Mobile’s rationale on this one but hey, they pay important people to make important decisions. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Engadget > Mobile Crunch
- February 11, 2009 4:32 pm
I’m sad to report that even after having an amazing first round run, the Helio Ocean 2 is not the 2nd round champ that many had hoped for. Gizmodo posted a full review of the little guy and was left pretty disappointed. They said: “It would have been a great phone…if it were 2007″. So there you have it potential Ocean 2 buyers. Run…run away. There are newer, better fish in the sea now. Heck, the iPhone, G1, and soon Palm Pre are all close to the Ocean 2 in price while greatly trumping it in every way. For example, in the review the browser on the Ocean 2 is described as “downright horrible”. Ouch. Not exactly let down gracefully. So if you plan on doing any amount of mobile browsing, the Ocean 2 is not for you. ’Twas a short wave of awesomeness Helio rode. Here’s hoping to them finding that magic and making another revolutionary *affordable* product. Head on over to Gizmodo and read the full review!
Source: Gizmodo
- January 16, 2009 12:18 pm
Helio is a relatively popular brand of phone that doesn’t really get the attention it deserves. Running on Virgin Mobile Helio has introduced some pretty cool phones, most recently, the Ocean. It was a “beginner” smartphone for people who shun wireless contracts and being locked in. Lately not much of anything has come from the media shunned company as RIM, Apple, HTC and a host of other vendors continue to fill the net with leaks and news article after news article of impending releases and announcements. Helio isn’t taking this lying down however as the sequal to the Ocean, the Ocean 2 is reported to be coming soon. How soon?
