Chris German, Chief Scientist for Deep Submergence at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution here in Massachusetts, has been busy finding undersea volcanoes with the help of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). With more than half the planet’s water exceeding depths of two miles, mapping the sea floor is no easy task. What’s more, technology being… → Read More
Available starting today is the Pantech Matrix for AT&T. It features the same dual sliding keyboard from their Helio Ocean design in a much better looking form factor. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the pill design, but this new QWERTY keyboard looks a lot easier to use. It features a 1.3-megapixel camera, XM radio, Bluetooth and an MP3 player. Get it now in blue, green and red for $80. → Read More
Already blue-faced from holding your breath for Oz 2? You might just go purple before you’ve got one in your hands. According to Jayne Wallace, spokeswoman for Virgin Mobile, we won’t be seeing it on the shelves until 2009. Why? Because it’s not yet “the best it can be.” → Read More
Virgin Mobile, which recently announced plans to acquire Helio, continues to mature while mostly avoiding growing pains. With 5.1 million customers and well over a billion dollars in revenue last year, the MVNO seems well situated to expand. VM has consistently stood apart from the pack by continuing to offer no-contract plans and in the process attracted a lot of younger, no credit or bad credit… → Read More
Those of us here at CrunchGear who use Helio’s excellent Ocean (which is most of us) are thrilled up at the prospect of the rumored Ocean 2, or OZ2, which is purportedly set to drop on or around June 20. We know the phone has significant upgrades to the OS making it much faster and more responsive that the first-gen version, and we also hear there’s a better camera and in-browser… → Read More
If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on a Helio Ocean — we know you’re out there — have we got a CrunchDeal for you. Helio’s got a special offer right now. A $199 Ocean with a $100 mail-in rebate with any qualifying plan. That’s the best deal we’ev ever seen on the Ocean, one of the CrunchGear staff’s favorite phones. We’ve blogged the shit… → Read More
Helio today updated the YouTube client for its popular flagship phone, the Ocean. The update uses the same general interface, which is pretty good, and is rumored to be based on the new overall interface. The new client is faster, noticeably so, and it’s not just the interface; loading and buffering times are zippy indeed. It’s a free download for all Ocean users, and it the bandwidth… → Read More
Actually, let’s be fair — there could be some dudettes involved too. At any rate, two of the recently-severed undersea cables have been accounted for, as authorities in Dubai have impounded two ships that were caught by satellite photos taken directly over the cables at the time they were cut. According to PC Pro, “The MV Hounslow and MT Ann have both been detained by the Dubai… → Read More
Helio today updated the YouTube client for its popular flagship phone, the Ocean. The update uses the same general interface, which is pretty good, and is rumored to be based on the new overall interface. The new client is faster, noticeably so, and it’s not just the interface; loading and buffering times are zippy indeed. It’s a free download for all Ocean users, and it the bandwidth… → Read More
[photopress:pantech_oz2_fcc_id.jpg,full,left]Regular readers know that we at CrunchGear love the Helio Ocean. At least three of us carry one with us at all times. The integrated GPS is the best I’ve ever used in a handset and the third-party software’s just fantastic. We’ve been eagerly awaiting the Ocean 2 and its rumored navigation technique that some say will rival the iPhone… → Read More
I love the Helio Ocean, and I love Opera Mini. When some shadow devs used their fancy footwork to make the two work together, I was a very happy boy. Helio was impressed too, and today announced that the alternative browser would be officially supported on the Helio flagship handset. This is notable for a few reasons. This is a user-driven initiative; the vibrant Ocean community more or less said… → Read More
Helio has once again dropped the price of their unlimited plan down to $99 from $145. You know the drill. Now drop on by your nearest store and take advantage while you can. The Ocean and Mysto are great choices in case you needed some advice on a handset. Helio → Read More
What would a week of “Smartphones Now” be without a review of a smartphone? A terrible one, I’m sure. So what are we going to look at today? The Duo from Pantech for AT&T. Not exactly the hottest smartphone on the market, but it does have a few qualities that are quite endearing. I’m also jaded and hate all phones to begin with. Heh. That’s not entirely true. I… → Read More
That’s Mavericks, a world class big wave spot in Half Moon Bay. Oil prices are getting out of hand. Wind and solar power are somewhat unpredictable and apparently they ‘cost too much’. A few weeks back I saw Southland Tales and the movie was about the end of the world and all this other crazy stuff. What was intriguing about the film other than Sarah Michelle Geller being a porn… → Read More
I love YouTube. I mean I love it. I like unhinged videos of Mexican UFOs, crazy Japanese gameshows, and Lohan falling down. It’s unlimited entertainment, because there are more hours of content uploaded per day that there are hours in the day, meaning you could never possibly watch it all. And it’s all free. Sadly, the world of online video is restricted to, for the most part, unwieldy… → Read More
After a dreadful day of sitting on the couch, sleeping on the couch and playing Assassin’s Creed from the couch since I was under the weather yesterday, I return to the CrunchGear/TechCrunch office to find a UPS box waiting for me. What could it be?! Yeah, I know you already know since it’s blatantly obvious in the headlines but bear with me. So what I have here is the Duo, which is… → Read More
As if I need another reason to not leave the couch this winter other than it being cold. Helio has gone and added a TV Guide app and I feel myself getting squishier. A 30-day rental is $2.99 and you can even forward TV listings to a friend in case you think they’re interested in watching ___________ (Some dumb show only you like. Heh.). A few more screen shots after the jump. Thanks, Helio. → Read More
I told you about File Viewer a few months ago. I’ve been patiently waiting and it was worth it. It’s now here and it’s free, but only for the Ocean. File Viewer works in conjunction with MME and allows you to view all Microsoft Office documents as well as HTML, PDF, TXT and an array of images. You can even check files from your microSD card. I haven’t tested it all out, but… → Read More
As if the refreshed Oceans and $99 all-in-one plan weren’t enough, the MVNO of choice has slashed $50 off all handsets for new members. That means a brand new Ocean is $199, the thinnest flip on the market, Fin, is $79 and the Heat is FREE. Need I say more? Helio → Read More
I love my Ocean. Matt lives and dies by the Ocean. It’s a great phone and does everything one needs. Well, not everything. It doesn’t get Matt laid or anything, but I think you know where I’m going. Maybe you’re already with Helio and you want some friends to migrate over because you’re a greedy bastard and want the free months of service. I wouldn’t blame you. → Read More
The Pantech Duo (aka It’s-not-the-ocean) has been officialized today by AT&T. The Windows Mobile 6 smartphone is a true world phone, and will work in most countries supporting GSM. Like the Helio Ocean, the Duo has dual-sliding keypads, one T9, and one’s QWERTY. We’re big fans of the Ocean for its design, but it’ll be interesting to see how the form factor carries over… → Read More
What’s the old saying, ‘thin is in’? Yeah, that sounds about right. Who likes a fatty, anyways? And who the h-e-double hockey sticks wants a clamshell? I need QWERTY like a crack whore needs, well, crack. I wasn’t too thrilled when I found out about Helio’s Fin a few weeks back. A clamshell? Seriously WTF? Was someone freebasing over at the Helio House? You’ve got one of the coolest… → Read More
We’ve been hearing rumors, and today we find they’re true: Helio‘s got a new phone, it’s called the Fin. Which rhymes with thin, as in what the phone is. → Read More
We love it when a device has an enthusiastic following. We love it more when that following comes up with badass ways to hack said device. And we love it when said enthusiastic following hacks said favored device and the results are fantastic. We love the Ocean by Helio, one of the most amazing and overlooked handsets on the market. If you haven’t seriously looked at this thing yet, you… → Read More
Oh happy day! Helio officially released Mail for MS Exchange last night into beta, so all the business-user-haters can quit their griping. All Ocean owners with an All-in account will be privy to the beta for the next 60 days. You’ll be able to sync your Contacts, Calendar and E-mail from the MS Exchange Server OTA. At the end of the beta period, the final release of Mail for MS Exchange will… → Read More
Verizon may be able to call themselves the most reliable voice and data network in the country, but they’re certainly not the first to allow users to upload videos to YouTube via MMS. The fact that they’re releasing a press release touting such a feat is pretty ridiculous and embarrassing. Verizon, pay close attention to what I’m about to say. Helio was the first provider in the US to give… → Read More
Helio users are lucky people. Besides not being nickel and dimed to death with extra charges that don’t actually cost the carriers anything, they get badass handsets like the Ocean that do pretty much everything, and rate plans that don’t leave them with self doubt in the morning. And things are about to get better. To be announced Monday, Helio is upgrading its Helio UP service. → Read More
I’m a Sidekick 3 fanboy through and through, but Helio is definitely making its case. I’ve had an Ocean for a few weeks now and I’ll admit that I love it. The GPS feature is hot and it definitely helps me out when I manage to get lost in NYC. I came across some really cool vids that Helio has put up on Youtube and I thought I’d share it with everyone. This particular video is of STASH and… → Read More
Just a quick heads-up: The Helio Ocean became available for purchase as of midnight EST. Those wishing to purchase the new device right this instant, visit Helio.com or call 1-888-88-HELIO. If, however, you can wait until later in the day, it’ll be available through Helio retail stores. And next week it’ll spread to GameStop and EB Games locations. → Read More
The Helio Ocean marks a sea change in the evolution of MVNOs. Previously allotted for a limited demographic, the Ocean signals a significant market expansion for the cellco youngster Helio. Aimed directly at the Sidekick crowd, the Ocean could be poised to erode some of T-Mobile’s bountiful cache of hip youngsters with cash to liquidate for cool technologies. Since it announced the Ocean… → Read More
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