• On TechRepublic: Windows 7: Slower to boot than Vista?
May 10, 2007 3:05 PM PDT

Helio Ocean is in the house

by Nicole Lee
Helio Ocean

Helio Ocean

(Credit: Helio)

Even though we played around with the prototype of the Helio Ocean cell phone back in March (see our lengthy first impression here), we were still excited when we received the final product in our gadget-hungry hands.

Yes, we finally have the Helio Ocean right now in the house, and save for a few user-interface improvements, it feels pretty much the same as that earlier prototype. The triple-decker phone has a bit of heft to it, but we liked its smooth lines and soft-touch surface, and the 2.4-inch QVGA screen is simply a sight to behold. The QWERTY keyboard has that same soft-touch feel, and we're liking the bubbly tactile keys.

We haven't gone through all the phone's features yet, but from what we've seen so far, it's certainly impressive. The smart-search feature we mentioned at CTIA is still there: we loved that we could just type in anything from the default screen, press OK, and instantly be rewarded with a page of search results. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera, EV-DO support, a music player that supports Microsoft's PlaysForSure DRM, and a vast array of messaging options. It even supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync so you can receive corporate email on the device.

There are a few things that we didn't like--we can't seem to multitask properly, and we're not fans of the number keypad--but we're in the middle of testing right now. There's a lot of ground to cover, so stay tuned for our full review soon!

Nicole Lee is an associate editor for CNET, covering cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, and all things mobile. She's also pretty geeky--she likes World of Warcraft, comic books, and shiny gadgets. E-mail Nicole.
Recent posts from Crave
Smartphone users, keep complaining
Two new remote Webcams: Mole and Vue
MP3 Insider 168: Inspired by the uninspiring
WiiWaa: Fun for kids, coma for animal controller
Unboxing Modern Warfare 2's 'Prestige Edition,' complete with night vision goggles
SoundRacer adds V-8 sound, but not the power
Fridge Locker screams, 'Hands off!'
DIY podcasting with the PM Series Podcaster kit
Add a Comment (Log in or register)
What About the GPS/Google Maps?
by webgrrlie May 10, 2007 7:13 PM PDT
Nicole: Can you give me any insight as to the functionality of the GPS/Google Maps feature? Ever since I heard about the Ocean, I've been intrigued, and I'm willing to drop the $$ on it, IF the GPS functionality is worthwhile. Thanks :)
Reply to this comment
Software Sinks Ocean.
by cima113 May 18, 2007 8:35 AM PDT
I ordered Helio's Ocean and have been using it for about 4 days now and I gotta tell you, its a good phone but there are issues. Hopefully they can tweak the software and fine tune the users experience.

The phone has a simple interface UNTILL you use the web browser. It is beyond confusing as to how to get to some of their touted features. The browser needs better forward and back page buttons. It has a back button but needs a forward. The video stream link section forces you to scroll through pages of video clips you are not even interested in just to get to the ones you want. It would be nice if they grouped the videos by show names first and then list each episode. The main web page isn't customizable so you cant just quick pick the sites you use daily. You are forced to save them through a bookmark listing in a menu. Very annoying considering how much clicking it takes to navigate web pages.

Integration of media The phone has a nice camera and the ability to snatch images off websites. The audio player is surprisingly loud and clear. The problem starts when you want to use this media in say contact cards or use a song as a ring tone. Either the steps needed are just too complex to do, or the software isn't sufficient in assisting the user in making it happen.

Like I said the phone is good but the software needs work. The phone's software should make it simple to add an image from the web to a contact card, or wallpaper, or to select a song as a ring tone. They need to make the phone work for the user instead of the user working for the phone.
Reply to this comment

About Crave

The name says it all. Crave is our blog about gorgeous gadgets and other crushworthy stuff. If you would like to contact Crave with a tip or comment, please write to: crave@cnet.com

Add this feed to your online news reader

Crave topics

After 5 years, Firefox faces new challenges

Mozilla helped reshape the Web since releasing Firefox 1.0 five years ago. Now it's got a reawakened Microsoft and Google Chrome to reckon with.

There's a map for that: GPS or smartphone?

Almost every handset comes with mapping software these days, but standalone GPS devices are becoming more affordable than ever.