Helio Drift official: $225 in black or white

Ushering in what appears to be an ongoing partnership with Samsung, Helio has officially taken the wraps off its Drift slider. While it might not be able to run with the latest and greatest that Korea has to offer in its domestic market, the Drift looks to stand head and shoulders above the lion's share of handsets in US circulation with a fairly impressive spec sheet. Besides the expected QVGA display, decent storage (128MB, to be exact) with microSD expansion, 2 megapixel shooter and EV-DO, the Drift sports a true GPS receiver. That in itself isn't terribly notable or interesting, but Helio's bundling the Drift with a GPS-enabled version of Google Maps, which when you take into account the routing, real-time traffic, and satellite view capabilities, might make a dedicated nav system obsolete for some users. Helio's also using the launch as an opportunity to introduce "Buddy Beacon," a location-based system in the same vein as Loopt for locating and mapping a preselected list of friends. Add in a web browser that's been revamped for speed and A2DP support, and the Drift -- in either white or black -- suddenly seems like a bargain at the $225 asking price.

[Juaquin @ Nov 9th 2006 12:44AM]

How thick is it? I like the specs Helio has, but their phones are too big to be practical for me.

[Sean DL @ Nov 9th 2006 12:46AM]

Helio...seriously trying there best to be the new Virgin Mobile...

[Brian Leone @ Nov 9th 2006 12:48AM]

That sounds like a heck of a deal to me. And to think that I thought my w810i was the bomb.

[Stephen Marshall @ Nov 9th 2006 12:59AM]

can I call it a phone?

[Tom Reinke @ Nov 9th 2006 1:16AM]

Wait.. Who is going to be carrying it though? Verizon? Cingular?

[jmoney @ Nov 9th 2006 9:06AM]

first off its not a phone and second off helio is a mvno

[scott @ Nov 10th 2006 3:54PM]

leave. leave now and never come back to engadget. please.

[John G @ Nov 9th 2006 1:41AM]

uhhh...anyone want to buy my i730 :)

I need Helio

[adrian @ Nov 9th 2006 1:50AM]

slider = drift hahaha.

[justin @ Nov 9th 2006 2:17AM]

Drift is pretty slim - it's 3.8 (H) x 1.7 (W) x .7 (D) inches as described on the product details page. 100 grams in weight (3.53 ounces).

[justin @ Nov 9th 2006 2:18AM]

whoops - embedded link got removed. here's the URL:
http://www.helio.com/#device_details_drift

[SkylarS @ Nov 9th 2006 2:32AM]

SInce both Helio and Verizon are cdma, would I be able to buy this phone unlocked for use with verizon?

[ECM @ Nov 9th 2006 3:50AM]

Goodbye Hero, hello Drift!

[GSP @ Nov 9th 2006 8:02AM]

Hello! Whats this ? A cool CDMA phone ?!?! I didn't know who Helio was ... but now I do! "Can you hear me now?"

[chuck @ Nov 9th 2006 9:00AM]

@ Sean DL: Trying their best to be the new virgin mobile? How does VM even begin to compare with Helio? Helio has 3G and high end phones like this one, while VM carries basic kyocera phones, most of which are under $50 without contract.

[Jay @ Sep 7th 2007 2:11PM]

i'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic...

[Eric V @ Nov 9th 2006 9:22AM]

I'm kind of glad that the Kickflip has been out of stock. If I would have bought that one I would have been... get this, kicking my flipping Kickflip to the curb. I'll drift past all previous Helio models and slide the new Drift right into my non buldging pants pocket. ;) This also saves me a purchase of an in car GPS. Rock on Helio... My shipping better not be delayed >:0

[Kevin Pease @ Nov 9th 2006 10:50AM]

I'm gonna strap one of these to my cat and let him roam free. It's a cheaper tracking device than that one they posted on here a month ago (made specifically for pets). And this thing would have more than a 2 mile radius.

[Kevin Pease @ Nov 9th 2006 10:51AM]

oh, snap! it won't be waterproof...

[Otsego @ Nov 9th 2006 11:11AM]

Woa. thats pretty tight. Quite tempting.

[chumes @ Nov 9th 2006 11:31AM]

but if it gets dust behind the screen then what's the point?

[Andrew @ Nov 9th 2006 1:06PM]

I just got a new phone with GPS in it, and downloaded the Google Maps Mobile application. It's pretty handy, but I wonder why Google doesn't include GPS technology in their general app. It's already a great app, including realtime traffic that helps my plan my commute every day. The inclusion of GPS tracking would, for me, be the killer JAVA app for my phone.

[bluemonq @ Nov 9th 2006 2:01PM]

Well they would have to write an application for your computer to interface with the server and your GPS (some guys wrote an app to do that with Google Earth; it's called Earth Bridge). Since Google Maps is just AJAX (javascript and xml) it might not be even possible. I'm pretty sure that what's running on Helio's phone is a custom application to work with Google's Maps servers.

[David @ Nov 10th 2006 9:21PM]

I'm guessing it's coming, give them time. They're constantly improving it.

Take a look at:
http://www.mgmaps.com/

[Rick wilson @ Nov 9th 2006 1:12PM]

So it says a "true gps receiver"... how does it do that without an directional antenna? The "find your friend" technology is usually based on GSM technology, they can tell what cell tower you're around and what direction and sometimes how far you are from it.

If I don't have cell signal, but I have a perfect view of the sky, does the GPS still work? Thats the real question on whether its real GPS or not.

[David @ Nov 10th 2006 9:21PM]

No no no, they mean "true" as in "not a crappy 911-only" gps receiver. Most phone GPSs are not very usable as navigational GPSs.

[David @ Nov 10th 2006 9:21PM]

Google Maps for Mobile is a Java Application. The app is already written. We're just talking about adding GPS-functionality.

www.google.com/gmm

[shon Dempsey @ Nov 9th 2006 9:38PM]

didnt this post say that the A2DP bluetooth headphones were INCLUDED? finally when helio updated their site, i see no such thing, and i SWORE this post said they were included.

[Evan @ Nov 10th 2006 10:59AM]

Bought one yesterday, price is a little steep compared to most plan subsidized phones, but its exactly what Im looking for so Im willing to spring for it.
A la carte plan is similar pricing and minutes as other carriers, but with the benefit of per KB priced usage of data services.
Uses Sprint towers, and supposedly Verizon where there is a sprint hole, so coverage should be excellent. (provided the phone itself pulls a good signal)

Ill post up a review when I get it, which hopefully will be monday!!!

[Gene @ Nov 18th 2006 1:38PM]

Feels flimsy, top moves side to side, GPS is more of a novely unless all you friends are on Helio. Check out Nextel's i880 and Tel Nav for real turn by turn directios in a smaller package that can locate POI as well. Helio customer service is pretty awful and disorganized as well.

[tenz @ Feb 3rd 2007 12:51AM]

excuse me..anyone know where I can find Helio Drift without any kind of service plan. I want an UNLOCKED Helio Drift.. please reply asap!

[travieso @ Aug 2nd 2007 4:24PM]

Alright, so I'm a cheep-ass. If I do the A-La-Carte plan, its something like .2 cents per kilobyte for anything other than regular txt messages. I'm thinking about the use of google maps etc.--does anyone know how much kb usage is it while using the web services?

[John @ Sep 7th 2007 12:17PM]

I could totally use a new phone or accessories

[smwolfe @ Sep 7th 2007 1:09PM]

count me in

[James @ Sep 7th 2007 2:00PM]

Freshman in college and I'm dead broke. I'm carrying a LG VX9800 with a broken screen on the exterior and need a phone that will show me who is calling.

[Leonardo Etcheverry @ Sep 7th 2007 2:58PM]

Gold!

[Interloper5 @ Sep 7th 2007 3:24PM]

Better than the phone that I have!!! I'd be very happy with it.

[Mohammad @ Sep 7th 2007 3:49PM]

Again love the site... Gold please

[vincent schrijnemakers @ Sep 7th 2007 5:57PM]

win?

[james berwick @ Sep 7th 2007 6:04PM]

looks like a bargin

[mark @ Sep 7th 2007 11:45PM]

I nee d more info tomake a good comment.