Enthusiasts bring 3rd party apps to the Helio Ocean, too

The iPhone isn't the only handset whose software innards are getting lovingly torn apart in the name of science this week. It turns out some intrepid users of the Helio Ocean (a device occasionally compared to the iPhone, coincidentally) have been slaving away on a method for adding extra applications outside of the carrier's walled garden. Their first success is a doozy, too: Opera Mini 3, one of the most prized jewels in the world of mobile software. The developers aren't claiming it's bug-free -- landscape mode and the QWERTY keyboard don't work, for example -- but it's a huge step in the right direction and they're continuing to work out the kinks. More custom apps are said to be on the way, and don't worry, Drift and Heat users -- support's said to be on the way for you guys, too.

[PointyZak @ Aug 4th 2007 1:27AM]

You can get Opera 3 mini for the ocean now, and plenty of Helio news and chat at heliocity.net

[Nerdtalker @ Aug 4th 2007 1:29AM]

Opera Mobile/Mini are so much better, faster, and more robust than any of the mobile internet browsers around. There's no reason they shouldn't already be shipping with the devices to make Opera some serious money.

The Helio Ocean is nice, but HTC has some devices that come closer to iPhone territory in terms of features IMO.

[JUSTiNB @ Aug 4th 2007 1:36AM]

Support for the Heat/Drift is already available. Checkout www.heliocity.net for more information.

[Roger Huston @ Aug 4th 2007 2:44AM]

I don't get it. Why would any vendor make a closed phone? Better yet,why would anyone buy a closed phone? I mean there are plenty of MS and Symbian phones out there and hundreds of great apps.

I mean if we stop supporting vendors that close their phones, maybe they will get the idea that people actually don't like it.

- Roger

[JUSTiNB @ Aug 4th 2007 3:05AM]

This isn't a very logical idea. Helio's phones are awesome, which is why we support them. Yes, customization is a major feature for phones, but previously it was thought that only WIPI (a Korean standard for phones) would run on them. Even Helio was shocked by this as a picture of Opera Mini running on their Ocean was sent to them :)

[VikoRasmussen @ Aug 4th 2007 5:34AM]

"Helio World" ?

[Argot @ Aug 4th 2007 7:55AM]

I think it looks more like the LG Prada, just like the iPhone.

[Lowell Lewis @ Aug 4th 2007 9:52AM]

This is cool and all, I love it. But i totally sent this is to you guys so give the credit where needed or check you email.

[pop @ Aug 4th 2007 11:41AM]

i just got an ocean, so my timing is perfect. but until opera works with the ocean's qwerty keyboard, its very limited. still this bodes well for the future.

[Torben @ Aug 6th 2007 8:35AM]

There's so many 3rd person apps out there. The only one I really use is cellity apps. They allow me to save on calls, and really thats why I have a phone.

[Paul @ Aug 6th 2007 10:56PM]

It's okay if it's buggy, because then it will fit all the other software on the Ocean. Helio has yet to release a single fix for any of the numerous bugs on the Ocean, and that so-called Microsoft exchange server support they keep bragging about is nowhere to be seen after many months of time.

[dusten.michel @ Aug 7th 2007 11:03PM]

actually, microsoft exchange server support is now available, and they are coming out with a document viewer soon. just wanted to keep you up to date ;)

[akelley @ Sep 12th 2007 11:50AM]

now opera mini 4 is available with landscape/qwerty! see heliocity.net for details!

[peternj @ Sep 12th 2007 8:37PM]

The new Opera beta 4 that now sits on my Ocean is freaking amazing as it now supports qwerty as though it had been there from the start. It supports CSS scripts as well. It's every bit as good and in some ways better than Safari, as it's able to run on so many different phones some thought impossible to support.
the Opera port written in Java is really stable and exists smoothly with the OS.

It has simply made a wonderful cell phone even better. I hope Helio does not do an Apple and try to disable it but they do not seem to be control freaks like "one dollar" Jobs.