Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile postpaid goes to the big MVNO in the sky in May]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/virgin-mobile-postpaid-goes-to-the-big-mvno-in-the-sky-in-may/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/virgin-mobile-postpaid-goes-to-the-big-mvno-in-the-sky-in-may/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/virgin-mobile-postpaid-goes-to-the-big-mvno-in-the-sky-in-may/#commentsIn the US, Virgin's never been known as a serious postpaid player outside of its Helio acquisition, so it makes some sense that new corporate parent Sprint is killing off its postpaid services -- what's rather wild, though, is that they're doing it in dramatic, scorched-earth fashion. The service is simply ending on May 25, a little under three months from now, with no automatic transition to any other service in Sprint's portfolio -- Virgin prepaid, Boost, Sprint, or Sprint Direct Connect -- but the good news is that anyone interested in moving over to Sprint postpaid specifically will get a $50 discount off any device with a new two-year contract plus waived activation fees. It's far from a slam dunk for either Sprint or legacy customers -- we're certain that not all of them will stay within the company's ecosystem -- but with Virgin clearly part of Sprint's prepaid strategy, there was apparently no good business reason to continue supporting a handful of postpaid customers off to the side. For what it's worth, a Virgin Mobile spokesperson reached out to us today to emphasize that the company's prepaid brand is here to stay: "Virgin Mobile with Boost Mobile will be the cornerstone of Sprint's prepaid strategy in 2010." 2011, though... well, that remains to be seen.

Virgin Mobile postpaid goes to the big MVNO in the sky in May originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boostboost mobileBoostMobileheliomobilepostpaidpostpaid servicePostpaidServicesprintvirginvirgin mobilevirgin mobile usaVirginMobileVirginMobileUsaTue, 02 Mar 2010 13:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile looks ready to euthanize Helio brand, Ocean 2 vanishes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/virgin-mobile-looks-ready-to-euthanize-helio-brand-ocean-2-vani/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/virgin-mobile-looks-ready-to-euthanize-helio-brand-ocean-2-vani/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/virgin-mobile-looks-ready-to-euthanize-helio-brand-ocean-2-vani/#comments Back in our day, the kiddies all ran around with Helios, VK Mobile looked like it could be the next Pantech, and "Kickflip" was a phone, not a skateboarding move. Okay, fine -- we knew like one or two people that used Helio, VK Mobile never even made a dent in the US market, and skateboarding had a lock on kickflips long before the wireless industry did -- and actually, that perfect storm of bad news may have ultimately led the once-promising MVNO to the sad situation we have here today under Virgin Mobile's stewardship. Virgin has now all but erased the memory of Helio from its website, leaving just the Ocean and Mysto to soldier on -- and the phones now go by their ODM's names (Pantech and Samsung, respectively) rather than Helio proper. The strangest part is that the Ocean seems to have outlasted its replacement, the Ocean 2, which is now gone -- unless you hit up Virgin Mobile's Korean language site, a sub-brand in itself that it inherited from Helio and has a track record of giving members of the community better, faster access to hot devices. Any way you slice it, though, it never made sense for Virgin to run two brands -- Helio's fate was sealed the moment the sale was finalized, but considering the company's spot-on mantra of "bring awesome Asian phone tech to North America," we'll always have a soft spot in our hearts for these guys.

[Via MobileCrunch]

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Virgin Mobile looks ready to euthanize Helio brand, Ocean 2 vanishes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>helioocean 2Ocean2virginvirgin mobileVirginMobileWed, 28 Oct 2009 05:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile looks ready to euthanize Helio brand, Ocean 2 vanishes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/virgin-mobile-looks-ready-to-euthanize-helio-brand-ocean-2-vani/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/virgin-mobile-looks-ready-to-euthanize-helio-brand-ocean-2-vani/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/virgin-mobile-looks-ready-to-euthanize-helio-brand-ocean-2-vani/#comments Back in our day, the kiddies all ran around with Helios, VK Mobile looked like it could be the next Pantech, and "Kickflip" was a phone, not a skateboarding move. Okay, fine -- we knew like one or two people that used Helio, VK Mobile never even made a dent in the US market, and skateboarding had a lock on kickflips long before the wireless industry did -- and actually, that perfect storm of bad news may have ultimately led the once-promising MVNO to the sad situation we have here today under Virgin Mobile's stewardship. Virgin has now all but erased the memory of Helio from its website, leaving just the Ocean and Mysto to soldier on -- and the phones now go by their ODM's names (Pantech and Samsung, respectively) rather than Helio proper. The strangest part is that the Ocean seems to have outlasted its replacement, the Ocean 2, which is now gone -- unless you hit up Virgin Mobile's Korean language site, a sub-brand in itself that it inherited from Helio and has a track record of giving members of the community better, faster access to hot devices. Any way you slice it, though, it never made sense for Virgin to run two brands -- Helio's fate was sealed the moment the sale was finalized, but considering the company's spot-on mantra of "bring awesome Asian phone tech to North America," we'll always have a soft spot in our hearts for these guys.

[Via MobileCrunch]

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Virgin Mobile looks ready to euthanize Helio brand, Ocean 2 vanishes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliomobilemvnosocean 2Ocean2pantechvirginvirgin mobileVirginMobileWed, 28 Oct 2009 05:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 -- how would you change it?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/helios-ocean-2-how-would-you-change-it/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/helios-ocean-2-how-would-you-change-it/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/helios-ocean-2-how-would-you-change-it/#comments
Check it, Mobile readers -- Engadget Classic's How Would You Change could use your participation this week, as we've got Helio's Ocean 2 up on stage. You bought one? You got something to say? Head on over and spill it, why don'tcha?

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Helio's Ocean 2 -- how would you change it? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliohwycmobilemvnosoceanocean 2Ocean2pantechvirgin mobilevirginmobileFri, 06 Mar 2009 22:26:00 EST<![CDATA[How would you change Helio's Ocean 2?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/how-would-you-change-helios-ocean-2/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/how-would-you-change-helios-ocean-2/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/how-would-you-change-helios-ocean-2/#comments
Ah, the Ocean 2. The handset Helio loyalists have been clamoring for since, well, forever ago. After seeing the OZ2 break cover in the FCC last March, we wondered just how long it'd take for this thing to ever go on sale -- and that was assuming it even would go on sale. Now, Earthlings just like yourself can buy the handset for a buck forty-nine on contract, and given that hordes of you Helio faithful already have, we're now ready to hear how you'd change it. Is the fit and finish up to snuff? Is it the "3G Social Networking Powerhouse" you thought it would be? Are you digging the color scheme? Are you making others envious, or simply becoming envious of others? You've waited a long, long time for this opportunity -- don't blow it.

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How would you change Helio's Ocean 2? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresheliohow would you changeHowWouldYouChangehwycoceanocean 2Ocean2Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 spotted in all black attire]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/13/helios-ocean-2-spotted-in-all-black-attire/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/13/helios-ocean-2-spotted-in-all-black-attire/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/13/helios-ocean-2-spotted-in-all-black-attire/#comments
While the Americanized version of Helio's Ocean 2 has gobs of red accents (thanks, Virgin Mobile!), many have wondered if an all black version would hit the scenes as well. Clearly, that answer is... well, maybe. A South Korean Helio page shows two variants of the newest Ocean, with one devoid of all those fiery accents. Obviously, we've no way to tell if this thing is ever coming to US soil, but this just might be the excuse you needed to hit up Seoul for an extended weekend.

[Via MobileCrunch]

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Helio's Ocean 2 spotted in all black attire originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all blackAllBlackblackcdmacolorcolorsev doevdoheliokoreamobileoceanocean 2Ocean2pantechsouth koreaSouthKoreavirgin mobilevirginmobileFri, 13 Feb 2009 17:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 spotted in all black attire]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/13/helios-ocean-2-spotted-in-all-black-attire/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/13/helios-ocean-2-spotted-in-all-black-attire/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/13/helios-ocean-2-spotted-in-all-black-attire/#comments
While the Americanized version of Helio's Ocean 2 has gobs of red accents (thanks, Virgin Mobile!), many have wondered if an all black version would hit the scenes as well. Clearly, that answer is... well, maybe. A South Korean Helio page shows two variants of the newest Ocean, with one devoid of all those fiery accents. Obviously, we've no way to tell if this thing is ever coming to US soil, but this just might be the excuse you needed to hit up Seoul for an extended weekend.

[Via MobileCrunch]

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Helio's Ocean 2 spotted in all black attire originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all blackAllBlackblackcolorcolorsfriday13heliokoreaoceanocean 2Ocean2south koreaSouthKoreaFri, 13 Feb 2009 17:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 now on sale: $149 on contract]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/helios-ocean-2-now-on-sale-149-on-contract/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/helios-ocean-2-now-on-sale-149-on-contract/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/helios-ocean-2-now-on-sale-149-on-contract/#comments
We were told that today would be the day, and sure enough, today is the day. Today is also the day in which Helio's Ocean 2 becomes available, as evidenced by the image above and the completely active "Buy" button tucked away in the read link. It'll run users a buck forty-nine on contract if you're a new subscriber or $400 without, and it just might make all of your dreams come true. If you're curious, you can see if it satisfied our every fantasy right here.

[Via HelioCity]

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Helio's Ocean 2 now on sale: $149 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdmaev doevdoheliomobilemvnosnow availableNowAvailableoceanocean 2Ocean2on saleOnSalepantechvirgin mobilevirginmobileThu, 12 Feb 2009 18:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 now on sale: $149 on contract]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/helios-ocean-2-now-on-sale-149-on-contract/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/helios-ocean-2-now-on-sale-149-on-contract/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/helios-ocean-2-now-on-sale-149-on-contract/#comments
We were told that today would be the day, and sure enough, today is the day. Today is also the day in which Helio's Ocean 2 becomes available, as evidenced by the image above and the completely active "Buy" button tucked away in the read link. It'll run users a buck forty-nine on contract if you're a new subscriber or $400 without, and it just might make all of your dreams come true. If you're curious, you can see if it satisfied our every fantasy right here.

[Via HelioCity]

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Helio's Ocean 2 now on sale: $149 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>helionow availableNowAvailableoceanocean 2Ocean2on saleOnSaleThu, 12 Feb 2009 18:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio Ocean 2 reviewed on Engadget Mobile]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/helio-ocean-2-reviewed-on-engadget-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/helio-ocean-2-reviewed-on-engadget-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/helio-ocean-2-reviewed-on-engadget-mobile/#comments
The Helio Ocean 2 is finally official, and without hitting up a Britney Spears concert -- we know, you already bought the tickets, they're nonrefundable, you couldn't sell them on eBay, whatever -- you can get the closest look right now on Engadget Mobile. A worthy successor to the dual-sliding throne, or a late, chunky reject still clinging to MySpace years after everyone's gone to Facebook and beyond? Update your status and head over for a look.

Gallery: Helio Ocean 2 Review

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Helio Ocean 2 reviewed on Engadget Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresheliohelio oceanhelio ocean 2HelioOceanHelioOcean2ocean 2Ocean2oz2pantechreviewMon, 02 Feb 2009 08:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio Ocean 2 Review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/helio-ocean-2-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/helio-ocean-2-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/02/helio-ocean-2-review/#comments The original Helio Ocean burst onto the scene nearly two years ago, impressing with its dual slide design, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS and well-integrated messaging app challenging phones on both sides of the feature / smart phone line. 2009 finds the Ocean 2 once again topping the Helio line, but now facing even stronger competition. Luckily, it's offering a lot more than an exclusive MySpace app to lure in users this time, with 2GB of internal storage, touch controls and a slew of software tweaks. Now that we've spent a few days comparing it to its predecessor, check after the break for some of the the highs and lows of this new handset.

Gallery: Helio Ocean 2 Review

Continue reading Helio Ocean 2 Review

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Helio Ocean 2 Review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdmaheliomobilemvnosoceanocean 2Ocean2oz2pantechreciewMon, 02 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile Helio Ocean 2 unboxed, scheduled for launch with Britney Spears]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/virgin-mobile-helio-ocean-2-unboxed-scheduled-for-launch-with-b/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/virgin-mobile-helio-ocean-2-unboxed-scheduled-for-launch-with-b/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/virgin-mobile-helio-ocean-2-unboxed-scheduled-for-launch-with-b/#comments
It looks like the world had better (finally) get ready for Virgin Mobile's Helio Ocean 2 -- not only have unboxing shots of the long-awaited set surfaced today, a Virgin press release hyping the company's sponsorship of Britney Spears' Circus tour casually mentions that it'll be launched alongside Brit's big comeback. "Select fans" will be given Ocean 2s to capture and share images and videos from each show using the phone's blogging, email, and social networking features, so we're guessing that means we'll be seeing a launch before the tour kicks off in March -- and with units out in the wild already, it could be as soon as a couple weeks on February 12. Check all the unboxing shots at the read link -- it looks pretty slick, even if it is way late to the game.

[Via unwired view and Heliocity]

Read - Unboxing photos
Read - Virgin Circus press release

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Virgin Mobile Helio Ocean 2 unboxed, scheduled for launch with Britney Spears originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsbritney spearsBritneySpearsheliohelio ocean 2HelioOcean2mobileoceanocean 2Ocean2virgin mobileVirginMobileThu, 29 Jan 2009 14:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile Helio Ocean 2 unboxed, scheduled for launch with Britney Spears]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/virgin-mobile-helio-ocean-2-unboxed-scheduled-for-launch-with-b/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/virgin-mobile-helio-ocean-2-unboxed-scheduled-for-launch-with-b/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/virgin-mobile-helio-ocean-2-unboxed-scheduled-for-launch-with-b/#comments
It looks like the world had better (finally) get ready for Virgin Mobile's Helio Ocean 2 -- not only have unboxing shots of the long-awaited set surfaced today, a Virgin press release hyping the company's sponsorship of Britney Spears' Circus tour casually mentions that it'll be launched alongside Brit's big comeback. "Select fans" will be given Ocean 2s to capture and share images and videos from each show using the phone's blogging, email, and social networking features, so we're guessing that means we'll be seeing a launch before the tour kicks off in March -- and with units out in the wild already, it could be as soon as a couple weeks on February 12. Check all the unboxing shots at the read link -- it looks pretty slick, even if it is way late to the game.

[Via unwired view and Heliocity]

Read - Unboxing photos
Read - Virgin Circus press release

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Virgin Mobile Helio Ocean 2 unboxed, scheduled for launch with Britney Spears originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsbritney spearsBritneySpearsheliohelio ocean 2HelioOcean2oceanocean 2Ocean2virgin mobileVirginMobileThu, 29 Jan 2009 14:06:00 EST<![CDATA[The story behind Helio's never released A533 handset ]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/the-story-behind-helios-never-released-a533-handset/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/the-story-behind-helios-never-released-a533-handset/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/the-story-behind-helios-never-released-a533-handset/#comments
Fans of rare and obscure handsets, this one's for you. Our man over at Mobile Crunch got his paws on the A533, a Helio-branded and modified version of the Samsung F400 that never made it to market. All told, he spent a few weeks with the device, and put the time to good use -- constructing a fairly comprehensive overview of this diminutive media-playing, slide-out-speaker-sporting, threaded-SMS supporting, tabbed browsing device. Choc full of photos, this is the hands down, must-read unreleased Helio post of the afternoon.

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The story behind Helio's never released A533 handset originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A533F400HelioHelio A533HelioA533mobilesamsungsamsung f400SamsungF400Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio Ocean 2 finds itself in Mr. Blurrycam's hands]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/helio-ocean-2-finds-itself-in-mr-blurrycams-hands/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/helio-ocean-2-finds-itself-in-mr-blurrycams-hands/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/helio-ocean-2-finds-itself-in-mr-blurrycams-hands/#comments Our friend Mr. Blurrycam has come through once again, this time with a handful of Helio Ocean 2 snapshots. Aside from a blurry close-up of the on-screen calendar, there isn't much here that we haven't already seen in finer detail from the FCC. It's apparently got a 3 megapixel camera, which is what we reported initially but not what was listed in the FCC-submitted user manual. Our tipster says it's expected to launch early or mid-February for release, which jives with other rumors we've heard. Hit up the gallery for more pics.

Gallery: Helio Ocean 2 in the wild

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Helio Ocean 2 finds itself in Mr. Blurrycam's hands originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdmaheliomobilemvnomvnosoceanocean 2Ocean2pantechvirgin mobileVirginMobileWed, 21 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio Ocean 2 finds itself in Mr. Blurrycam's hands]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/helio-ocean-2-finds-itself-in-mr-blurrycams-hands/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/helio-ocean-2-finds-itself-in-mr-blurrycams-hands/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/helio-ocean-2-finds-itself-in-mr-blurrycams-hands/#comments Our friend Mr. Blurrycam has come through once again, this time with a handful of Helio Ocean 2 snapshots. Aside from a blurry close-up of the on-screen calendar, there isn't much here that we haven't already seen in finer detail from the FCC. It's apparently got a 3 megapixel camera, which is what we reported initially but not what was listed in the FCC-submitted user manual. Our tipster says it's expected to launch early or mid-February for release, which jives with other rumors we've heard. Hit up the gallery for more pics.

Gallery: Helio Ocean 2 in the wild

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Helio Ocean 2 finds itself in Mr. Blurrycam's hands originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliomvnooceanocean 2Ocean2virgin mobileVirginMobileWed, 21 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 could set sail next month]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/18/helios-ocean-2-could-set-sail-next-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/18/helios-ocean-2-could-set-sail-next-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/18/helios-ocean-2-could-set-sail-next-month/#comments
Right in line with reports we heard earlier, it looks like Helio's second iteration of the Ocean could be going on sale as early as next month. Silicon Alley Insider has it that the Ocean 2 could be loosed in America "sometime this quarter," though sooner rather than later is looking mighty promising. It's still unclear how much Helio plans on charging for this long, long, long awaited handset, but we'd say it'll have to lowball pretty hard if it plans to distract anyone already focused intently on a G1, iPhone or Palm Pre.

[Via UnwiredView]

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Helio's Ocean 2 could set sail next month originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdmaev doevdoHeliomobilemvnomvnosoceanocean 2Ocean2sprintvirgin mobileVirginMobileSun, 18 Jan 2009 02:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 could set sail next month]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/18/helios-ocean-2-could-set-sail-next-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/18/helios-ocean-2-could-set-sail-next-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/18/helios-ocean-2-could-set-sail-next-month/#comments
Right in line with reports we heard earlier, it looks like Helio's second iteration of the Ocean could be going on sale as early as next month. Silicon Alley Insider has it that the Ocean 2 could be loosed in America "sometime this quarter," though sooner rather than later is looking mighty promising. It's still unclear how much Helio plans on charging for this long, long, long awaited handset, but we'd say it'll have to lowball pretty hard if it plans to distract anyone already focused intently on a G1, iPhone or Palm Pre.

[Via UnwiredView]

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Helio's Ocean 2 could set sail next month originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Heliomvnooceanocean 2Ocean2virgin mobileVirginMobileSun, 18 Jan 2009 02:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Unreleased Helio slider surfaces]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/13/unreleased-helio-slider-surfaces/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/13/unreleased-helio-slider-surfaces/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/13/unreleased-helio-slider-surfaces/#comments
Described to us once by those in the know as "a project that would've been," this Helio-badged, Samsung-built, multimedia-happy slider just surfaced on the Heliocity forums. Samsung shipped tweaked versions of this handset (based on the Samsung F400) with B&O and Armani branding, but there's no telling if "Helio by Virgin" still has plans to bring this to market. More shots after the break.

Continue reading Unreleased Helio slider surfaces

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Unreleased Helio slider surfaces originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f400helioleakedsamsungsliderunreleasedvirgin mobileVirginMobileSat, 13 Dec 2008 14:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile USA posts 8% subscriber growth, $4.1 million net profit in Q3]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/15/virgin-mobile-usa-posts-8-subscriber-growth-4-1-million-net-p/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/15/virgin-mobile-usa-posts-8-subscriber-growth-4-1-million-net-p/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/15/virgin-mobile-usa-posts-8-subscriber-growth-4-1-million-net-p/#commentsHey, who says everyone loses during tough times? After Virgin Mobile USA crawled through a miserable Q2, things are looking up for the recent acquirer of Helio. The outfit reported 821,491 gross additions to its subscriber list, which marks a respectable 8% year-over-year increase. Furthermore, the company somehow managed to amass a Q3 net profit of $4.1 million, which contrasts starkly with the $7.4 million loss that it posted a year ago. The only down news of the day was that its average revenue per user in the third quarter fell 2% from a year earlier to $20.19, but given that its Q4 forecast shows it notching a revenue increase from 6% to 9%, we suppose it's all good in the neighborhood.

[Via RCRWireless]

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Virgin Mobile USA posts 8% subscriber growth, $4.1 million net profit in Q3 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earningsearthlinkheliomobilemvnosquarterly earningsQuarterlyEarningsSK TelecomSkTelecomVirgin MobileVirgin Mobile USAVirginMobileVirginMobileUsaSat, 15 Nov 2008 07:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio Ocean 2 arrives at the FCC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/helio-ocean-2-arrives-at-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/helio-ocean-2-arrives-at-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/helio-ocean-2-arrives-at-the-fcc/#comments
Looks like we're inching ever closer to getting our paws on the mythical Helio Ocean 2 -- the fun-loving regulators at the FCC just added a Pantech OZII dual-slider handset with Helio branding to their all-knowing database. Nothing you couldn't have guessed here -- QVGA display, EV-DO, 2 megapixel cam with video, full HTML browser, A2DP support -- but hey, this is The Phone That Could Have But Didn't Save Helio, you know? It's alright to be excited.

[Via Phone Scoop]

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Helio Ocean 2 arrives at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fccheliomobilemvnosoceanocean 2Ocean2othersOZIIpantechvirgin mobileVirginMobileFri, 19 Sep 2008 13:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio Ocean 2 arrives at the FCC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/helio-ocean-2-arrives-at-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/helio-ocean-2-arrives-at-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/helio-ocean-2-arrives-at-the-fcc/#comments
Looks like we're inching ever closer to getting our paws on the mythical Helio Ocean 2 -- the fun-loving regulators at the FCC just added a Pantech OZII dual-slider handset with Helio branding to their all-knowing database. Nothing you couldn't have guessed here -- QVGA display, EV-DO, 2 megapixel cam with video, full HTML browser, A2DP support -- but hey, this is The Phone That Could Have But Didn't Save Helio, you know? It's alright to be excited.

[Via Phone Scoop]

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Helio Ocean 2 arrives at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fccheliooceanocean 2Ocean2OZIIpantechvirgin mobileVirginMobileFri, 19 Sep 2008 13:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 coming -- but not until 2009]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/12/helios-ocean-2-coming-but-not-until-2009/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/12/helios-ocean-2-coming-but-not-until-2009/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/12/helios-ocean-2-coming-but-not-until-2009/#commentsThis is one of those classic tales of joy and sorrow -- a tale of a phone that could've been Helio's undisputed flagship model of the year, a phone that could've saved the scrappy little MVNO from Virgin Mobile's gaping maw (alright, it couldn't have even come close to doing that, but we're running with it for the drama factor). On the high side, we've now heard confirmation straight from the source that the Ocean 2 is, in fact, a real device, but the problem is that it won't be coming out until next year because they "want to put it out when it's the best it can be." It's sure looking just about the "best it can be" from the videos we've seen recently -- and frankly, we think they should just throw this out there while kicking off development on an Ocean 3 ASAP -- but it looks like the decision's already been made, and we all know there's no such thing as moving a release date forward.

[Thanks, Blade G]

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Helio's Ocean 2 coming -- but not until 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliooceanocean 2Ocean2virginvirgin mobileVirginMobileFri, 12 Sep 2008 11:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio's Ocean 2 coming -- but not until 2009]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/12/helios-ocean-2-coming-but-not-until-2009/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/12/helios-ocean-2-coming-but-not-until-2009/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/12/helios-ocean-2-coming-but-not-until-2009/#commentsThis is one of those classic tales of joy and sorrow -- a tale of a phone that could've been Helio's undisputed flagship model of the year, a phone that could've saved the scrappy little MVNO from Virgin Mobile's gaping maw (alright, it couldn't have even come close to doing that, but we're running with it for the drama factor). On the high side, we've now heard confirmation straight from the source that the Ocean 2 is, in fact, a real device, but the problem is that it won't be coming out until next year because they "want to put it out when it's the best it can be." It's sure looking just about the "best it can be" from the videos we've seen recently -- and frankly, we think they should just throw this out there while kicking off development on an Ocean 3 ASAP -- but it looks like the decision's already been made, and we all know there's no such thing as moving a release date forward.

[Thanks, Blade G]

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Helio's Ocean 2 coming -- but not until 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdmaev doevdoheliomobilemvnosoceanocean 2Ocean2pantechvirginvirgin mobileVirginMobileFri, 12 Sep 2008 11:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio is dead, long live Helio]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/09/helio-is-dead-long-live-helio/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/09/helio-is-dead-long-live-helio/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/09/helio-is-dead-long-live-helio/#comments
The deed is done, and Virgin Mobile is wasting no time giving its fresh acquisition a giant bear-hug to welcome it to the family. Helio is now "Helio by Virgin Mobile," tagged with the line "Plan To Have It All" -- hopefully a nod to the fact that Virgin plans to keep Helio's offerings distanced from Virgin as a higher-end, feature-rich carrier that can compliment Virgin's typical lineup of ultra-cheap prepaid goods. To kick things off, Helio is now offering an upgrade to its $80 A La Carte plan, boosting the 1,500 included minutes to a limitless bucket -- nice, we'll take it -- and Virgin is stealing some of Helio's mojo to offer the Shuttle, a new handset marketed under the Virgin name that'll integrate Helio's Buddy Beacon service. Just stay on track with the Ocean 2, fellas, and everything's cool by us.

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Helio is dead, long live Helio originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsheliomvnoshuttlevirginvirgin mobileVirginMobileTue, 09 Sep 2008 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio is dead, long live Helio]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/09/helio-is-dead-long-live-helio/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/09/helio-is-dead-long-live-helio/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/09/helio-is-dead-long-live-helio/#comments
The deed is done, and Virgin Mobile is wasting no time giving its fresh acquisition a giant bear-hug to welcome it to the family. Helio is now "Helio by Virgin Mobile," tagged with the line "Plan To Have It All" -- hopefully a nod to the fact that Virgin plans to keep Helio's offerings distanced from Virgin as a higher-end, feature-rich carrier that can compliment Virgin's typical lineup of ultra-cheap prepaid goods. To kick things off, Helio is now offering an upgrade to its $80 A La Carte plan, boosting the 1,500 included minutes to a limitless bucket -- nice, we'll take it -- and Virgin is stealing some of Helio's mojo to offer the Shuttle, a new handset marketed under the Virgin name that'll integrate Helio's Buddy Beacon service. Just stay on track with the Ocean 2, fellas, and everything's cool by us.

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Helio is dead, long live Helio originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsheliomobilemvnomvnosshuttlevirginvirgin mobileVirginMobileTue, 09 Sep 2008 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[A stroll through the MVNO graveyard]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/26/a-stroll-through-the-mvno-graveyard/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/26/a-stroll-through-the-mvno-graveyard/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/26/a-stroll-through-the-mvno-graveyard/#comments
Back in the early days of Engadget, everyone -- including us -- thought mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) were totally poised to be the next big thing. And why not? You get to be a wireless carrier without having to operate your own infrastructure (which is by far the most expensive, difficult part). Just what the doctor ordered for the big, stodgy wireless carriers, each struggling to balance differentiating themselves while trapping their customers in their walled content and services gardens.

What we got instead was failed business model after spectacular failed business model, leading to a domino effect of collapses that left just a precious few companies standing. Let's take a look at the carnage over on Engadget Mobile, shall we?

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A stroll through the MVNO graveyard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ampddisney mobileDisneyMobileespnfeaturesheliomobile espnMobileEspnmvnomvnossonopiavocexe mobileXeMobileTue, 26 Aug 2008 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile formally seals the deal on Helio acquisition]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/virgin-mobile-formally-seals-the-deal-on-helio-acquisition/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/virgin-mobile-formally-seals-the-deal-on-helio-acquisition/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/virgin-mobile-formally-seals-the-deal-on-helio-acquisition/#comments
We know, the little possibility that the whole deal could fall apart has been keeping you wide awake for months, but at long last, you can push aside your anxiety and hit the sack. Virgin Mobile USA announced today that it had "completed its acquisition of Helio," and all of the terms put forth on June 27th were used in the final close. Aside from garnering all the necessary regulatory approvals, Helio shareholders SK Telecom and EarthLink have received 13 million shares of Virgin Mobile USA Class A common stock, with a value of around $38 million. It's also noted that both SK Telecom and Virgin Group will each invest a cool $25 million in Virgin Mobile USA for preferred shares. And then, there was one.

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Virgin Mobile formally seals the deal on Helio acquisition originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbusinessdealearthlinkHelioindustrymobilemvnosSK telecomSkTelecomvirgin mobilevirgin mobile usaVirginMobileVirginMobileUsaFri, 22 Aug 2008 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile formally seals the deal on Helio acquisition]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/virgin-mobile-formally-seals-the-deal-on-helio-acquisition/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/virgin-mobile-formally-seals-the-deal-on-helio-acquisition/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/virgin-mobile-formally-seals-the-deal-on-helio-acquisition/#comments
We know, the little possibility that the whole deal could fall apart has been keeping you wide awake for months, but at long last, you can push aside your anxiety and hit the sack. Virgin Mobile USA announced today that it had "completed its acquisition of Helio," and all of the terms put forth on June 27th were used in the final close. Aside from garnering all the necessary regulatory approvals, Helio shareholders SK Telecom and EarthLink have received 13 million shares of Virgin Mobile USA Class A common stock, with a value of around $38 million. It's also noted that both SK Telecom and Virgin Group will each invest a cool $25 million in Virgin Mobile USA for preferred shares. And then, there was one.

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Virgin Mobile formally seals the deal on Helio acquisition originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionbusinessdealearthlinkHelioindustrySK telecomSkTelecomvirgin mobilevirgin mobile usaVirginMobileVirginMobileUsaFri, 22 Aug 2008 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[They're no Ocean 2, but Helio busts out White Mysto and Red Heat]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/theyre-no-ocean-2-but-helio-busts-out-white-ocean-and-red-heat/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/theyre-no-ocean-2-but-helio-busts-out-white-ocean-and-red-heat/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/theyre-no-ocean-2-but-helio-busts-out-white-ocean-and-red-heat/#comments
Just because Virgin's scooping up Helio doesn't necessarily mean the product parade needs to stop (not to say it was moving at anything more than a glacial pace to begin with), and to that end, the MVNO has just released its Mysto and Heat models in white and red, respectively. The creatively-named White Mysto and Red Heat are initially available exclusively to the Korean community -- a strategy Helio has used before -- and there's no word on if or when they'll be outed on a wider scale. We would've preferred an Ocean 2 release here, but at the very least, you've got to admit that these new colors suit 'em well.

[Via Heliocity]

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They're no Ocean 2, but Helio busts out White Mysto and Red Heat originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdmaev doevdoheatheliomobilemvnosoceanred heatRedHeatsamsungsliderwhite oceanWhiteOceanWed, 16 Jul 2008 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Matias Duarte, designer behind Sidekick and Helio, now developing Palm's next-gen UI]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developin/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developin/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developin/#commentsSo we heard from a very reliable source that mobile user interface guru Matias Duarte -- who you may know as the man behind the Sidekick and Helio UI / user experiences -- actually left Helio late last year to join up with Palm. Although no announcement was made, we hear he and his gang of designers jumped ship (well before Helio completely flooded) to take on the monumental task of designing the UI for Palm's next-gen mobile OS (aka "Palm OS 2.0 or II"). His resume online now lists him as "Senior Director, Human Interface and User Experience" doing "Something new..." since September 2007; we got in touch with Palm, who confirmed that he's now under the company's employ.

Of course, expectations should be pretty high -- Palm's only been promising this supposedly game-changing OS since around 2004, and the company's reputation and pedigree is (or at least it used to be) in groundbreaking mobile UI design. But this news also kind of makes us wonder: if they didn't have a killer UI and user experience team already in place and long-since working their asses off by late 2007, exactly how far along are they on this thing, anyway?

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Matias Duarte, designer behind Sidekick and Helio, now developing Palm's next-gen UI originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsdangerhelioMatias DuarteMatiasDuartemobilepalmpalm osPalmOssidekicksoftwareThu, 03 Jul 2008 19:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Matias Duarte, designer behind Sidekick and Helio, now developing Palm's next-gen UI]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developin/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developin/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/matias-duarte-designer-behind-sidekick-and-helio-now-developin/#commentsSo we heard from a very reliable source that mobile user interface guru Matias Duarte -- who you may know as the man behind the Sidekick and Helio UI / user experiences -- actually left Helio late last year to join up with Palm. Although no announcement was made, we hear he and his gang of designers jumped ship (well before Helio completely flooded) to take on the monumental task of designing the UI for Palm's next-gen mobile OS (aka "Palm OS 2.0 or II"). His resume online now lists him as "Senior Director, Human Interface and User Experience" doing "Something new..." since September 2007; we got in touch with Palm, who confirmed that he's now under the company's employ.

Of course, expectations should be pretty high -- Palm's only been promising this supposedly game-changing OS since around 2004, and the company's reputation and pedigree is (or at least it used to be) in groundbreaking mobile UI design. But this news also kind of makes us wonder: if they didn't have a killer UI and user experience team already in place and long-since working their asses off by late 2007, exactly how far along are they on this thing, anyway?

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Matias Duarte, designer behind Sidekick and Helio, now developing Palm's next-gen UI originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsdangerhelioMatias DuarteMatiasDuartepalmpalm osPalmOssidekicksoftwareThu, 03 Jul 2008 19:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Two years and half billion later, Helio sells for a song. But why?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/two-years-and-half-billion-later-helio-sells-for-a-song-but-wh/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/two-years-and-half-billion-later-helio-sells-for-a-song-but-wh/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/two-years-and-half-billion-later-helio-sells-for-a-song-but-wh/#comments
Money-losing companies with interesting technology and a small, if rabid, customer base still frequently tend to sell for healthy chunks of change -- especially in the wireless space. Look at Trolltech, for example, the mobile Linux company that never really made any money, yet somehow managed to be acquired by Nokia for its talent and IP, which apparently carried a value of over $150m. We know Helio was burning cash on a whole 'nother level, but that doesn't entirely explain why SK Telecom was so absurdly desperate to dump their $500m investment. At a $39m acquisition price, SK didn't just lose its shirt -- it lost that, the shoes, and then the pants. You know, the pants with a half-billion dollars in them.

Continue reading on Engadget

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Two years and half billion later, Helio sells for a song. But why? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresheliomobilemvnomvnosvirginvirgin mobileVirginMobileFri, 27 Jun 2008 15:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Two years and half billion later, Helio sells for a song. But why?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/two-years-and-half-billion-later-helio-sells-for-a-song-but-wh/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/two-years-and-half-billion-later-helio-sells-for-a-song-but-wh/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/two-years-and-half-billion-later-helio-sells-for-a-song-but-wh/#comments
Money-losing companies with interesting technology and a small, if rabid, customer base still frequently tend to sell for healthy chunks of change -- especially in the wireless space. We know Helio was burning cash like crazy, but that doesn't entirely explain why SK Telecom was so absurdly desperate to dump their $500m investment. At a $39m acquisition price, SK didn't just lose its shirt -- it lost that, the shoes, and then the pants. You know, the pants with a half-billion dollars in them.

Now, if you look at nothing other than the price per subscriber of some other, larger mobile acquisitions, Helio's numbers seem even crazier. Alltel's subscriber base is going to Verizon for about $2,100 per customer, and back when Nextel sold to Sprint, each sub went then for about $2,350. Helio's $39m sale to Virgin nets them $230 per subscriber. That's now what you're worth to Virgin, Helio subscriber -- $230 on an $80 ARPU. Clearly there's a lot more value in acquiring more than ten million subs than under 200k, but is that value ten fold?

And then to add insult to injury, the piddly $39m Helio did get from Virgin was an all-stock deal, which basically means SK won't be recouping material costs any time soon. Granted, that does amount to 17% of Virgin Mobile USA's market cap, and SK gets two seats on VM's board, but damned if Helio isn't like the reverse-Brewster's Millions of cellphone companies. Basically our pet theory right now is that either SK is playing the Korean tax system for the maximum possible write-off, or they literally didn't have another soul to turn to in this whole wide world. We know Helio wasn't in good shape, but a $39m all-stock deal means they basically stood on the corner and gave the company away to whomever was passing by at the time.

We wanted some more expert opinions, so we hit up a couple of old Engadget pals. Om Malik had this to say: Their losses are huge and there is no hope in sight. Why Virgin bought so few subscribers, I don't get. My best guess is that SK Telecom wants to do something with Virgin. Helio was one giant misexecution -- it is a micropennies on the dollar sale.

Michael Gartenberg offered this: I suspect there were not a whole lot of options... who else would have bought this thing? It's clear the MVNO model doesn't work for the most part. Virgin was probably the only buyer who had interest and it was probably the best chance for Helio's investors to get some of that money back.

Bottom line, it looks like Virgin and its shareholders should be pretty stoked today, because by all accounts they got a pretty killer deal.

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Two years and half billion later, Helio sells for a song. But why? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionfeaturesheliovirgin mobileVirginMobileFri, 27 Jun 2008 14:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile to buy Helio for $39 million in equity]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/virgin-mobile-to-buy-helio-for-39-million-in-equity/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/virgin-mobile-to-buy-helio-for-39-million-in-equity/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/virgin-mobile-to-buy-helio-for-39-million-in-equity/#comments
It's official, MVNO lone survivor Virgin Mobile is picking up the struggling Helio from SK Telecom and Earthlink for a cool $39 million in Virgin Mobile USA stock. They expect the deal to close in Q3 2008, pending regulatory approval. The acquisition comes as no surprise, but it's still sad to see the one true innovator in a mostly doomed MVNO space fall to that pesky little "completely failing to make money" thing. The good news is that it while the Helio brand will be phased out, Virgin Mobile isn't just in this for the 170,000-ish subscribers it'll be picking up. They plan to leverage Helio's technology and content offerings, not to mention the willingness of its customers to pay a few extra bucks for the perks, to build the Virgin Mobile brand into new spaces -- spaces which hopefully prove profitable and Ocean 2-ey.

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Virgin Mobile to buy Helio for $39 million in equity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsheliomobilemvnosvirgin mobilevirgin mobile usaVirginMobileVirginMobileUsaFri, 27 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgin Mobile to buy Helio for $39 million in equity]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/virgin-mobile-to-buy-helio-for-39-million-in-equity/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/virgin-mobile-to-buy-helio-for-39-million-in-equity/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/27/virgin-mobile-to-buy-helio-for-39-million-in-equity/#comments
It's official, MVNO lone survivor Virgin Mobile is picking up the struggling Helio from SK Telecom and Earthlink for a cool $39 million in Virgin Mobile USA stock. They expect the deal to close in Q3 2008, pending regulatory approval. The acquisition comes as no surprise, but it's still sad to see the one true innovator in a mostly doomed MVNO space fall to that pesky little "completely failing to make money" thing. The good news is that it while the Helio brand will be phased out, Virgin Mobile isn't just in this for the 170,000-ish subscribers it'll be picking up. They plan to leverage Helio's technology and content offerings, not to mention the willingness of its customers to pay a few extra bucks for the perks, to build the Virgin Mobile brand into new spaces -- spaces which hopefully prove profitable and Ocean 2-ey.

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Virgin Mobile to buy Helio for $39 million in equity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsheliovirgin mobilevirgin mobile usaVirginMobileVirginMobileUsaFri, 27 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio stores shutting down]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/26/helio-stores-shutting-down/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/26/helio-stores-shutting-down/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/26/helio-stores-shutting-down/#comments
The future of Helio is still up in the air -- one minute it's about to be sold to Virgin, the next the Ocean 2 is popping up in videos -- and it looks like this week will end with some equally ambiguous news: Helio stores appear to be shutting down. That's the word according to Fierce Wireless, which took this shot of a Helio store in Denver with a sign in the window that reads "The Helio Store is closed. Contact their customer support." Hmm, that sounds like some part of Helio is going to keep running -- hopefully we'll find out how this soap opera ends sometime soon.

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Helio stores shutting down originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliomobilemvnossk telecomSkTelecomThu, 26 Jun 2008 22:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio stores shutting down]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/26/helio-stores-shutting-down/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/26/helio-stores-shutting-down/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/26/helio-stores-shutting-down/#comments
The future of Helio is still up in the air -- one minute it's about to be sold to Virgin, the next the Ocean 2 is popping up in videos -- and it looks like this week will end with some equally ambiguous news: Helio stores appear to be shutting down. That's the word according to Fierce Wireless, which took this shot of a Helio store in Denver with a sign in the window that reads "The Helio Store is closed. Contact their customer support." Hmm, that sounds like some part of Helio is going to keep running -- hopefully we'll find out how this soap opera ends sometime soon.

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Helio stores shutting down originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliomvnosk telecomSkTelecomThu, 26 Jun 2008 22:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio sale to Virgin Mobile could happen this week?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/25/helio-sale-to-virgin-mobile-could-happen-this-week/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/25/helio-sale-to-virgin-mobile-could-happen-this-week/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/25/helio-sale-to-virgin-mobile-could-happen-this-week/#comments
Do you hear that, Helio? That [cue Sir Richard Branson's soothing voice] is the sound of inevitability. Rumors have been swirling for a few weeks now that SK Telecom -- Helio's majority owner -- is getting ready to cut, run, and offload its share to Virgin Mobile, rolling the scrappy MVNO into the one and only virtual network in the US that's been met with substantial, quantifiable success (more recent stock woes notwithstanding). Now, the Financial Times is reporting that a deal is cued up and ready for a public introduction as early as this week. The sooner, the better, because tons of questions remain about the fate of subscribers and the introduction of the pretty hotly anticipated Ocean 2, a device that at one time could've been Helio's savior; too late for that now, we guess.

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Helio sale to Virgin Mobile could happen this week? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliomergerrumorsk telecomSkTelecomvirginvirgin mobileVirginMobileWed, 25 Jun 2008 03:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Helio sale to Virgin Mobile could happen this week?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/25/helio-sale-to-virgin-mobile-could-happen-this-week/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/25/helio-sale-to-virgin-mobile-could-happen-this-week/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/25/helio-sale-to-virgin-mobile-could-happen-this-week/#comments
Do you hear that, Helio? That [cue Sir Richard Branson's soothing voice] is the sound of inevitability. Rumors have been swirling for a few weeks now that SK Telecom -- Helio's majority owner -- is getting ready to cut, run, and offload its share to Virgin Mobile, rolling the scrappy MVNO into the one and only virtual network in the US that's been met with substantial, quantifiable success (more recent stock woes notwithstanding). Now, the Financial Times is reporting that a deal is cued up and ready for a public introduction as early as this week. The sooner, the better, because tons of questions remain about the fate of subscribers and the introduction of the pretty hotly anticipated Ocean 2, a device that at one time could've been Helio's savior; too late for that now, we guess.

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Helio sale to Virgin Mobile could happen this week? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heliomergermobilemvnosrumorsk telecomSkTelecomvirginvirgin mobileVirginMobileWed, 25 Jun 2008 03:02:00 EST