Engadget

Amazon's Bezos finds Apollo 11 rocket engines in ocean, contemplates shipping options

Jason Hidalgo — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 01:36:00 EST

Ya' know, there's nothing like a little rocket engine hunting to save oneself from the doldrums of generating billions of dollars in revenue in the private sector. At least that appears to be the case for Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, who spearheaded an ocean expedition to find the F-1 engines used in the Apollo 11 mission. Forget newer stuff like the GENIE, Vega and ~~Slytherin's~~ SuperDraco -- the classic F-1 is still the rocket engine that ignites Bezos' proverbial liquid fuel. Having found his prize resting 14,000 feet below the surface via deep sea sonar, Bezos' team is now trying to recover at least one of the engines. Bezos says NASA still retains ownership of the F-1s but he's hoping the agency will allow one of them to be displayed at the Museum of Flight in Amazon's home turf of Seattle if both are successfully retrieved. No word on whether the rocket engines will be delivered via Super Saver Shipping.

Amazon's Bezos finds Apollo 11 rocket engines in ocean, contemplates shipping options originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 01:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Swimming robots break wave-powered distance record, don't even stop for high-fives

James Trew — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:47:00 EST

Remember those autonomous sea-faring robots we saw back in November? Well, it looks like their self-propelling paddles have slowly waded them into the record books. The bots have traveled a distance of 3,200 nautical miles (2,876 land miles), cutting the previous record of 2,500 adrift -- not bad considering there's no fuel involved. The quartet of data-hunting droids initially set off from San Francisco, before completing the first leg of their journey in Hawaii four months later. The quadrumvirate are now set to split, with two heading off to Japan, crossing the Mariana Trench (believed to be the deepest place on earth) while the other pair head south to Australia, with both duos aiming to reach their final destinations later this year.

Swimming robots break wave-powered distance record, don't even stop for high-fives originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT software optimizes paths for automated undersea vehicles (video)

Darren Murph — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:39:00 EST

So, there's good news and bad news. The former is that MIT researchers have developed new software and methods that can predict optimal paths for automated underwater vehicles. The latter is that it's meant to be used for "swarms" of them, "moving all at once toward separate destinations." We hate to be the folks that keep harping on the inevitable, but teaching "swarms" of undersea robots how to effectively draw paths to the very creators that made them makes us... well, less that cozy. Paranoia aside, the Pierre Lermusiaux-led team has concocted a system that can provide paths optimized either for the shortest travel time or for the minimum use of energy, or to maximize the collection of data that is considered most important. The goal? To make the lives of gliders more efficient when engaged in "mapping and oceanographic research, military reconnaissance and harbor protection, or for deep-sea oil-well maintenance and emergency response." Oh, and did we mention that it can incorporate obstacle-avoidance functions for the sake of protection. Yeah. Death from ~~above~~ below.

Continue reading MIT software optimizes paths for automated undersea vehicles (video)

MIT software optimizes paths for automated undersea vehicles (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fish are lazy, naive, easily led by robots (video)

Sharif Sakr — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 16:46:00 EST

What does a fish look for in a leader? No doubt a nice fishy smell is important, and maybe a sense of direction too, but the overriding factor happens to be something much simpler, and indeed simple enough for a robot to mimic. Our old friend Maurizio Porfiri and a colleague from New York's Polytechnic Institute have shown that a fish-bot will quickly attract live followers if it has a nice, fluid swimming motion. When the stroke is just right, real fish will pull up alongside and visibly relax their own motion to conserve energy, just like geese flying at the rear of a 'vee' formation. It's hoped that, in the future, robots might be used to guide endangered fish populations away from oil spills and other calamities, in much the same way as battery-powered leaders have guided humanity since the dawn of time (allegedly).

Continue reading Fish are lazy, naive, easily led by robots (video)

Fish are lazy, naive, easily led by robots (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Google dives deep to bring underwater photos of the Great Barrier Reef this September

Joshua Tucker — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 06:24:00 EST

Your next trip to the Great Barrier Reef could be from the comfort of your home now that Google's partnered with Catlin SeaView Survey, the University of Queensland's Global Change Institute and the Underwater Earth organization to document this amazing ecosystem. Equipped with a special underwater camera capable of withstanding depths of 328 feet, the survey aims to photograph 50,000 shots in 360-degree panoramic view and incorporate them into Google Earth and Google Maps. Dubbed "Google SeaView," it seeks to open opportunities for increased conservation as well as a free look for wanna-be world travelers who can't afford a plane ticket down under. As an added perk, the collected data may also be used to help future ship captains navigate through the treachery of the intricate coral highways. Check past the break for more info on the survey and plenty of footage teeming with aquatic wildlife.

Continue reading Google dives deep to bring underwater photos of the Great Barrier Reef this September

Google dives deep to bring underwater photos of the Great Barrier Reef this September originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 06:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Canon EOS 1000D washes ashore in BC, Canada, SD card reveals it was lost at sea for over a year (update)

Joe Pollicino — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:28:00 EST

What you're looking at was once a fully functional Canon EOS 1000D, now merely a relic of the sea (the Pacific Ocean, to be exact), which was recently posted on Google+. User Marcus Thompson, found the DSLR washed up near a wharf while on a diving job in Deep Bay British Columbia, Canada and decided to take it home to find out what could be salvaged. After removing and cleaning the SanDisk Extreme III SD card inside of it, he was successfully able to recover about 50 photos with EXIF data from August 2010, showcasing what's described to be a firefighter and his family on vacation. While he hasn't located the owner of the shooter turned coffee table decoration just yet, Marcus is currently asking the "Google+ hive mind" to help get the two reunited. If you're from BC area and want to help out -- or just curious to see this DSLR from more angles -- you'll find some pictures from the SD card and more information about the camera at the source link below.

Update (5:00PM): The original Google+ post was updated within the last hour, noting that the owner of the camera has indeed been identified!

Canon EOS 1000D washes ashore in BC, Canada, SD card reveals it was lost at sea for over a year (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wave Glider robots set out to explore the seven seas, break the Guinness record

Lydia Leavitt — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:04:00 EST

It's a bird, it's a plane, nope, it's Liquid Robotic's four Wave Gliders on a mission to snag the Guinness World Record for longest distance traveled on Earth by an automaton. Setting out today from the San Francisco Bay, the autonomous sea-faring crafts will travel far and wide to gather data about the world's oceans. Powered by the water's movement, the vessels are fuel-free, using "flapping" wings to move forward without human command. Tricked out with various solar-powered sensors, the robots can capture location, weather, temperature, wave height, barometric pressure and more throughout their travels. The 198.4 pound machines cost between $250,000 and $500,000 each depending on how many sensors are built-in -- a small price for scientists or commandeering pirates hoping to learn more about the 95 percent of ocean that has yet to be explored. Let's just hope they don't run into one of these guys.

Wave Glider robots set out to explore the seven seas, break the Guinness record originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Oscar winners crowd-sourcing the ocean with The Blu

Brian Heater — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:44:00 EST

Love the ocean, but hate holding your for breath for extended periods? Good news: a team of software engineers, composers, Oscar-winning animators and more have come together to recreate Davy Jones' locker in the cloud. Wemo Media is looking for a few thousand good artists for the project, to help create a massive simulation of life under the seas built on its Maker Platform. The project has been around for a bit, but is still in closed beta, making it a private development beach of sorts. You can watch an introductory video and request an invite at the source link below.

Oscar winners crowd-sourcing the ocean with The Blu originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Navy tests bacteria-powered hydrogen fuel cell, could start monitoring your underwater fight club

Darren Murph — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:29:00 EST

Microbial fuel cells aren't exactly new, but microbial fuel cells scouring the ocean floor? Now that's an initiative we can get behind. The Naval Research Laboratory is currently toying around with a so-called Zero Power Ballast Control off the coast of Thailand, presumably looking for treasures dropped from the speedboat of one "Alan Garner." Purportedly, the newfangled hydrogen fuel cell relies on bacteria to provide variable buoyancy, which allows an autonomous ocean sensor to move up and down water columns with little to no effort. Furthermore, it's able to get its energy from microbial metabolism (yeah, we're talking about hot air), and while it's mostly being used to measure things like temperature and pressure, it could be repurposed for more seirous tasks -- like mine detection. There's no clear word yet on when America's Navy will have access to this stuff, but if we had to guess, they've probably be using it behind our backs for the better part of a score.

[Image courtesy of U.S. Navy Reserve / Tom Boyd]

Navy tests bacteria-powered hydrogen fuel cell, could start monitoring your underwater fight club originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Scientists study orca ears, employ lasers to create hyper-sensitive underwater microphone

Brian Heater — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 05:13:00 EST

There are plenty of reasons to want to monitor what's going on in the ocean, from whale migration, to the recent stylistic resurgence of hot crustacean bands. There are certain inherent difficulties, however, in creating a powerful underwater microphone, namely all of that water you've got to contend with. A team of scientists has taken cues from the design of orca ears, in order to develop a powerful microphone that can work far beneath the waves. The researchers developed membranes 25 times thinner than plastic wrap, which fluctuate as sound is made. In order to operate at extreme depths, however, the microphone must fill with water to maintain a consistent pressure. So, how does one monitor the minute movements of a membrane hampered by the presence of water? Lasers, of course! The hydrophone can capture a 160-decibel range of sounds and operate at depths of 11,000 meters, where the pressure is around 1,100 times what we're used to on earth. So if the orcas themselves ever master the laser, at least we'll be able to hear them coming.

Scientists study orca ears, employ lasers to create hyper-sensitive underwater microphone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 05:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Google opening seawater-cooled data center, finally glad it applied for that Wave trademark (video)

Brian Heater — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:14:00 EST

Google raised a few eyebrows when it purchased a Finnish paper mill back in 2009 -- what, the world, wondered, would the king of cloud services want with reams of tree guts? Space for a data center, of course -- and a seawater-cooled one at that. Google's Joe Kava told GigaOm that, when it launches in the fall, the center's temperature will be regulated by a quarter-mile of seawater tunnels inherited from the building's past tenants. One of the hardest parts of getting the system up and running has apparently been figuring out a way to clean corrosion from salt water without taking the system offline. Google's also working to limit the center's impact on the surrounding ecosystem, making sure that the water itself is cooled down before being pumped back out. Between this and those wind-powered data centers, it looks like Captain Planet's always got a cushy IT gig at Google to fall back on, should he ever fall on hard times.

Google opening seawater-cooled data center, finally glad it applied for that Wave trademark (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 May 2011 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ocean Empire LSV is the self-sufficient superyacht for the super-rich

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:36:00 EST

It looks like your luxury extra-national seafaring utopia just got one step closer to reality. The Ocean Empire Life Support Vessel is a 144-foot Catamaran Superyacht manufactured by Sauter Carbon Offset Design, and it features not only "all of the hotel amenities of a luxury global voyager" but two hydroponic farms and fishing facilities and three sustainable power sources: a 400 square meter 70kw solar array, an auxiliary 80 square meter (200kw) automated SkySail that drives the ship to 18+ knots and charges her battery systems, and a Motion Damping Regeneration (MDR) system developed with Maurer Sohnes Gmbh that can produce up to 50kw of electricity as it steadies the ship on rolling seas. How much will it cost you to take yourself, nine of your closest friends, and a crew of eight to the sea -- and remain there indefinitely? About $17 million. Hit the source link to order a couple for yourself. The vessel is built to order and you can have it ready to go in about eighteen months. At least it's cheaper than Saddam's yacht!

Ocean Empire LSV is the self-sufficient superyacht for the super-rich originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

DMC's 5-inch Copia color e-reader landing this fall for $99, others to follow

Darren Murph — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:06:00 EST

It's fairly safe to say that DMC Worldwide's Copia e-reader family won't exactly make that estimated Spring 2010 ship date, but a new report over at The Wall Street Journal is cluing us in on a bit of a revised outlook. As of now, the first Copia suite of e-readers will "hit stores this fall in time for the holiday season," a suite that'll presumably include the 5-inch color (LCD) Wave 5 for $99, a 7-inch Wave 7 for $129, a 10-inch Ocean Color for $299 and a pair of E Ink-based options for $49 (Tidal) / $159 (Tidal WiFi). It doesn't seem as if the two Waves will include any sort of wireless connectivity, and given the LCD display, we're sure that battery life will be nowhere near as good as the marginally-more-expensive Kindle. That said, the user interface does look rather striking from afar, and if these manage to slip a bit further in price before that magical day in December, you could very well see a rush to stuff stockings with a member of this here family. Give those links below a poke if you're on the prowl for more detailed specifications.

DMC's 5-inch Copia color e-reader landing this fall for $99, others to follow originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Artist builds a hole in the ocean, hopes BP doesn't screw it up

Joseph L. Flatley — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:10:00 EST

It's easy to get somewhat weepy and introspective when talking about the ocean. After all, it's not only from whence we came -- it's the setting of one of the greatest films ever made. Surfers get their kicks there, Ayn Rand freaks dream of moving there so they can live lives of greed unfettered by democracy, and now a British artist named Andrew Friend has built a device that will allow you to disappear there. From the artist's website:

This device offers the individual opportunity for a safe, temporary disappearance, experiencing an isolation seldom found on land. The occupier of the device is absorbed into the chasm, disappearing from view beneath the water's surface. The device examines the relationship between the known above, and the unknown / imagined world below sea level.

Disappearing (At Sea) is part of a larger work called Fantastic, a series of projects that allow the user to experience "extraordinary, unlikely, desirable (or not), confusing, or uncanny" experiences. Heady stuff, for sure! Hit the source link to get struck by lightning or become invisible. Or, if you'd rather not (and we don't blame you) get a look at an artist's sketch after the break.

Continue reading Artist builds a hole in the ocean, hopes BP doesn't screw it up

Artist builds a hole in the ocean, hopes BP doesn't screw it up originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Poseidon floating power plant features wind turbines, location for Waterworld II

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:25:00 EST

We've seen plenty of attempts to harness the movement of the sea for power, including underwater turbines and Searaser pumps, but those technologies are sadly unreliable. Denmark's Floating Power Plant has thought of that, however -- ingeniously outfitting its 350-ton Poseidon platform with wind turbines as well as the underwater variety, so it can harvest energy even when the sea is calm. As stability is a major concern, the company took design cues from oil rigs, so this bad boy should hopefully stay right-side-up even in the most perfect of storms. According to Inhabitat, the company is pegging energy costs between 10 and 15 Euro cents per kilowatt hour -- competitive for the continent. This thing is currently stationed off the coast of Lolland in Denmark, although with any luck they'll be all over the world soon enough, at which point we will use them as bases from which to launch our futuristic, dystopian undersea armies.

Poseidon floating power plant features wind turbines, location for Waterworld II originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Copia promises to blend e-books and social networking into set of new readers

Ross Miller — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:47:00 EST

Brace yourself, more e-readers on your way! First up the open platform: DMC Worldwide announces Copia, a social networking / e-book store hybrid that's gearing up hit private beta status this month and public beta in March. With that out of the way, let's talk hardware. Lower on the list of gear is the keyboard-laden Tidal with a 6-inch, 600 x 800 screen and 2GB internal storage. Just above that is the Tidal Touch with a 9-inch, 768 x 1024 screen, earphone / mic jack, 4GB internal upgradeable to microSD. And then we've got Ocean, which comes in 6-inch (600 x 800 pixels) and 9-inch (768 x 1024 pixels) variants and both feature capacitive touchscreens, 802.11b/g WiFi, tilt sensors, 4GB internal storage expandable via microSD, and some form of earphone / mic jack. Both Tidal Touch and Ocean 9 have optional 3G connectivity (that in the process halves internal storage to 2GB and nixing the microSD slot). Prices reportedly range between two and three Benjamins and will hit availability status online in April, followed by retail in June. Presser? You guessed right, it's after the break.

Gallery: Copia promises to blend e-books and social networking into set of new readers

Continue reading Copia promises to blend e-books and social networking into set of new readers

Copia promises to blend e-books and social networking into set of new readers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rutgers' underwater roboglider crosses the Atlantic, claims to be on business trip

Vlad Savov — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:28:00 EST

The so-called Scarlet Knight robot has this week completed a 225-day journey from the shores of New Jersey to the sandy beaches of Baiona in Spain -- fittingly the same port Christopher Columbus returned to after his first visit to the Americas -- aided only by a battery, ocean currents and its innate intelligence. Built by Rutgers University, the youthful robotic trailblazer performed a number of data gathering tasks as it went along, furnishing climate change researchers with more info on temperature levels, water salination and currents within the Atlantic Ocean. Now that it has been handed back to the US, the machine will be put up on display in the Smithsonian, so if you want a peek at the future of globetrotting that'll be the place to go.

Rutgers' underwater roboglider crosses the Atlantic, claims to be on business trip originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Seiko Ocean Theater alarm clock brings the life aquatic to your bedroom

Laura June — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:59:00 EST

If you're anything like us, you're terrified of whales for pretty much no reason. Seiko's newest alarm clock -- the Ocean Theater -- probably isn't for you then. Fair enough, but plenty of people are not maladjusted, and we're willing to admit that it's pretty cool, even if it's terrifying. The clock, which responds to touch, can project various marine life upon your walls, and we imagine it'll be a huge hit with children. As you'll see in the video after the break, if this thing works as advertised, it's really rather impressive. The Ocean Theater also doubles as an iPod dock, and will be available from Japan Trends; it's up for pre-order now and runs $235. Like we said, definitely check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Seiko Ocean Theater alarm clock brings the life aquatic to your bedroom

Filed under: Displays

Seiko Ocean Theater alarm clock brings the life aquatic to your bedroom originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December

Ross Miller — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:21:00 EST

Because what the world needs now is yet another mobile operating system, Samsung has announced its foray into the field with Bada. Not much to reveal at this point other than some key PR speak: the name means "ocean" in Korean, the company's committed to "a variety of open platforms" in mobile industry and it plans this to be easy to integrate / customize based on carrier's experience. All real news should be coming sometime in December, when Sammy is saying it'll have a London launch event and reveal the SDK. Full presser after the break.

Continue reading Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December

Filed under: Samsung

Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December

Ross Miller — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:21:00 EST

Continue reading Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Helio's Ocean 2 -- how would you change it?

Darren Murph — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:26:00 EST

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?

Filed under: Handsets, Pantech, Helio, Virgin Mobile, MVNOs

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

How would you change Helio's Ocean 2?

Darren Murph — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:26:00 EST

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.

Filed under: Cellphones

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

San Francisco submits permit app for wave power project

Darren Murph — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:43:00 EST

San Francisco's been mulling this one over for some time now, but at long last, the city has taken a monumental step in turning nearby waves into energy. Mayor Gavin Newsom has stated that his city has just "submitted a preliminary permit application to the federal government to develop a wave power project" off of San Fran's coast. When the project is fully operational, it could generate anywhere between 10 and 100 megawatts of energy, and it has the potential to create upwards of 100 jobs. If all goes to plan, electric power would be generated from waves that are around eight miles off the west coast of SF, and the mayor also stated that he'll be making sure that the impact on marine animals, fishing, shipping and recreational uses is minimized should he get the green light.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

San Francisco submits permit app for wave power project originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Helio's Ocean 2 spotted in all black attire

Darren Murph — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:09:00 EST

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]

Filed under: Handsets, Pantech, Helio, Virgin Mobile, EV-DO, CDMA

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

Helio's Ocean 2 spotted in all black attire

Darren Murph — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:09:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

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

Helio's Ocean 2 now on sale: $149 on contract

Darren Murph — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:34:00 EST

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]

Filed under: Handsets, Pantech, Helio, Virgin Mobile, EV-DO, MVNOs, CDMA

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

Helio's Ocean 2 now on sale: $149 on contract

Darren Murph — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:34:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

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

Helio Ocean 2 Review

Richard Lawler — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST

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

Filed under: Handsets, Features, Reviews, Pantech, Helio, MVNOs, CDMA

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

Virgin Mobile Helio Ocean 2 unboxed, scheduled for launch with Britney Spears

Nilay Patel — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:06:00 EST

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

Filed under: Handsets, Virgin Mobile

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

Virgin Mobile Helio Ocean 2 unboxed, scheduled for launch with Britney Spears

Nilay Patel — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:06:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

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

Helio Ocean 2 finds itself in Mr. Blurrycam's hands

Ross Miller — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST

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

Filed under: Handsets, Pantech, MVNOs, CDMA

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

Helio Ocean 2 finds itself in Mr. Blurrycam's hands

Ross Miller — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST

Gallery: Helio Ocean 2 in the wild

Filed under: Cellphones

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

Helio's Ocean 2 could set sail next month

Darren Murph — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:51:00 EST

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]

Filed under: Helio, Sprint, EV-DO, MVNOs, CDMA

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

Helio's Ocean 2 could set sail next month

Darren Murph — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:51:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

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

Helio Ocean 2 arrives at the FCC

Nilay Patel — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:03:00 EST

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]

Filed under: Handsets, Others, Helio, Virgin Mobile, MVNOs

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

Helio Ocean 2 arrives at the FCC

Nilay Patel — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

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

Helio's Ocean 2 coming -- but not until 2009

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:59:00 EST

This 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]

Filed under: Cellphones

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

Helio's Ocean 2 coming -- but not until 2009

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:59:00 EST

Filed under: Handsets, Pantech, Helio, Virgin Mobile, EV-DO, MVNOs, CDMA

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

They're no Ocean 2, but Helio busts out White Mysto and Red Heat

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:35:00 EST

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]

Filed under: Handsets, Samsung, Helio, EV-DO, MVNOs, CDMA

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

Helio's Ocean 2 spotted on multiple videos

Darren Murph — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:18:00 EST

So there's really no telling what's up with Helio as an MVNO, but there's plenty going on with the Ocean 2 handset. Just yesterday we noticed a spy shot of the elusive mobile, but unfortunately, the video in which it was captured from had been conveniently removed. Today, however, a whole host of new vids have surfaced over at HelioCity, one of which actually shows the unit while gaming. Check 'em out while you still can in the read link below.

[Via phonemag]

Filed under: Handsets, Helio, EV-DO, MVNOs, CDMA

Helio's Ocean 2 spotted on multiple videos originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments