Helio Ocean 2 Review
By Richard Lawler 
posted Feb 2nd 2009 8:01AM
posted Feb 2nd 2009 8:01AM
The hardware should be immediately familiar to Ocean 1 owners, while closed the Ocean 2 is slightly thinner and just a bit longer, making it just that much easier on our pants and jacket pockets. The red finish on our limited edition model -- the first, and for the time being only, type available at launch February 12 -- combines with the all glossy front panel to give this model a more sophisticated look, and the slight taper along the sides brings not only a welcome slimming effect, but makes it more comfortable to handle in portrait mode. Overall the face design is the same, with four multifunction buttons around the screen adjusting to software and orientation changes. The "Helio" branding across the top (portrait) or left (landscape) now lights up, red while charging, blue when fully charged or for messaging alerts. Additionally, the number pad is now on the bottom third of the dual-slide mechanism, not a big deal, but just enough to throw off users upgrading the first time it's opened. We adjusted after a few days and didn't have a preference for either the old or new design in that respect.
The major hardware change on the front of the phone is in the middle, where the familiar flame button pulls double duty as a touch sensitive pad, allowing for swipes in any of four directions for navigation. The surrounding ring has shrunk to the surrounding chrome band seen in the pictures, but this aspect of the new phone may be its biggest misstep. While adjusting touch sensitivity to its highest setting helped a little, our cold, dead fingers were unable to swipe and swoop through menus with the same ease and accuracy we were used to. The new surrounding ring is also slightly more difficult to use in applications that don't recognize the touch pad's inputs. It wasn't all bad, scrolling up and down webpages tended to show the most benefit from touch sensitivity, but overall we weren't impressed and longed for a larger circle again.
The 2.6-inch QVGA display is without question brighter and more colorful than the one it replaces, coming through with easier to read information and improved visibility in high glare. The QWERTY keypad has changed too, going from individual buttons to one solid plastic cover with raised bumps for each letter. It turned out to be every bit as easy to use as the original, and since it's not as deeply inset, the edge buttons are now more easily accessed.
Flipping the phone over, the mostly-useless flash has disappeared, and the (still 2.0 megapixel, but with the addition of "night" mode and higher resolutions in portrait mode) camera shifted from the side to the top. Also gone are the bottom mounted stereo speakers, in favor of a single speaker mounted at the top next to the camera, resulting in noticeably improved sound while on speakerphone or playing music, even laying flat on a table. Even the battery cover has changed, with a much more easily accessed push button, unlike the almost-impossible to remove battery of the original, which is a good thing because the side mounted MicroSD slot of days gone by has also left us, now mounted underneath the battery -- bad news for anyone looking to swap cards on the go. We didn't give the claimed 10 days of standby/5 hour talk time claim a go, but in our casual use we'd say the battery life is about equal to the original.
On the side, a hardware switch for muting audio with a flick of the thumb means an end to those annoying conference room gaffes where you were sure you'd set your Ocean on vibrate. Combined with a software setting to put the phone on vibrate or totally mute this is one of the most welcome additions. Alongside that are the volume controls and the power/data connector, having migrated from the bottom. On the opposite side we find the camera button in its usual place, plus a play/pause media control and a 3.5mm headphone jack that should take any standard jack.
The software is where -- for better or worse -- you'll find the least has changed. The Ocean 2 is nearly identical to the original, although a new menu screen with animations we found more annoying than entertaining (thankfully, the old menu remains as an option) freshens things up a bit. Still, tweaks abound, with welcome bits like a green notification bar across the top of any currently running apps showing the From: and subject line of any incoming messages at all times. The universal messaging app still impresses: Yahoo, AIM, Windows Live and now Google Talk, it's all available in one place, plus threaded SMS and push e-mail.
On the app side things are again very familiar, although Buddy Beacon 2.0 -- once we got it running -- proved much more useful, thanks to a new Facebook tie-in and free WHERE widgets offering up anything from ticket info to weather forecasts or local gas prices. TellMe looks to be subscription only, however in our testing its voice recognition proved top notch and easy to use, giving the same information you'd find in the Google Maps app, but with just one button press and a word into the mic required. YouTube, MySpace, File Viewer and the oh-so-necessary Opera browser are also back, and we didn't have any trouble loading up custom apps for some DrugWars action. Helping to shift things in favor of the Ocean 2 are Helio's exclusive services, while Helio Connect doesn't replace a full fledged app, one tough of the flame button brings customized news and social network access from the main menu, while Helio Up makes sure your pictures and movies go straight to Flickr / Facebook / YouTube or any combination desired.
Original Ocean users know that the original media player only allowed access to the underpowered default web browser while in use, now it keeps playing the background all the time. Want to send some IMs, texts, or use Opera while playing music? Go right ahead, it won't stop you, and if you do something like open up a YouTube video, the music pauses while you watch and resumes immediately afterward, stopping only after a press of the side-mounted pause button or double tapping the power / call end switch. That alone makes the Ocean 2 a much stronger media device, although we question the design decision that resulted in giving us only the choice to browse by album -- not playlist, artist or song -- while the phone is open in landscape mode, requiring a switch to portrait mode just to see what our recently played songs list could offer.
Kicking us out of apps once the phone is closed is still as annoying as ever, as was a tendency for our review unit to sometimes soft-reset, usually while trying to exit or enter one of the included apps. We thought the external hardware design changes were a sum improvement over the original, and the software tweaks allowed us to get a lot more of what we want out of our experience than the original Ocean did when it first launched. Still, without serious third party developer support and a better default browser experience (now with tabs, but not much else) it's not quite the smartphone-fighter it once claimed to be, and not far removed from other feature phones on the market. Whether the Ocean 2 is right for you will depend on whether your needs are met by its out of the box software package and Helio's all-in service packages, but we're still left curious to see what new phones are over the horizon.
Maybe its just me, but I can't see any of the pictures. Please fix it.
Should have just gone with Windows mobile. Bleck! no thanks!
i bought my ocean 1 like the week it came out....
it was a good phone like a yr and a half ago....
only real competition was the iPhone 2G....
now there's iPhone 3G, HTC Touch Diamond,
Samsung Omnia, Palm's Pre.... etc etc...
i have no idea why helio (now owned by virgin)...
even bother with this device....
as much as i like my ocean now, i'm parting wit helio as soon as my contract ends in june...
same here. there's not much helio has to offer now other than it's slightly better plans and SMS. on the variety of devices available, helio is no competition to AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon, or even Sprint. the iphone's definitely more sexy and got way more third party apps than the ocean.
You own an Ocean, so I'm sure you know it's a solid phone, your getting caught up in the "touch screen" hype which in the end only amounts to an expensive data plan and what some would refer to as a gimmick. Ultimately it's your call.
Lets see if I can help you out with the apparent short sighted comment regarding the Helio Ocean 2 my friend. Helio was the first company to offer a large amount of funtionality in one device when it introduced the HEero back in 2006. In short, it was such a powerhouse the it quickly outsold most if not all of its competition almost immediately and with its kind of 'hip' introduction of a direct connection to Myspace through its own portal, it gained the young demographic no one else could but that everyone wanted to grab...idiot kids.
Almost immediately you saw look alikes and big box companies trying to solicit Pantech to create 'like' devices for them to sell...kind of like how record lables release artists with songs similar to other artists on other lables...so they can grab a piece of the $$$. Now:
US June 29 (Original iPhone Release Date) vs 5-06 (Original Helio Release Date)
Almost exactly at the same time this was happenning, iPhone comes out and blows everything about expectations out of the water in regards to competition including every competitor and even Helio, except by this time...which is only a few short months...you are seeing really shitty phones hit the market, overshadowing Helios dominance by a plastic device with a radio on it or maybe a scatchy TV app.
Helio Followed suit and release cool 'other' phones like the heat and the drift (which I think both sucked but were kind of cool, just not as cool as the iPhone..ala really plasticky and flimsy)
Then comes Ocean...the closest thing to the pinnacle of Helios acheivements which also mark the exhausted companies trek into the cell phone market...the Ocean basically set up Helio to be sold. Helio sells with the bad reviews coming in about the Ocean because its not an iPhone and Virgin Mobile buys up Helio which allows Helio to produce the Ocean 2 to compete with the iPhone.
By now anyone whose known Helio knows that the Ocean 2 is the absolute Pinnacle of Helio production incorporating userfriendly apps with less focus on the myspace and facebook crown while catering to them at the same time...add a haptic optical mouse with click option and you are good to go.
Now when you hold the Ocean 2 you know its a bit heavy but at least its not plasticky like all those other phones out there and the fact that its NOT an IPHONE but creates a similar satisfaction...you then know why they created the Helio Ocean 2. No I dont work for them but with all these stupid ass comments about how its not an iPhone makes me glad I have the Ocean 2 instead. So, maybe instead of making the comment of "I dont see why they wasted thier time with this device" why dont you try one? My roomate has the original Ocean and the Ocean 2 blows it away actually with a better interface and more custom functions that its Ocean Predecessor fails on but at least you can actually see that they are making improvements instead of coming out with cheap ass crap like t-mobile (well okay maybe the andriod is cool) and Verizon (who keeps coming out with plastic crap).
So, I guess you guys can eat one :)
I will upgrade, but overall disappointed with this device...hope they have something else planned over the horizon just like youve mentioned...or it may be Palm Pre time for me...
Multi-tasking finally comes to the Ocean.
I too am wanting to see it, but I want touch screen AND qwerty actual keyboard! September can't come fast enough! And does any one thing the Opera browser (although works fast) has some user friendliness issues on the entering text?
I have the original Ocean and love it. Great device, solid service. The only thing I was hoping for in the Ocean 2 was the use of WiMax, so I could use VOIP in areas where I had wifi access but didn't have cell reception. Theoretically, that can be pushed out via software dloads/firmware updates, so we'll see if Virgin Mobile makes it happen.
there's been a failure to mention Flash on the browser. how many other phones have this ability i'd like to know. i guess for some, like me, it could be a selling point coming closer to a "true" internet browsing experience.
Wow, this browser has flash? That really is a good selling point. I can't think of ANY mobile phone that supports it right now. Also, it should enable me to stream TV to this phone via Orb :)
I liked my ocean when it came out, but lack of updates and iphone price drop lead me to jump ship.
There are definitely features I miss moving to the iphone, but ocean 2 is not enough to have come back.
Trivee,
why cant September can't come fast enough?
Rwilsoon:
What does WiMax have to do with VOIP, WiMax is a new wireless protocol and is only available in Chicago right now You don't need WiMax to do VOIP. You can do it over any data network if the provider allows it and has an app.
I should say Clear wire (sprint) only has WiMax in Chicago. There are other WiMax prodivers in the USA but they are way smaller and might not work with all WiMax devices
Thinner is good to hear. Overall, disappointing. One of the things that bothered me most was not being able to chance the default browser to Opera, so links from email, etc. would open there.
As for the Buddy Beacon, they upgraded that months ago, and it got even worse than the original.
The question remains, flash-supported browsing?
I have the original Helio, when it came out, it was one of the best on the market with the best unlimited calling plan in the country, iPhone didn't even 3G then. A few things I was hoping they would change for Helio 2, 1) BIGGGER screen 2) a lot thinner 3) touch screen nav. 4) better internet browsing experience 5) additional sim card slot for over sea use 6) better video quality 7) WiFi 8) better overall look and design
Well all I can say is when my contract is over, I will be going to get an iPhone or a Pre.......more likely to be a Pre, better features and better plans..............byebye Helio, your new phone sucks!
Actually virgin mobile. Since you know they bought helio... Their 3g isn't that bad, I had the shuttle l, very good coverage and service, I would consider buying the ocean 2, it seems like a good phone for virgin mobile.
september? i just got a text from helio saying that this was gonna debut on 2/12 along with unlimited nights and weekends starting @ 7 now
Nice to see that even with a new company owning them, Helio still makes buggy products that soft-reset and don't work right.
Ocean had a flash for it's camera, but Ocean 2 is missing the flash. I can't believe after 2 years, they are giving us a same phone! Not even that much of cosmetic change.........unbelievable!
I like: Yes
Chance that Virgin Mobile Oz will offer it: None
Doesn't look like any groundbreaking improvements. I guess new Virgin Mobile customers may like the Ocean, but I have an Ocean 1 and would see NO reason to upgrade. Pretty much the same phone.
i have ocean 1, and it look pretty much the same as this im not going to upgrade, going to switch carriers when my contract is up in august, love my ocean but my plan is a bit to pricey for me on to better cheaper carriers and better phones, this was just the nail in the coffin for me
i have an ocean 1, and i love it...i would upgrade to an ocean 2 in a heatbeat, if it had a "skyfire" like web browser...i want some flash support...does the ocean 2 have flash support?
It doesn't support flash that I can tell, let me know if there's a specific website you'd like to see tested.
Hey I heard it has Flash Lite in the Opera Mini browser? is it true and what can it do?
it does have flash support and you can actually get a free upgrade depending on when your contract expires.
Nope no flash browser I read from one of the Administrators on the Heliocity website. If it did have it we'd have heard about it. They really didn't do much to it, aside from more memory and threaded text messages. And they will still be charging people who are already helio members $150 unless youve been with them for a full 2 years...f'n weak.
I have been a member for two years and I still have to pay $150 plus another 2-year prison sentence, It's cool, I'll give it that but it's not worth the time or money for 3-4 very slight, unimportant changes.
i got the ocean 1 and its pretty good...i've been waitin for the new ocean...i'm dissappointed all this time and thats all they got for us...its exactly the same as the ocean 1. why even upgrade to that. quess its time to move on from helio
Does anyone know if the browser is better then the Ocean 1. There are a lot of web sites you can
t view and I hate it. I am glad to see multi tasking though I have wanted to throw my phone out of the window plenty of times because it wouldn't multitask.
The Ocean 2 has already been released as part of the pre-launch special. You can pick it up by going to:
http://www.Ocean2Promo.com or by calling the Online Promotion Team at (800)319-4757
This is it!!!!!!!!! Thats all they have for us!!!!! I have been waiting for a new Helio device and this is the best they could do?!?!?!?! They change the body style slightly and make some insignificant tweaks and we are all supposed to rush out and pre order this! I am so very disappointed! With so many companies offering phones with similar services at this point, you'd think they would put a bit more effort into this phone... How about a touch screen, or an inproved keyboard or a better built in browser?!?! This certainly isn't going to compete with the I-Phone 3G or Palm Pre! I have been dying to upgrade my phone for months now, but figured I would wait to see what Helio had in store before switching my provider again... well this seals it... despite their All - In packagaes being a good deal, I'm done with Helio as soon as my contract is up...
I waited all this time, and was expecting something spectacular, and in all honesty, I really don't see anything that is making me want to "upgrade" to the ocean 2 outside of the fact that the color of the phone is different. When searching and reading about what's new with the phone, the list was pathetic. The "upgrades" that they've added have been out for months now on other phones. They can no longer boast about being a part of a 3G network because just about all providers are using that now. Having access to myspace and facebook while on the go is so outdated too. Search sucks on the ocean 1 and it doesn't seem like they have done anything to fix that (or maybe I just got too disappointed reading about all of the nothing that they've add, that I missed it) on the ocean 2. This whole launch in my opinion was a waste of time for those of us anticipating the release of this phone, and a waste of money for helio/vigin mobile to even bother with production of it. I have one more year to go with them, but the more I look at other phones that have the same features as helio and then some, the more I am contemplating ending my contract early and go with another provider with more phone options/styles. I was sold on the all in plan, but that has gotten boring for me too, since most companies now offer the option to go unlimited for $99/month. I just hope they didn't make too many of these new phones because I don't think they are going to sell. And if they do some how make a decent profit from the ocean 2 (which is still the ocean one with a new skin), it will nothing short of a miracle.
How can any ocean user worth their salt say the flash was mostly useless? Holding the back button in landscape and then closing the phone would leave the flash illuminated. It has found innumerable dropped items in dark clubs, and even serves as my reading light sometimes.
Well, true. It was entirely useless as a camera flash, but highly useful in the "find stuff you dropped when you were drunk and its dark" department, so only mostly useless.
@Richard - I dunno about you but I'm in dark clubs atleast twice a week, and rarely drunk. I think that the flash-light feature would be pretty useful...I usually just use glowsticks and LED photon lights for finding things though. Now if you lose the phone....that's a whole new story.
Helio is going down....epic fail. People were waiting for this for a long time and they barely did anything. Silly mistake.
I have an Ocean I and the only feature I like is Helio Up. The Ocean II is just more of the same, so I can't wait for the Palm Pre to come out.
I'm very disappointed. There are no drastic improvements. I understand. Considering the mechanism for dual flip ups, making it thinner is hardly possible. However, they should've updated the embeded os. It looks like they just did some minor updates from the original. Actually, I was going to jump to Ocean 2, but I want to change to iPhone or something else. If Ocean2 turns out free of charge with 2yr- contract or something, I might cling to Virgin Mobile.
I got the Ocean 1 when it came out about 2 years ago. I loved it then and love it now. I actually called Helio to see what pricing was to buy outright and was informed that I can get a free upgrade given I had to sign a new 2 year contract... My contract was up in June... I'm fine with a free Ocean 2 and 2 more years!
HELIO ROCKS!
Not to mention the $99 unlimited service. A lot of carriers offers an unlimited plan but charge extra for internet and text messaging. How is that unlimited???
I love my new Ocean 2! I got it for free because I've had my Ocean (1) since a couple of weeks after it came out two years ago. I had no problem signing another 2 year contract. The device is great and the $99 unlimited service is awesome!!!
Unlimited Voice,Text, Internet for 99 bucks!
I love it!!!!!!!
So would it be better to just buy the ocean 1 for half the price since nothing big has changed?