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iPhone vs. Helio Ocean

coreybrown by coreybrown

I've tested both the Helio Ocean and Apple iPhone recently, each for about a week. 

I wanted to love the Ocean, but it didn't work out for me.   The iPhone is all I had imagined and more.

I think the Ocean will be a fine phone for people in the right conditions, as evident by the rave reviews I've seen online.

Here's my take on the two devices and services.  Your mileage may vary.

btw, I've edited this page on the iPhone

Your Turn!

iPhone or Helio Ocean?

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iPhone!

kelly m says:

hey i want one of theses please tell me how i get one xxx

Megan says:

I have an ocean 2 and used to have an iphone, dont know what i was thinking when i switched. going back to att as soon as my contract ends

Trevor says:

i recently dropped my helio service and bought an iphone, there is nothing better. i had helio for 3 years and i even had the ocean and ocean 2. touch screen on iphone takes a little bit to get used to but hands down i choose iphone.

Jason says:

I have a Helio Ocean 2 or "Oz2". I previously owned the original Ocean. The only thing I really got out the Oz2 is less battery life, and a slicker body. Virtually everything on the phone was the exact same as the first Ocean, minus a few details. Like the flashy new menu, the evened weight distribution, and the choice of threaded texts. Other than that, no major changes. Great service, crappy phone.

Jacob says:

i luv th ehelio but really just wnat to get the i phone.... ita called unlocking it so u don t have to stay with att what i wana no is can i get the iphone and put it on my helio service......... dunno? anyone?

webbot1 says:

retyger re greg

Matt says:

I've owned an Ocean for almost two years and cannot wait until my contract with them is finished. Sure, it was great when all I wanted to do was text friends and play around... but now that I need a dedicated organizer and calendar the Ocean is pretty much useless to me. I'll either be heading over to the Apple/AT&T store or wait for a better version of the new Google phone.

lavender says:

I've had my Ocean for about 4 months now and if I had it to do over, there is NO question - I would buy the IPhone. The Ocean isn't a bad phone, don't get me wrong, but the internet browsing is inconvenient and translates poorly when compared to the IPhone. I'm trying to get out of my contract and get back to AT&T.

Dshot says:

I say that's no comparison the iPhone is better! The Helio is limited in what in can do and how it can expand! Check out more information here Iphone-skin

says:

I think Apple's iPhones are way better! Apple's ringtones are great and Apple's an established cellular phone manufacturer. I'm hoping to get an Apple iPhone on my birthday.

Julia S.
Learn more about cellular phone ringtones here!

MaxMow says:

iPhone rocks! It has amazing UI and is damn cool!

Jay Llacuna says:

I tried out the Ocean and found its interface to be unusable, especially when compared to the iPhone.

What's more, I returned my Helio siz months ago and still haven't received a refund. I'm still trying to get it worked out. It seems others have had the same problem.

http://www.lifeclever.com/5-reasons-why-helios-total-happiness-guarantee-is-baloney/

jaun says:

The Iphone is very nice and portable unlike the Helio Ocean the Iphone is very high tech.

LiveInAlpharetta says:

Comment to Seth: who cares if your phone is cool if it doesn't work? I'll take average if it allows me to actually be productive in my job. Plus, as bad as SPRINT is, Helio was many times worse, if that is possible. Working with customer service was like sticking needles in your eyes. I refuse to deal with them any more and make my wife do it (because she got a free phone at the same time i tried the ocean.) Even my wife hates Helio, the company, and she doesn't hate anything usually.

LiveInAlpharetta says:

I tried the Ocean and really wanted to like it, but wound up hating it and Helio even more. I could never get simple things, like configuration of POP mail, to work on the phone. Plus, the SMS messages are not threaded like they were on my Treo, making them MUCH harder to manage.

I could go on an on about why i didn't like the Ocean, but i dislike Helio even more. All the support was Philipines based and their training was over the top...too much emphasis on being polite and not enough on knowing the product and fixing the problems. They told me a one point that they could not help me configure the POP mail becuase no one in the support group had ever configured it...amazing. Billing was even more screwed up when i cancelled my account.

I can't compare to the iPhone, but i can to the Treo and i ran, not walked, back to my familiar device and my old trusted uncle, SPRINT.

says:

Iphone - Better company
Hey
Exellentai Lens, 5 *'s have a look at my lens satellite TV on PC.
Rate my lens !
Dan

CheekyChimp says:

Just check out www.iPhoneToTheUniverse.com and this poll will be over! Who cares if your flight is late. The iPhone will make U happy 2 have some time 2 yo self! iPhone IS the Universe!

Captain Zana says:

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Yes, realy, the iphone is an ASS-KICKING phone

Chris Thomason says:

I rarely disagree with Seth Godin but in this case the iPhone has the edge. Because of its ability to capture the imagination of so many people early in its life it will have more options for the end user. It also seamlessly integrates with all of my already existing Apple tools:)

margin-strategies says:

Helio Ocean? What's Helio Ocean?

Helio Ocean!

danny says:

I want one do anyone no where in the uk in oxford i could get one ? thank you

Ashleay Jackson says:

Helio ocean by far! The helio ocean is far better looking, well put together and in general faster at everything. The iphone may be new, but the helio ocean is the top of the food chain! I suggest the Helio Ocean for everyone who wants a sleek, fashionable phone and who wants internet and texting. The iphone is far my 2nd choice.

johnny b says:

Ive had nothing but trouble with my Helio Ocean using gmail. It won't work for a month and when i call Helio they tell me it should be fixed in an hour but yeah right. I can't wait to get another phone next month and ill toss my Helio Ocean in the trash.

jesus says:

iphones are great and all but do you really need one?
my helio wont break when it falls- an iphone breaks if it falls on cotten (fact)
helio doesnt cost as much and its unneccesary to have an iphone unless you have a business or something. point im trying to prove is-helio is more econimical-iphone is more of a business thing....

Bella says:

Despite what i read from Aysha.. you have to agree.
Its undebatable Helio Ocean 2. ftw

david says:

it is good... i hav and it is good
i want iphone of cource but helio ocean 2 is also pretty much good but i wanted helio ocean 3 to be a new touch screen and better phone

jason says:

it takes some getting used to, but the qwerty keyboard is nice when i cant spell stuff correct. i like how it's scratch-resistant and how i can get my facebook alerts on it

The Dancerella says:

I love my ocean. I actually have an Ocean 2. And they are great phones. They aren't like holding a phonebook to your face, and they don't break when you drop them. And my phone goes flying out of my hand alot.

noel says:

The helio is way better .

brian says:

helio rocks and iphone sux end of story dueces yall holla atcha boii b0n3z

TiMCNAMARA says:

Lets think about it People, I LOVE THE INNOVATION of the IPhone but come on all the Costs involved to have service thru AT&T SUCKS!!!! $99.99 a month for Unlimited Calling; $20 for Texting; $30 For INTERNET and AT&T "Wanna be" Garmin Mobile; Plus You Have to sign up for 2 Years when in fact that technology will be old news by then!!!! Like I said, my friend has one and IT'S GREAT but apple is just TRYING to make too much money off this product. THEY CAN KISS MY HELIO as well!!!

P.S. Personally I can't wait for Bill Gates Satellite Phone Service that no one knows about. He's only going to charge $20 a month for UNLIMITED Everything; Calls; internet; messaging; and you can make a call anywhere in the world including in the Middle of the OCEAN because It's all Satellites In Space not these Little towers on the Ground so no drop calls!!! So for all of you who are reading this and did not know this, this is going to really happen, sorry but wireless carriers will be obsolete THANK YOU BILL GATES YOU'RE MY HERO!!!

john says:

helio ocean is the best out of all!!!!

Cody says:

ocean may not have all the apps of the iphone but 99.9% of those apps are useless. are we really that dumb we cant remember where we parked our cars?? with ocean i get unlimited GPS with my service and even better is its google maps so i can even see the satellite view and again its FREE

chyea says:

I like it so far and i have the all-cart 500 and its a great
deal. i've never had any dropped calls and i always have full
bars.

lilaff says:

personally i say the helio ocean is better but if i didn't have my itouch id say iphone because basically it's a iphone w/o the phone of camera.

Cris says:

I am just patiently waiting for the OZ2 to come out. I don't think I would mess with the Iphone for the fact that I have 3 friends with Iphones and have seen all three phones crash and lose all the information on their phones. Apple can kiss my ocean azz!

gl says:

the helio is better then the ipod because of the things it can do like swicth sides

Balla says:

Helio ocean is amazing i phone is amazing but i love the fact that the ocean has actual buttons for texting and that it is more spread out than the iphones plus helio is much cheaper and now the ocean is only like 59.99

Zee says:

hundreds of dollars less with more features and tactile feedback? apple just can't compete in portable device markets anymore, superior devices are emerging at a far higher rate.

sorry, the iphone is nice but is garbage when compared with cheaper models from other manufacturers. (also, lolat&t)

nay says:

No Apple is not an established cellular phone maker... hello!!! They do make some awesome stuff though I will give them that and hopefully the 3G will be a much improved 2nd edition!

 
view all 80 comments

15 things about the iPhone

  1. Breathtaking usability and design
  2. Reliable email (Helio's biggest drawback for me)
  3. Wi-fi is very speedy, and Edge is good enough so far. Wi-fi switching and alerts are terrific
  4. Keyboard is taking some getting used to. I think over time this will be less of an issue.
  5. Apple is being silly about customized ringtones. Stop blocking this already.
  6. No out of the box IM and GPS, but there are some add-ons for it.
  7. I'm not crazy about the internal battery. I dread when the battery goes, and I only hope I will have upgraded my phone by that time. No option for switching batteries, as is the case with the Helio
  8. Limits on minutes and text messages, based on the plan (Helio offers unlimited everything plans, AT&T offers roll over minutes)
  9. Love the innovations in zooming in the browser and elsewhere. The touch screen is remarkable.
  10. Wish there was Flash support
  11. iGTD is available for iPhone!
  12. Really thin and lightweight
  13. Visual voicemail is the bomb!
  14. The notes function is very handy, and I especially love the built in email capability for notes
  15. iCal integration (and therefore, Google Calendar through iCal integration). The Google Calendar for mobile is terrific through Safari as well, and allows updating without syncing.

15 things about the Helio Ocean

  1. Second tier "high speed" access was very slow for me (I don't live in a 3G area).
  2. Email was terribly inconsistent for me outside the 3G Network.
  3. Dual keyboards is a neat concept, and like the iPhone, the keyboard is hidden until you need it. The top row of the QWERTY keyboard was pretty tight, and I found it difficult to type
  4. Helio's web browser is pretty bad, but Opera Mini comes to the rescue. Opera on the Ocean isn't as nice as Safari on iPhone.
  5. Syncing contacts is over the air, which is nice compared to iPhone's requirement for syncing via iTunes.
  6. The screen is very sharp, but seems tiny compared to the iPhone.
  7. Easy custom ringtones.
  8. Some tools are too buried and require too many clicks.
  9. Easy to buy new apps, ringtones and more. Just a few clicks and you get everything over the air.
  10. Battery life wasn't great for me, but the battery is removable, and Helio offers a very inexpensive battery and charger/case combo. Nice to have a spare battery on standby.
  11. Loved the unlimited everything plan.
  12. A little bulkier and heavier than the iPhone.
  13. I couldn't figure out how to integrate the Ocean's calendar app with Google calendar or iCal, so it was pretty worthless to me.
  14. Helio's customer support is excellent. I felt bad canceling my account.
  15. Helio lives up to their 30 Day Total Happiness Guarantee. No problems canceling the account.

Bottom line

Email is the second most important feature on a cell phone to me, so the problems I had with Helio in a slower network meant I had no choice but to cancel the account.

I had been with Verizon for 8 years and was nervous about a switch. So far, AT&T has been equally reliable for me.

The iPhone is just too remarkable a device, and while Helio is a pretty neat phone by itself, there's really no comparison for me. There's only a $100 difference between the devices now that Apple has reduced the price (8 GB version).

Helio offers a 30 day Total Happiness Guarantee, and they lived up to it without giving me an ounce of grief. They tried to find out if there was a way to keep me, but without pressure. If you're on the fence, I'd say it is a safe bet trying them out (if you live in a 3G network area!)

Your favorite?

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Your take

Agree or disagree with any of the above?

Is the answer "C: none of the above, there's a better phone out there"?

Let us know!

  • MeganCasey Feb 12, 2008 @ 2:48 pm | delete
    Yeah, I have the iPhone, and yeah, it's better than my Crackberry. But I've uncovered a LOT of stuff that it doesn't do that I wish it would. This post actually covers quite a few of my gripes, all in one place:
    http://tinyurl.com/32gevp
  • red Feb 12, 2008 @ 1:04 pm | delete
    iPhones rule. It's really unfair to compare the iPhone to anything else out there. It's its own species. You might as well compare a ray gun to sharpened stick.
  • giltotherescue Jan 6, 2008 @ 6:00 pm | delete
    The iPhone is the best phone ever made. Period.
  • boop1 Jan 6, 2008 @ 12:35 pm | delete
    With all the features that the Iphone doesnt have I am surprised people still buy it, but alas we are obsessed with media telling us what to do. For people that live the ocean is much more comfortable, reliable, fast, fun, productive. Plus I dont have to wipe the goo off of a touchscreen every sec
  • boop1 Jan 6, 2008 @ 12:33 pm | delete
    ALso With Microsoft exchange on my Ocean I can SYNC my outlook, calendar, mail, contacts and more. I can surf at the speed of light in my 3G network. Opera browser is great. I have an ultimate in box with over 6 emails accounts all in one place! plus I can send you a 2 megapixel pic or vid anytime
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More comparisons and debate

Having a hard time making a decision? Maybe this will help.
Compare iPhone to the Ocean
Side-by-side comparison of each phone. Disclaimer: I think this was prepared by Helio's PR department, but I think it is a fairly accurate comparison.
Ultimate phone duel: Apple iPhone vs. Helio Ocean - infoSync World
Our favorite messaging phone vs. the popular newcomer. Will the Helio's dual-keypads and 3G beat the iPod features on Apple's device?
iPhone features - from Apple
iPhone is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply pointing your finger at a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want--just like email.
Ocean features - from Helio
Helio All-in cell phone plans include mobile Myspace, unlimited text, photo, video & IM messaging, free nights, weekends and more.

iFlickr

Photos taken with my iPhone

I'm pretty impressed with the iPhone's camera quality. Shooting and posting to Flickr makes it a lot of fun.
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Helio Ocean Tips & Tricks

Not really hacks, but apps and tips that will help improve your experience with your Ocean.
Opera Mini 4 Beta
Run Opera's new mini browser on your Ocean.
The Official "Can you help me figure out ringtones?" thread.
How to customize ringtones on the Helio.
GPS Map replacement
MGMaps replaces Google Maps for the GPS capabilities on the Ocean. People are reporting faster response times with MGMaps.
Big list of Helio Apps
A list of apps and games for the Helio Ocean.

iPhone Tips & Tricks

iPhone Faux-GPS Hack Works and is Awesome
Whoa, the iPhone just got GPS. Well, it's actually using peer-collected GPS data linked to cellular tower, which Navizon describes as peer to peer location detection. Either way - it actually works.
iPhoneiGTD
One of my favorite apps... now on the iPhone.
iPhone double header: First native IM client AND first native IRC released - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
Big news today on the iPhone development front. This morning brings the release of both a native instant messaging client and a native IRC client.
25 iPhone Power Tips- MacLife
MacLife offer 25 tips that help you take total control of your iPhone.

More iPhone tips & tricks

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