We’ll call it a phone: Helio adds another killer device
Helio, a service provider soon coming to PrepaidReviews.com, has launched a new multimedia phone: the Samsung Fin. It shares many features with the company’s Ocean model, though it is an ultra-thin flip phone, rather than a PDA.
Fans of phones like the RAZR will have a field day with the Fin — it is a mere 11.4 millimeters deep which, for those of you who aren’t metric-friendly, is really freakin’ thin. But Helio has managed to stuff a number of impressive hardware features under the shell, including a GPS, 3 MP camera, and a 3G EV-DO radio. If you’re excited now, wait ’till we get to the applications.
Our favorite is the built-in RSS reader. We’re subscribed to about 40 feeds — some for work and some for play — and if we go out we always come home with over 100 items in our reader. We end up not reading the majority of them, but the process does take time. With an RSS reader on our mobile, we could ax those junk posts in smaller batches, thereby taking less time in the long run — or at least making us think we’re saving time.
We’re also big fans of HelioUp, a program that uploads photos and videos directly to Flickr and YouTube. Beyond that, it has Myspace integration, unified e-mail access, and the standard text messaging and instant messaging.
The GPS is free via Google Maps, though a mere $3 per month can nab you a more reliable service. Nothing against Google or nothin’, but we like trusting our navigation issues to companies focused on just that. For $3 a month, it’s worth it for us.
The price: $175, but you get a $50 rebate. Not bad, Helio. Not bad at all.
[Fin from Helio] via [IntoMobile]
Why would Helio be coming to Prepaid Reviews? I know they’re MVNO, but they currently don’t offer anything but 2 year contracts. No contract free options exist at this time. Is there something you know that I don’t? Personally, I love Helio. All their phones are Samsung and they don’t lock their phones as other carries do (as far as I can tell), actually they seem to encourage you to transfer media to/from your phone and even sync contacts.
Helio offers a la carte deals, which are pay-as-you-go. Basically, it’s a flat-rate prepaid plan where you also pay-per-feature (.2 cents per KB).
It’s a tick more than their 2-year contract deals, but it works a lot better if you don’t plan to use all of the features included with the contract plans.
As far as I can tell, you still have to sign a 2 year contract to use the a la carte plan.
From the Helio FAQ:
Can I pre-pay my account?
Helio doesn’t currently support traditional pre-payment plans. All of our plans are post-paid, meaning we bill for most usage after it occurs. We do charge our monthly recurring membership fees at the start of each month.
While Helio doesn’t support traditional pre-pay plans, you can make a pre-payment against your account by going to Helio.com/myaccount and selecting Make a Payment. Helio will accept payments greater than the amount due. However, Helio will not turn off your device when your usage exceeds the amount of this pre-payment. Members can also send in pre-payment checks if they would like.