Virgin Mobile (News - Alert) USA, a company that offers mobile solutions and services, and Personal Communications Devices, a global gateway for technology partners, reportedly have announced that they’re launching the “Shuttle,” a handset.

 

On Sept. 28, the Shuttle will be available exclusively at Best Buy Mobile and BestBuy.com. It makes video and Web entertainment on a cell phone faster, but without the hassle of a contract, suiting the needs of consumers who demand the flexibility of monthly plans with no contract and also feel the “need for speed.”

 

After the recent acquisition of Helio by Virgin Mobile USA, the Shuttle is the first handset to integrate features from the Helio portfolio. Through partnerships with Accuweather, ESPN (News - Alert), Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Yahoo!, shuttle provides improved access to social networking communities and other mobile Internet sites.

 

The Shuttle also features the first location-based services by Virgin Mobile from uLocate, boasting a number of attractive applications such as Buddy Beacon, a ‘friend-finder’ solution which allows customers to find friends in a crowded city and show where they are, and Where, an application that delivers local information to discover nearby places and things of interest easily.

 

Bob Stohrer, chief marketing officer at Virgin Mobile USA, said that the time has arrived for the company to make the 3G leap, and with the Helio (News - Alert) acquisition and the new Shuttle, Virgin Mobile USA has made a strong move into 3G, satisfying its customers who want the speed and affordability, while greatly enhancing its handset line-up just in time for the holidays.

 

Shuttle is equipped with an array of other attractive features, including: 1.3 megapixel camera, 2-inch screen, video capture, playback and messaging, integrated media player that supports both streaming and side-loaded music, stereo Bluetooth wireless technology, SD card support, and a stylish S-curve design in a compact slider form factor, to name a few.