For those technology freaks looking for the functionalities of a mobile phone with the cool features of a computer, good news has finally arrived.

Helio Ocean is the world’s first dual-slider which combines a conventional numeric keypad with a separate full QWERTY keyboard in a single device. It provides the definitive 3G mobile experience in a compact form factor. This is available exclusively through Helio’s nationwide service, which the company is expecting to take off after the introduction of this phone.

This phone service offers a happy combination of text messages, IMs, emails and picture messages from major portals and ISPs of the world - all in one location! Beginning May 21, Helio Ocean will be available at select GameStop and EB Games locations. The device will soon be available at numerous additional retail locations across the US.

Helio Ocean offers countless features like video-on-demand, an HTML browser, full over-the-air music downloads, a high-resolution camera, Buddy Beacon, GPS-enabled Google (News - Alert) Maps for mobile, integration of IM presence into the address book, MySpace and GPS tagging of photos and videos. All these features are available in a single, well designed package that is sure to attract new customers from all across US.

In addition to these features, the Helio Ocean offers full Web search from the device home screen, the first of its kind in the world. Helio Ocean will run over a nationwide high-speed 3G network. Here is a brief introduction to some of the features of the new mobile phone:

--Dual slide design: This is the first of its kind in the world and offers ease in typing while browsing the internet and sending the instant messages.
--QWERTY keyboard: When you slide the Helio Ocean vertically, you will uncover a conventional alphanumeric keypad, which allows you to make calls, send messages or surf the web. If you slide the device vertically, you will find a full QWERTY keyboard, which makes the life easier when sending long emails or text and picture messaging. It also allows Web searches and full screen landscape viewing of sharp images and video. With this, Helio Ocean provides solution to the long standing problem of having to choose between traditional keypad and a QWERTY keyboard. With mobiles phones turning to advanced computers, this is a welcome invention.
--Ultimate inbox: Text messages, email and picture messages are just one touch away! The integrated messaging dashboard of Ocean includes access to AOL (News - Alert) Mail, Yahoo Mail, Gmail, MSN Hotmail, EarthLink email and Helio mail. Unlike other internet surfing mobile phones, Helio Ocean does not require any other software to check your emails. Just enter your email ID and password and you are ready to go!
--Text & Picture messages: With Helio Ocean handset, the user does not have to sort text and picture messages as the Helio does the work for him. Ocean automatically sends the SMA for text messages and MMS for picture or video messages, all through one interface.

There are other features, too, which will surely be of interest to techies. More information can be found at http://www.helio.com/page?p=devices_ocean&cmpid=KNC-goog-ppc-tsa2&chid=AF0108&refcd=GO003519s_helio_ocean#devices_ocean.

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Raju Shanbhag is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

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