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Helio HeroMySpace addicts and music junkies will appreciate Helio's cell phone.
Helio is the latest cell phone company to make a play for the youth market, with its flashy Hero handset. The multimedia-heavy Hero includes an audio and video player, IM and e-mail applications, access to games, and a 2-megapixel camera. It also comes with links to a mobile version of the popular MySpace.com Web site.
Helio is a new MVNO, or Mobile Virtual Network Operator. The company uses Sprint Nextel's 3G EvDO network for both voice and data service where possible, switching to a slower CDMA connection in areas where the broadband-level network is unavailable. The company launched its service and handsets (the Hero and another model called the Kickflip) in the United States earlier this year.
The Hero is a thick, bulky handset that is almost reminiscent of T-Mobile's Sidekick (which we classify as a PDA/phone), though slightly...