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The BlackBerry Pearl was out not long ago on Virgin Mobile Canada, and it looks like they’ve had a good enough run with it to pick up the BlackBerry Curve. It should be available in November for $99 on a three-year plan. Their bare-bones $15 unlimited e-mail plan is on par with any of the other Canadian carriers, but their other BlackBerry bundles are more than competitive. Good on Virgin Mobile for expanding their BlackBerry porfolio - now it’s just a matter of getting the World Edition 8830 to complete the set.

The 2008 Mobile Choice Awards went down last night, and the Nokia E71 went home as the big winner, but Samsung did pretty well for itself, too. Other notables include…

• Phone of the Year: Nokia E71
• Best Smartphone: Nokia E71
• Best Manufacturer: Samsung
• Best Cameraphone: Samsung i8510
• Best Music Phone: Samsung F400
• Readers’ Choice: iPhone 3G
• Operator of the Year: O2
• Best Customer Service: Virgin Mobile (for eight years running!)

What do you guys think? Fair choices? Obviously I’m partial to the BlackBerry Bold for Best Smartphone, but having had some face time with the E71, I can certainly say its construction is a notch above.

[via Mobile Today]

See, these pics beat the snot out of those blurry leaked ones from May. The dual-sliding Helio Ocean 2, not due out until 2009, went through the FCC ringer in March and dropped some pictures along the way.  It’s looking a helluva lot sleeker, although still a bit chubby to accommodate all the extreme sliding going on. It’ll be packing a 2 megapixel camera, 3G over EVDO, a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and standard slider number pad. It will be interesting to see if Virgin’s handling of the Ocean 2 launch can bring Helio back onto its feet…

[PhoneScoop via MobileCrunch]

More pics of the Helio Ocean 2 after the jump!

Virgin Mobile USA has recently announced the launch of the Shuttle, the mobile operator’s first EV-DO enabled handset and their first mobile phone enabled to integrate several features from the Helio portfolio — improved access to social networks. In addition, the Shuttle is also the first Virgin Mobile’s handset to feature location-based services from uLocate including Buddy Beacon (aka friend finder) and Where (access to local information).

Available exclusively at Best Buy Mobile and BestBuy.com as of September 28, the Virgin Mobile’s new slider sports such things as 1.3 megapixel camera, 2-inch screen, media player, IM client, and a memory expansion slot.

But that’s not all. With the new Shuttle, Virgin Mobile USA is also introducing its first Mobile Web data packs as add-ons to calling plans. Monthly plan users can buy 20MB of data (so called “Surf the Web”) for $5, or 50MB of data for $10. As for the pay as you go users, 5MB would cost them $5, 20MB - $10, and 50MB - $20. All data plans also include unlimited access to Virgin VXL service.

Virgin Mobile USA teamed up with buzzd to bring the the popular location-based service / social network / city guide to its users via the no-annual contract carrier’s WAP deck.

“buzzd on Virgin Mobile” is a unique new service that allows local entertainment information to be broadcast and shared among Virgin Mobile USA customers based on their location. Accessible on all Virgin Mobile USA devices via the carrier’s WAP deck “buzzd on Virgin Mobile” delivers editorially driven event and venue information, along with up-to-the-minute reviews and ratings from friends and other members of the community. The mobile entertainment service currently lists events and venues across all major cities in the United States, Europe and India and is powered by New York-based buzzd.

Users can register for the service immediately by clicking the “buzzd” link from Virgin XL, or by texting “join” to 96321. Standard text and data rates apply.

Helio has risen again! After being gobbled up by Virgin Mobile USA, Helio has emerged with new branding. Virgin Mobile USA will be pushing their newly acquired Helio brand with the slogan, “Helio By Virgin Mobile: Plan To Have It All.”

Not a bad way to cater to the post-paid side of the US wireless market, if we do say so ourselves. And, with the Shuttle expected to be launched as the first Virgin Mobile handset to feature the previously Helio-only Buddy Beacon service,  Virgin Mobile could have a good thing going here.

Virgin Mobile also saw to it that the Helio $80 monthly plan includes unlimited voice minutes, which falls in line with Virgin Mobile’s “Totally Unlimited” plan.

Helio

[Via: MocoNews]

A month ago Virgin Mobile USA said that it will acquire Helio for $39 million. The Richard Branson-Sprint’s MVNO has announced that it’s a done deal. Under the terms of the agreement, Helio shareholders (SK Telecom and EarthLink) got 13 million shares of Virgin Mobile USA Class A common stock, or about $38 million based on the average closing price. Additionally, SK Telecom and Virgin Group will each invest $25 million in Virgin Mobile USA for preferred shares.

According to Virgin Mobile USA’s CEO, Dan Schulman, with the acquisition of Helio the company gets:

• a set of unique and differentiated data applications;
• entry into the postpaid market, with a sophisticated billing and customer care platform;
• approximately 170,000 Helio customers;
• revised terms for the Sprint PCS Services Agreement, expected to result in an 8% reduction in the Company’s effective cost per minute in 2009;
• reduction in net debt of approximately $35 - $40 million, through the investments of $25 million each by SK Telecom and Virgin Group in the form of preferred mandatory convertible stock at the price of $8.50 per share;
• an increase to Virgin Mobile USA’s total revolver from $75 million to $135 million, through additional commitments of $25 million by Virgin Group and $35 million by SK Telecom; and
• the addition of SK Telecom as a strategic shareholder with two seats on the Company’s Board of Directors.

We wish all the best to the bigger company and look forward to see Virgin Mobile USA introducing new products and services in the future.

In an effort to cut some of its costs and make the business more attractive to Virgin Mobile USA (part of acquisition agreement?), Helio has closed all of its stores except the one in the New York City.

Apparently, the NYC store won’t be closed for now and Virgin Mobile will decide (or at least announce) later what it will do about it.

As part of its acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of September, Virgin will cut Helio’s staff from 570 to just 200…

[Via: MobileBurn]

Virgin Mobile, always looking to offer new hardware to its customers, has announced that they will be picking up the LG Rumor for its SMS text messaging users in Canada.

The 17.8mm thick vertical slider features a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and speakerphone. But, the LG Rumor’s dual keypad and slide-out QWERTY keyboard design takes the lion’s share oft the limelight. For text messaging aficionados, a physical QWERTY keyboard is a nice addition to the numeric keypad on the front face of the device. And, now Canadians on Virgin Mobile Canada’s network can get their own LG Rumor, in Black, for $79.99 on a 3-year plan, or $199 to purchase outright. Buy the LG Rumor online before July 31st and you get a $25 activation credit.

Buy the LG Rumor for Virgin Mobile Canada here.

[Via: MobileSyrup]

Virgin Mobile USA really looks to be going on a US wireless industry blitz. With MVNO takeovers, new calling plans, and fresh new handsets being announced left and right, Virgin Mobile USA is on a mission to snatch-up more and more US wireless subscribers. The latest move to convince Americans to jump on Virgin Mobile’s US-bandwagon is the new Kyocera-sourced Virgin Mobile TNT!.

The new Virgin Mobile Kyocera TNT! is aimed at the entry-level consumer looking for basic features in a fairly attractive package. Following on the launch of the Virgin Mobile Arc the other day, the Virgin Mobile TNT! offers customers an even cheaper clamshell alternative - while misleading the rest of us in to thinking the TNT! packs a techy-punch. With a single-line, monochrome external display, speakerphone, and basic web access as its main selling-points, the Virgin Mobile TNT! is even more basic than the already barren Arc.

But, if the Virgin Mobile Arc’s $50 asking price is just a little more than you’d like to pay for a wireless handset, you’ll be glad to hear that the Virgin Mobile TNT! will cost a penny shy of $20. And, don’t forget, you’ll also have access to Virgin Mobile USA’s new unlimited calling plans.

Virgin Mobile USA