The mobile communications industry has gotten more and more competitive over the past few years. Mobile phone manufacturers and cellular service providers have to keep thinking of better ways to get to their market. The big bosses in the industry can be likened to sharks, fierce and headstrong. Small-fry mobile companies have difficulty in making their own mark against these sharks. A little over two years ago, the brave newbie Helio, stepped up to the plate and promised to bring the best wireless technology experience to their customers.

In May 2007, Helio gave birth to one of its prize-winning bets, the Ocean. The Ocean debuted in the American market a month short of big shark Apple’s much-awaited iPhone. Critics have already been raving about the competition against these two models, and how the Ocean seems to be taking the lead.

First things first, let’s talk about price. The Helio Ocean is sold at a suggested retail price of $295, while the iPhone, a whopping $499 to $599, depending on the memory requirement. Millions were excited with the release of the iPhone, but not as many were psyched at the price.

Regarding size, both phones have approximately the same width and height, but the Ocean is much thicker by 0.3 of an inch. This slight bulk is well worth it, since the Ocean is a dual-slider that reveals a numeric keypad or a QWERTY keypad. The iPhone, on the other hand has no keypad at all. While it does sound cool to operate on touch screen, some users would prefer the buttons on a daily basis.

In terms of calling and messaging, the Helio Ocean takes the cake. Calls sound clearer over the speaker phone, and the caller’s photo ID flashes on screen. The iPhone does not support photo ID for the phonebook. Finding a contact on the Helio Ocean is speedy and convenient. Just tap on the first few letters of the person’s name, and Ocean immediately searches it for you. When it comes to messaging, the Ocean really is the answer to any message-lover’s prayer. The Ocean packs in SMS, MMS, email, and Instant Messaging (IM) from Yahoo!, AOL, and MSN. Since you can add the IM names of your friends to your Ocean’s phonebook, your phone can alert you when he or she is online.

Moving on to navigation, the Ocean supports GPS while the iPhone is still working on it. Plus, Helio subscribers can enjoy the Buddy Beacon feature, which lets you locate your friends via GPS. This is a helpful feature for friends on the same network.

Overall, the Ocean gives you more value for your money. One doesn’t need to shell out a lot of cash to have a phone that performs well. With a smart move like the Ocean, Helio proves that it’s no small-fry. Even the big sharks like Apple and their iPhone need some improvements in their department. The Helio Ocean truly is a great alternative for budget watchers and tech-savvy users alike.