on helio (written months ago).

I’ve written before about Helio, the telecommunications company that actually seems to understand the point. I bought a fairly recent issue of WIRED, (mostly because I read the Halo 3 playtesting story online, and was intrigued enough to desire sidebar content), and with it came a little pamphlet from Helio, talking about the ‘new social ettiquette’. Good marketing from a company that offers a product refined enough that it doesn’t actually require good marketing – this is the road to awe.

Image set on flickr.

The New Social Ettiquette is, more than anything else, Helio making a subtle point about how seamlessly integrated into modern (youth) existence telecommunications tech is, and how dependent one can become on an increasing level of mobile communications. MySpace mobile, IM, email, etc. This is the un-blackberry, moreso than even the iPhone can claim to be. This is what I imagine South Korean telephony to be. This is the dream.

The dream is goddamn hilarious.

Helio recognizes it’s audience. It doesn’t talk about technology, other than mentioning a ‘superfast 3G network’. The focus is on what you can do with it, and the relation to flirting. Flirting as killer app. This is far from brilliant, but it’s a much more measured approach than other attempts to link technology and sex.

Helio is demonstrating that its marketing army aren’t deluded into thinking that features sell products and services. How the features are used is the only product. The only product is experience. The New Social Etiquette booklet is one page of features, and nine pages of fun things you can do with them.

Is it aimed at teens and early 20s frat-youth? Obviously. But it works. It works in the same way CP+B campaigns work. They get the idea across, and you go out and find the details because you’re addicted.

Helio. The New Social Etiquette. Or more importantly, She’s Not Interested If.

move over iphone.

Apple won me with the iPhone. Pretty, new interface ideas, and smooth minimalist design. I won't buy one until I've had the chance to play with one, but I'm obsessed enough that my girlfriend rolls her eyes when I mention the thing.

At the same time, I've had an eye on Helio for a while, after I read a fold out ad on the inside cover of an issue of Spin (I think the one with Thom Yorke on the cover, but I could be wrong). This is the first I've seen of the Helio Ocean, but it impresses.

The thing about Helio that attracts me is the complete service they offer, including 3G and data plans that understand a multimedia phone is going to eat any limited service plan, or be underused. Frankly, I'm still kinda pissed that Helio isn't available in Canada. Then again, there's been no iPhone announcement for the True North strong and free, either. [EDIT: checking the comments thread, I am entirely incorrect. Rogers it is. Sigh.] This just in, technology hates Canucks.

Offering a complete suite, a service rather than a device, is ironically enough what attracts me to Apple products. Steve Jobs likes to point out at keynotes that if you want to make great software, you should be making hardware as well. Well, if you want to make a great cell phone, create the entire experience, under your own name. It doesn't matter if someone else is providing the network to run on. Don't attach yourself and your unproven design to someone as universally despised as Cingular (Rogers seems to be the best example in Canada, although everyone hates their cellular carrier.)

I still want an iPhone, if only to toy with multi-touch to my hearts content. But innovation as a selling point only works if it's across the board.