The feature that will draw most consumers to the Helio Mysto, at least initially, is its sleek profile. Measuring only half an inch thick, the phone is one of the thinnest devices on the cellular market--and this feat is even more impressive when you realize that it's a slider phone.

A minimalist approach was definitely taken with the Mysto, and its exterior has a slim and no-nonsense look about it. This definitely gives the phone a soothing appeal, rather than the chaos of buttons found on many high-end phones today. That said, a couple decisions seem unusual or not up-to-date, specifically the decision to hide the microSD card behind the battery. The better manufacturers are realizing what a hassle this is, especially for phones that specialize in multimedia applications, as files will need to be uploaded and downloaded with regularity.

On the upper half of the phone is a commendably large 2.2-inch LCD capable of displaying 260, 000 colors. Due to the exceptional multimedia features on this phone, the importance of this screen cannot be overstated. Pictures and video are vibrant and crisp with a color accuracy that is rare on a phone. This is especially handy given the full HTML browser that is supported, allowing you to zoom in on web pages. You can adjust numerous settings, including the color, font size, and brightness.

The Mysto looks somewhat like an iPod with its toggle wheel, but a numeric dial pad is revealed when you slide out the bottom--along with a flaw. Without a doubt, one of the worst things about the Mysto is its usability. More specifically, it's almost impossible to dial by feel. The dial pad, as well as the soft keys on the phone's exterior, are flush and offer almost no distinctions to allow for dialing in the dark. Some do offer haptic response when you press them (a vibration), but actually finding the right key in the first place requires a set of eyes. And because the keys on the exterior of the phone are touch-sensitive, accidental touches happen with an annoying amount of regularity. There is a key lock feature, but having to lock or unlock your phone constantly can be somewhat of a bother. The sliding mechanism, however, is fairly solid and because of the phone's size (measuring approximately 4 inches tall and 2 inches wide), the Mysto is easily opened with one hand.

One design feature to be commended is the Mysto's ability to hide the 2-megapixel camera with the slider design. The camera is only exposed when the phone is slid out into dialing mode, thereby protecting the lens from scratches and the gunk that sits in your pocket, waiting to latch onto the more important crevices of your phone. The camera includes a 6x zoom and it takes better than adequate pictures, though they tended to be a little fuzzy, especially in low-light conditions. Luckily, the built-in flash clarifies some of the image-quality problems around dusk. Shots can be taken in four different resolutions, but it's the editing software that truly lets you improve picture quality. The Photo Studio application allows the user to alter images after they are taken, featuring everything from basic special effects to cropping and resizing photos. You can also adjust more standard features such as white balance, brightness, color frames, and image quality.

The quality of video is so-so, but the phone does have one really handy feature: the Helio Mysto can take a video clip and then immediately upload it to YouTube or your blog. The latter function works exceptionally well with the GPS application, as you can write a travel log and then immediately upload photos that are automatically geotagged.

As for the phone features, the Mysto performs reasonably well. The richness of incoming sound was definitely thin, which makes the device seem to have a cheaper construction than it actually does. Maybe this is because the phone weighs only 3.35 ounces, however. Fortunately, outgoing sound was much better and the microphone limited most ambient noise, even when calling from a busy intersection.

In keeping with the exceptional multimedia options, the music player is also quite good. Songs can be downloaded from Helio's Music Store at a swift speed, thanks to the EV-DO network. The sizeable internal memory (106MB) provides a lot of space for storage, not to mention the microSD port that can handle 4GB cards. You won't get much performance out of the speakerphone, but because stereo Bluetooth is supported, you can have quality playback over headphones.

If you're a messaging hound, you'll appreciate the versatility of the Mysto. It supports push email, so you can receive correspondence in real time. Any type of message you send or receive (even instant messages) springs to and from the same location, so you don't have to toggle between applications to find whatever you're looking for.

The Helio Mysto has a host of more basic applications as well. You can dial by voice, and there is a telephone book that stores up to 1000 contacts, each with room for five phone numbers, a birthday, an email address, and a few other handy fields. These contacts can be linked with distinctive ringers and photo ID for quick caller identification. As with most phones loaded with multimedia applications, the battery life does suffer. Talk time averaged about three and a half hours before recharging was required, or about six days of standby. Overall, the Helio Mysto is a feature-rich phone with a lot of versatility and a few design issues.

Pros: Sleek profile, excellent LCD, video uploading
Cons: Poor button design

Warranty
1 year, limited