Virgin Mobile USA has prepared a big surprise for its customers, with the upcoming launch of Shuttle, the MVNO's very first mobile phone to be EV-DO / 3G capable. The Shuttle is also Virgin's first device to come with features from the recently acquired Helio: Accuweather, ESPN, access to Facebook and MySpace, YouTube and so on. 

Built by PCD (Personal Communications Devices), Virgin Mobile Shuttle comes in a slider form factor and it looks like a mix between Motorola's Z6 and ZN200 handsets. Which is not a bad thing at all, as the new Shuttle can easily fall into the "attractive phones" category.

The features of the new phone are as follows: uLocate (with Buddy Beacon and Where), a 2 inch TFT display, a 1.3 MP camera with video recording, Media player, stereo Bluetooth, Virgin Mobile USA's Contact Vault, and expandable memory (via a microSD card).

Weighing a bit over 3 ounces (85 grams) and measuring 3.9 x 1.9 x 0.7 inches (99 x 48 x 17.8 millimeters), the slider packs a battery that should last up to 235 minutes (3.9 h) in talk-time mode or almost 2 weeks in stand-by mode.

"With the Helio acquisition and the new Shuttle, we've made a strong move into 3G, satisfying our customers who want the speed and affordability, while greatly enhancing our handset line-up just in time for the holidays," stated Bob Stohrer, chief marketing officer at Virgin Mobile USA.

Philip Christopher, president of PCD, added, "Virgin Mobile USA is a natural fit for the handset, especially considering their game-changing commitment to innovation, service and value. The Shuttle is the latest in a long line of PCD offerings that deliver on that commitment, a tremendous and affordable device that will surprise and delight discerning Virgin Mobile USA consumers, just in time for the holidays."

The Shuttle will be on sale starting September 28, exclusively via Best Buy, for an affordable price that will be announced later on.