Reliable Sidekick III details

Alright, dudes, we've heard some seriously silly rumors about the Sidekick III over the past couple of months, like that it's gonna run on Windows Mobile and have WiFi and a three megapixel camera and that it would be out by Xmas, but someone with some actual cred, namely PhoneScoop's Rich Brome, says that while it won't be out until sometime next year, the new new Sidekick will have EDGE, a memory card slot, and a built-in music player software. That's about the minimum they could probably get away with in 2006, we'll see if they end up adding Bluetooth, a crisper display, and a nicer camera. 

[Via GODMODE]

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Sounds like a winner. Does T-Mobile support EDGE now? Music, EDGE, and SD support are just icing on the cake really. They did what I hoped they'd do, which is to simply make the thing a bit skinnier. I'm not sure what to make of that scroll-ball thingy on the right though. The current pageup/wheel/pagedown setup is very effective.

[Gregor @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Is it viable already to purchase these smart phones or wait another year till they become the every-day-use mobile phones?

[TZK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Tmobiles EDGE network is fully deployed. :)

[morgan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Yeah, i find the SD2 very usable, and the scroll wheel is key to it. I'm psyched for the next version, especially the thinner form factor. Bluetooth had better make the lineup though, otherwise the SD3 will be left in the dust.

[Virtuous @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I seriously doubt the SK III will ship before Xmas. T-Mobile is always slow to introduce new phones.

[Mozman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I live off my II. The update last week was a nice touch. As morgan stated, I hope the next one has bluetooth. Edge will only really be a benefit if I can use the phone as an access point. If not, why bother? I don't have the images turned on for a screen that size. My web browsing amounts to /. mobile, The Onion and google local.

[Elisa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Oh how I wish they could just start exporting these Sidekicks to Finland as well. Stupid Nokia monopoly...

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Mozman, I can see the need for increased netspeed. I check a lot of websites on my SKII, and I would check a lot more if they loaded in a reasonable amount of time. However, I'm not sure the lack of EDGE is the problem. There are times when the network seems traffic-free and sites load quickly. Then there are other times (most of the time) when you are waiting a full minute just to get a ping back from a website. That's not a data rate problem, that's a server problem. In that case there's a chance that moving to EDGE might actually make the problems worse, since people will likely be attempting more web browsing and cramming more data into the already-crowded server bottleneck. The new phone launch better come with a huge back-end upgrade :)

[Side Step @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I owned the Color Sidekick until I dropped it for the 5th and final time. It was an awesome device at the time, but a bit too large. I passed on the Sidekick II because my Nokia 6600 is far more capable than the Sidekick could hope to be, and I can thumb-type as fast on a numeric keypad as I could on the Sidekick's KB. The Sidekick III sounds like an awesome device so far. I may just have to switch back to it if it really does have music support, EDGE, and removable memory.

[Mark Beck @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I love my Sidekick and can't wait until the SK III comes out. I know that I'm probably the only person in the world that misses the old plug in and swivel camera. I have the new SK where the camera is integrated, and I'm just not as hot on the photos and how they look. I took thousands of photos with the old SK camera, and even did some photo gallery shows with them. Here's my SK photo gallery on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiptopia/sets/59247/

[Goodman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I suppose it's too much to hope that it might support Plays For Sure music subscription services like Rhapsody, Napster, Yahoo Music and Virgin Red Pass. But I can dream.

I love my Sidekick 2 to death though. I've been a Sidekick user since the first day the first Sidekick went on sale (the black and white model). I adore the Apple-like elegant interface. And it's great to always have Google in my pocket, especially since that upgrade to the browser came out adding javascript. I'd like to see a better camera, but every model of Sidekick has improved the camera, so I'm not too worried about that.

[Sidekick H8er @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

The sidekick is a terrible phone. I have had the 1st and 2nd one and the support is terrible. They are also extremely fragile and tmobile also sucks. There are so many different ways to spend 450 dollars. Such as the Motorola Q and the new Razr. Size is key in any phone and this phone certainly is terrible in the size factor

[rjlawrencejr @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

The new specs sound decent. Now that the update has included javascript and a decent spreadsheet program was made available, the other goodies are not very important to me.

As another SK user who has been with the platform since the day it first became available, I am actually hoping they don't go to a sharper screen - isn't that the tradeoff for having it be transflexive? I love the fact that I can use my SK with ease in brightly lit conditions.

[Dealfinder @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

$450 for a Sidekick? SK II's are $200 on amazon.

[CapWKidd @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I had an SK2 for about 14 days, I *LOVED* the KB, and the fact that I could be on the web, AIM, YIM, email and SMS all at the same time, and I even liked the sounds and lights on the "d" pad ... but the tmobile service was terrible, lost calls all the time, and the web browser is terrible!! The high pitched whine from the speaker when you hold it up to your ear (with the screen 'closed', was unbearable (yes, you can hear it, try it.. listen carefully, the screen has to be closed to hear it)...

[Sidekick 3 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

The Sidekick II browsing speeds are much better after the recent update. EDGE would be nice, but then they're going to need to start beefing up the power inside. Javascript out of memory errors are no fun. Bluetooth would be nice to avoid the cheekprints on the screen too..

[angrymic @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I am perfectly content with the skII. The only thing I am hoping the III will have is at least a 1.3mp camera. The memory slot is a huge bonus though. Finally my own ring tones (unless T-Mobile some how disables it).

[Matthew Maust @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Wow, what is wrong with Danger? Possibly no bluetooth? This is just glaringly bad. I've always wanted one of these but no bluetooth just unacceptable. Sad. Hopefully it will all work out though.

[neal Williams @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I talked to two guys at the t-mobile kiosk today (11/14) in the Houston Galleria and they told me the new SK3 would be out Dec. 21st. Talk it for what it's worth.

[Duck @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

So I talked to this girl over at the T-Mobile booth the other day, and she said that "T-mobile booth employees don't have access to information like that, and we say we do to get attention... We are lonely people"

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Please - please, support video. The Sidekick II is GREAT as-is, but with the rise of video blogging via camera phones, it would be great to be able to record video and post it to the web from the sidekick (like I can with http://www.vobbo.com/ + RAZR and others). I need the sidekick for SSH+Email, adding the video would be great.

[Craigy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

"OMG so I was like at the tmobile store, and this guy had one, and he pulled it out and showed me, and I was like OMG I LOVE IT, and then he said he had inside information (you know the kind that those knockoff run of the mall kiosk temps have) and said it would be out next week!!! Take it for what its worth, cuz you know those temps have the inside information that NOBODY else has :) ok g2g to the mall to ask the gods of the kiosk more questions ;)"

ugg...give me a break...just my opinion...seems like somone always has the inside info that "he just found out from the kiosk temp!!!!111 LOL"

[1Up @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I had the SK2 and I must say the phone sucked big time. If it wasnt for the convenience of having email and aol the phone would have been worthless. I upgraded from a SK2 to an HTC Wizard and couldnt be happier, Windows Mobile 5 is the only way to go. If SK3 has this and allows users to create there own ringtones or use MP3 ringers I may consider coming back.

[Mockerfab4 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

The SK3 looks great. I think the only thing I'd like to see is the better camera and bluetooth. While all these bells & whistles are great, I think the SK3 does exactly what I need it to do - check messages, IM, text, keep my info organized, etc. Everything else it can potentially upgrade to, I've got devices that can do it better (my ipod, TIVO, laptop). I think what makes this much better then the high end competion is the ease of use, size and price (paid $150).

[Goodman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

> I think what makes this much better then the high end competion is the ease of use, size and price (paid $150).

The price gives the Sidekick a major edge. I'm not going to spend $450 for a phone, and wasn't impressed with earlier versions of Windows Mobile. But the Sidekick is affordable, gives me continuous access to the net and push email, is easy to use and multi-tasks fabulously.

[that sad panda @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Yeah i really hope the skIII has edge, bluetooth would also be a great improvement, a megapixel woouldnt hurt either but besides caller id pictures i just use a reg digi camera

post 12, 450?? what did you get the gem job done on yours. And yeah you could prolly get 2 razrs for that price and hey who knows maybe one will work... semi decent.

And for everyones general knowledge, tmob store reps know a big fat ZERO about upcoming device launchs, sure there are a few hardcore mobile device users w/ some knowledge in the stores who get the info from great sites like engadget ;) but they dont kno the inside scoop, call reps lik myself kno when a device has been approved on the network and thats usually a month before launch but nothing more.

[Kalimah @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I had to call into tmobile to troubleshoot my sidekick (have gotten a big red x across scree and message systen crash three times in the past six weeks). I was sent to an "advanced danger rep" and was told the sidekick III may be released next month.

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

While the SKII is a cheap connection to all things online (chat, email, and web), it is hardly reliable. The popularity of the SKII has caused the proxy servers that control the SKII's connection to go down often and for long periods of time. There is a special frustration associated to not being able to connect with a your data phone while your buddies treo 650 is working just fine. If the SKIII wants to be taken "seriously" then the back end needs to be revamped or dropped entirely.

[T-Mobile Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Hey everyone. I have been reading all the comments about the new SKIII just to let everyone know.... NONE of us know when we will be releasing the SKIII tday was the first day i have even seen a pic of the SKIII ... sorry to disapoint im waiting as much as you all are SK rules ... if i do find a date ill post it for you all we usualy find out two weeks before hand :-)

[Vanessa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!! I'M SOOO EXCITED, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE NEW SIDEKICK COMES OUT I WANT IT SO BADLY IT IS HOT!!!! BUT I WAS WONDERIN IF U KNOW HOW MUCH IT MIGHT COST?????SO I CAN SAVE UP OR SOMETHING, WELL I WANT IT BADLY!!!!! THANKS FOR SHOWING ME HOW IT IS GONNA BE....I HOPE IT COMES OUT SOON BY EARLY JANUARY.......

THANK-U :-)

[Kenny @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Hey guys. I'm planning on getting the Sidekick II but im not sure whats up with the AIM thing. Do you have to buy the text message plan in order to use aim? Or is it free when you get the sidekick II. Thanks alot.

[B @ Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

AIM is free comes installed in the side II. As same with Yahoo IM (need to be d loaded after purchase). I've tested all the devices IE blackberry and besides the Side 2 being a horrible phone, it's the bomb with everything else.