Nokia patent app reveals Sidekick wannabe

We're pretty sure this isn't the first time someone outside of Danger conjured up images of a Sidekick wannabe, and while we've certainly seen a real fake version before, Nokia is apparently toying with the idea of kicking out a legitimate contender. In a recent patent application, Nokia details its vision for "compact devices with turn and slide concept," which looks an awful lot like a Sidekick save for the twistable apparatus on the side. To move the display and reveal the QWERTY keypad, users must turn the side-mounted knob, which subsequently shifts the LCD upwards and back while giving your thumbs access to the keys beneath. We're still on the fence with the whole winding approach, but it's an interesting deviation to the norm, regardless.

[Via UnwiredView]

[tande04 Posted Nov 21st 2007 3:14PM]

Couldn't this actually be a new sidekick?

We've seen recently whether good or bad, that Danger isn't just using Sharp for their devices. We don't really know the "whys" of the deal with Moto so it could be possible that Danger approached other handset makers and this was Nokia's answer. They'd get the patent because its their device but all of the back end stuff would still be in Danger's court.

I'm not quite seeing the point of the knob either way.

[JablesX Posted Nov 21st 2007 3:45PM]

This looks more like a design for their new TS device line than anything else, which would be excellent if it were implemented this way. I wouldn't call it a ripoff of anything specifically since it tilts like the....Tilt....and slides like the Sidekick Slide.

[PEZ Posted Nov 21st 2007 4:59PM]

perhaps the cranking mechanism reveals controls not needed when its closed. Either way, there is more to break on it.

Stick with what works. And get rid of that damn trackball that keeps breaking.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 21st 2007 6:41PM]

Ya'll thinking Sidekick... I'm thinking AT&T Tilt

[tiffany98122 Posted Nov 22nd 2007 12:23AM]

looks more like a kaiser wannabe to me