Gekko is the Sidekick 2008 after all, launches July 30

Never before have we dealt with so much naming drama leading up to a new Sidekick's release. Gekko, Gecco, Aspen, Sidekick 2008, the list of candidates goes on, and we finally have a winner: Sidekick 2008 it is! The name comes courtesy of some new internal documentation for T-Mobile reps, which also reveals that the low-end piece will be available come July 30 (seemingly putting the kibosh on Best Buy's July 27 date) with interchangeable shells, a 2 megapixel cam, and a 2.6-inch WQVGA display that'll definitely be a nice bump up from the iD's specs.

[SuperSexyErik @ Jul 17th 2008 5:21AM]

really? are we really gonna buy a phone cuz it flips open?
Can't wait to see how many sucker buy this :)

[Mobius_1 @ Jul 17th 2008 6:04AM]

Maybe people will buy it because it has a big, usable, actual physical keyboard, removable batteries and no tie to a very expensive plan

[Richie @ Jul 17th 2008 7:19AM]

@Mobius_1 your forgetting something. The sk is overpriced and lacks major features iteration after the next. Why does the sk cost $250? Because fools will keep buying it. Also, the iPhone has one of the best keyboards I've
ever used.

[Yan @ Jul 17th 2008 7:59AM]

It's nice but really doesn't come close to a physical button layout, Richie.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 17th 2008 10:45AM]

In my neighborhood I see a lot of teenagers using these Sidekicks. It seems like the use them to write their homework or something, since I always see them tapping away at those keyboards. In a way they seem kind of useful and they look like tiny computer terminals. They're cheap enough and I guess they don't require an outrageous carrier contract to use.

Not for me though. I got so much stuff set up in iTunes (movies, seasons of TV shows, language courses, thousands of mp3s, that an iPhone would be the only way to go for me. I want a media player, not some texting device.

[Flashpoint @ Jul 17th 2008 11:03AM]

You guys are fooling yourselves if you think these aren't going to sell in a huge way.

The sidekick for all intents and purposes offers features most of Generation Y will pay for (or get their parents to pay for). The current line of sidekicks DOMINATE high schools, colleges and are steadily infiltrating middle schools. Even business professionals use them.

These things are like "fun" Blackberries.

iPhones are much to expensive for the demographic Sidekicks target.
Blackberries are too professional.
You won't find any kid tryin get a Nokia or these Chinese ripoff clones so I guarrantee you, the Sidekicks will continue to rule.

I kinda like this one. I just hope they make a Sidekick with Flash and Java within 2 years.

[Dave @ Jul 17th 2008 12:32PM]

@Richie

I replied to your ignorant comment on how you love Obama, waiting for a reply :)

[SuperSexyErik @ Jul 17th 2008 12:40PM]

lol my high school had 2.. I used one and it was horrible. Took me 2 days before I found out how to make a phone call!! And I'm a tech guy .

[Hung @ Jul 17th 2008 5:02PM]

@ SuperSexyErik

"Took me 2 days before I found out how to make a phone call!! And I'm a tech guy."

Damn, you just divided by zero.

[Hung @ Jul 17th 2008 5:05PM]

@ SuperSexyErik

"Took me 2 days before I found out how to make a phone call!! And I'm a tech guy."

Damn, you just divided by zero.

[Troy @ Jul 17th 2008 5:58AM]

What makes this low-end? 2 megapixel camera sounds better than the lx's 1.3. Anyone know what it is lacking?

[Mobius_1 @ Jul 17th 2008 6:06AM]

The fact that it's 2008 makes 2 mp low-end, I mean, most high-end have anything from 5, and the new midrange is more like 3.2

[Anthony @ Jul 17th 2008 6:34AM]

toooooo late .. iphone wins ... unless you like txting ...

then again LANDSCAPE MODE on iPHONE SMS .. maybe just maybe

[N30 G30 @ Jul 17th 2008 8:16AM]

yeah, i don't know if you heard, but texting is big for a large majority of mobile phone users in the world.

[Joshi @ Jul 17th 2008 6:48AM]

The fact that it's called simply "SideKick" (as well as the fact that there's no other Slide or LX successor on the horizon) would seem to imply that this isn't just the replacement for the iD - rather, it's the replacement for the entire current SideKick line (hence being far upmarket from the iD...it has a slightly smaller screen than the LX, but that's about it).

After experimenting with a three-tiered line-up, a la RIM, Danger is reverting back to its one-size-fits-all-approach (which, admittedly, seems to work for Apple). That's all.

Calling it "2008" might make it seem kind of outdated come January 1, though. Considering SideKicks usually launch in late summer, why not name them for the year ahead? Or perhaps we will see a new model sooner than next summer?

Nah...

[Lewis (RROD: July 16) @ Jul 17th 2008 7:13AM]

No wifi = No buy

[Phate @ Jul 17th 2008 4:27PM]

Why do you need wifi? The heavy lifting for websites is done on Danger's servers, and you don't need broadband to IM/email/text...

[chefgon_ign @ Jul 17th 2008 8:48AM]

I was kind of hoping that Microsoft's involvement would save the SideKick from irrelevance. Guess not.

[Hung @ Jul 17th 2008 5:05PM]

Ughh, commenting system + 3 minutes of impatience = fail.

[93tilInfinity @ Jul 17th 2008 10:44PM]

With the way people are taking up sides you would think this discussion was about an important issue not about cell phones which you have the choice of not buying... That having been said I'm glad that the sidekick is being brought up to speed. Plus for those keeping track the sidekick isn't the iphone but it does record video and it has a flash.

[Valgas @ Jul 18th 2008 3:44AM]

How does the sidekick work? Is it like a portable webtv or something?

Does it have its own chat community network and discussion boards and stuff like that?

[konichiwaahentai @ Jul 20th 2008 2:23PM]

no dude no.
watch my video
www.youtube.com/jrflores320
they're about sidekicks and the sidekick 2008

[gibson @ Jul 27th 2008 1:59PM]

the iphone & the sidekick are great phones. it jst matters on your own opinion. it might be harder for some ppl to type on the iphone then the sidekick or it might be the other way around. but jst letting you knw. that the sidekick keyboard was rated the highest over most phones. including the crammed up iphone keyboard. itd be much better if you could type horizontal ways for texting but you cnt.'

also. the sidekick might be expensive but the plan is cheap, and the iphones plan isnt. so it basically evens it out.

[gibson @ Jul 28th 2008 4:12PM]

and plus, why would you sidekick haters look up sidekicks and bother posting comments about them anyways. ? dumbf/cks

[brandon @ Aug 7th 2008 9:28PM]

iPhone - AT&T
Sidekick - T-Mobile

iPhone 3G/ iPhone with 2.0 = no unlock

Sidekick - no unlock (probably)

Stop comparing phones on different networks!!!

[TampaSVT @ Aug 21st 2008 4:46PM]

Anyone have any idea what the silver dot is under/above the screen? Sensor?