The T-Mobile Sidekick -- yep, just Sidekick

After all the buffoonery over what exactly T-Mobile intended to call its newest entry-level Danger device, they've ultimately decided to just go back to basics, drop the acronyms, and christen it simply "Sidekick." Make no mistake, though -- this little puppy is a far cry from your daddy's Hiptop launched way back in 2002, thanks to a 400 x 240 WQVGA display, 2 megapixel camera with video recording capability, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, and a microSD slot. Though it's being billed as the iD's spiritual successor, the Sidekick comes dangerously close to LX territory, so it should see some solid movement at the $149.99 asking price on a two-year contract. What's more, the Sidekick becomes Danger's first device with user-customizable shells, available directly from sidekickshells.com for $14.99 a pop (we've got both a really bad and a really frickin' great feeling about the ridiculous sorts of designs people are going to be coming up with there). The whole shebang goes on sale starting today. 'Course, if you can't get out to a well-stocked T-Mobile store for the next few hours, be sure to check out our quick impressions and gallery on Engadget Mobile, yeah?

[mojohat @ Jul 30th 2008 12:04AM]

ZZZZ...

[neofolklore @ Jul 30th 2008 7:40AM]

3G?

[Endejas @ Jul 30th 2008 12:12AM]

Price without a contract?

[Elisha Adeagbo @ Jul 30th 2008 1:37AM]

$299.99

[dimsum05 @ Jul 30th 2008 12:19AM]

I don't know why people hate on the Sidekicks! It's great if you don't need Exchange and has one of the best QWERTY-boards and IM clients on any phone!

I don't own one (my main phone is N95-4), but this phone does one thing and one thing well... messaging!

[JAmerican @ Jul 30th 2008 12:19AM]

No WM Sidekick yet?

[JAmerican @ Jul 30th 2008 12:20AM]

WM = Windows Mobile

[gad get @ Jul 30th 2008 1:22AM]

"WM = Windows Mobile"

Thanks for the clarification, there. You had my head spinning with your clever little acronym.



Yeah, I'm annoying.

[Kris @ Jul 30th 2008 5:59AM]

Why are you being ranked low? Microsoft recently purchased danger so it's not out of the realm of possibilities.

I used to own Sidekicks but the OS is absolutely horrible. It's made almost entirely of Java which means it's slow to respond with _everything_ and it had too many bugs to be useful when I used to use it.

Besides that, WM would at least be open. The current OS they use is closed up just as much as the iPhone. You can only put applications on it via their store (which, of course, costs a pretty penny).

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 30th 2008 3:08PM]

Windows Mobile is not open. But yeah, you can install a lot on it and it's quite a powerful mobile OS.

[DYLAN C @ Jul 30th 2008 12:24AM]

iPhone rip-off.

[reuvypoo @ Jul 30th 2008 12:32AM]

Now that is a stupid comment.

[TJ @ Jul 30th 2008 11:00PM]

im sorry but the sidekick was out LONG BEFORE even rumors about the iphone started spreading.

[giantenemycrab @ Jul 30th 2008 12:34AM]

This is just like the first sidekick, which came out way before the iPhone. If there were any similarities, which there aren't, it would be the iPhone ripping off the Sidekick.

[godHatesYou @ Jul 30th 2008 12:35AM]

ha

[DYLAN C @ Jul 30th 2008 12:42AM]

Haha low ranked. This is hilarious! There will be a picture of a BlackBerry (Curve or Bold), not even the thunder, and people will call it an iPhone rip-off and be serious.

Learn to take a joke.

[Endejas @ Jul 30th 2008 12:42AM]

"Don't feed the trolls."

-Bridge user

[cwj @ Jul 30th 2008 4:28PM]

Um.

Joke.

[Tony @ Jul 30th 2008 12:25AM]

"...2 megapixel camera with video recording capability..."

Is it sad that you can no longer assume that any camera has the ability to record video? Is this what the iPhone has done to us?

[Alex Padilla @ Jul 30th 2008 1:12AM]

No, I think that it's merely a reaffirmation of the fact that they can fit a video camera into such a small package for a fraction of the price of the iPhone. Essentially, they've used this subtle marketing move to let people know who the real phone manufacturers are.

Now, T-Mobile needs to roll out that 3G network of theirs...

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jul 30th 2008 12:27AM]

Isn't this better than the LX? What does the LX do that this can't? This has a better camera+video....as an LX owner I'm pissed.

[dimsum05 @ Jul 30th 2008 1:12AM]

Only the higher -rez camera, it seems.

[zerocalories @ Jul 30th 2008 12:41AM]

Maybe they're catching on to Apple's naming scheme? Good for them.

[chefgon_ign @ Jul 30th 2008 9:10AM]

Sidekick (with camera and bluetooth)
(also known as the fifth generation Sidekick with video camera)

If you need more help identifying your Sidekick, please look at some arbitrary numbering scheme used in your serial number.

[striggity @ Jul 30th 2008 12:50AM]

boooo @ this phone..

not interested.

[andres @ Jul 30th 2008 1:18AM]

i think you are, after all, you made the effort to post

[striggity @ Jul 30th 2008 10:00AM]

the purpose of commenting on a blog is to voice your opinion. In my opinion, this phone is not appealing. Kill the grade school mentality.

[ishism @ Jul 30th 2008 2:35PM]

LOL, this is funny on so many levels.

[phanbouy @ Jul 30th 2008 12:54AM]

needs more bezel

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 30th 2008 1:05AM]

I'm glad they have a basic sturdy, updated Sidekick, and with a nice screen at that. But in the world of 5MP xenon flash cameras, multi-touch UIs, animations, desktop web browsing, 3.5" screens, quad-band HSDPA connections, push e-mail and open mobile platforms, maybe it's time to move the Sidekick brand forward?

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 30th 2008 1:26AM]

To clarify: I understand T-Mobile USA and the Sidekick line are value lines. But I pointed out all that to demonstrate all the changes since 2002. There's also the problem of RIM, which provides good smartphones in the same price segment ($0-200) - and there's no saying Blackberries can't be cool too. The exchangeable covers go a long way to differentiate the Sidekick - but I think to survive, the Sidekick needs a fundamental re-thinking.

[Tim Burns @ Jul 30th 2008 2:22AM]

I am not disputing the rest of your post, but the sidekick line, which runs the danger os, does have push e-mail.

[SirPasta117 @ Jul 30th 2008 1:07AM]

Now how come you didnt indepth review this phone, but you did with another phone with an 'i' in front?

[Informed1 @ Jul 30th 2008 1:08AM]

Soooo...maybe I am completely missing something here, but is the printing on the sides of the screen upside down or are the talk and hang up buttons on the top of the phone? :)

[Lucky @ Jul 30th 2008 8:44AM]

They're oriented correctly.

[quomen @ Jul 30th 2008 1:19AM]

It looks like one of those things that you use to measure your shoe size.

[Johan S @ Jul 30th 2008 1:23AM]

WQVGA sucks. To get 80 characters in fixed type font on screen you need a minimum pixel width of 640 (so you can guarantee 8 pixel width per character). Even 40 years ago .. computers displays tried to show 80 characters by 24 lines on their displays.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/18/FortranCodingForm.png


Seriously though 640 pixel width is when web pages like ny times etc. can be viewed zoomed out and still be readable.

[chefgon_ign @ Jul 30th 2008 9:13AM]

Computers 40 years ago had 2-inch portable screens?

[gad get @ Jul 30th 2008 1:25AM]

Let's buy a phone cuz the world's greatest marketing machine tells us it's the one to have, that's a good idea!

[Jubei @ Jul 30th 2008 2:19AM]

It's good for the little kids who wants to have a clunky, transformer type looking device to play with. They can text message all day long while sitting next to each other during lunch breaks.

[Tim Burns @ Jul 30th 2008 2:26AM]

Technically, the LX has nothing better. Even though the LX has an update currently being rolled out that adds bluetooth functionality and video, along with other small things, this one has basically all the same features, an exhangable covering and a better camera. So yeah, this one is better.

[Justin F @ Jul 30th 2008 3:08AM]

They said that their aim is to keep the LX as their "luxury line"...so I'm betting the LX will get an update too! Well, at least I hope for t-mobile's sake...

Now, why can't they rollout those same functionality updates to the iPhone again??

[shanX @ Jul 30th 2008 4:08AM]

Sidekick hasgood ergonomics, but features suck!!

[Doug @ Jul 30th 2008 3:14AM]

I hate my Sidekick 3.. But I love it too.. It texts really well.. Can I put a custom ring on anything? NO.. Can I put a picture for caller Id ? NO My nokia 5300 did WAAAYY more then the 3.. Plus It doesn't have a calculator?? WOW.. COOL... I hope the new Sidekick has worked out all these kinks...

[Justin F @ Jul 30th 2008 3:32AM]

I'm going to venture a guess: you don't own a sidekick 3.

I do.

Yes, you can put a picture for "caller" ID.

Yes, you can download a calculator for free.

If you own one, you must be a damn fool!

[hiko36 @ Jul 30th 2008 5:04AM]

It's not nice to talk to yourself like that Erik...

[Gerry @ Jul 30th 2008 7:55AM]

I don't think the Sidekick is competing with other smart phones, even though it could easily have. If the BlackBerry and Sidekick had a little mingle and sprouted kids, that'll be something grown men (or just me) would go for.

Do you add the shells on top of this or is that the stock shell? Why isn't that Sidekick naked?

[james @ Jul 30th 2008 9:53AM]

No 3G...No deal...period!

[Mike @ Aug 1st 2008 12:59AM]

3G/iPhone is a rip off... gotta buy it at apple store that cost 200/ pay 30 bucks for the phone each month? wtf... Then you got a plan with your family 69.99... wow How much did i jst spend? 2 year contact too and 2nd year no warranty or anything so if you screw it up then your jst screwed.. Go straight to trash and say bye bye =x
hms t-moblie sk is good but they should upgrade it better to the technology today... should have at least 3 megapic camera... At Least touching screen and something to save battery for the sidekick so battery last longer... My sk 3 never last more than 10-14 hours..and what happens if you forget to charge... my LX doesnt last more than 1 day and like a few hours... What am i suppose to do? Carry a charger?

[CitizenjaQ @ Jul 30th 2008 10:44AM]

I've been waiting for this, but only because T-Mobile's Sidekick Data plan is the cheapest way to get a mostly-data-with-ability-to-make-calls-without-a-voice-plan solution. $30 a month and I don't have to tack on another $30 for 200 voice minutes I won't use.