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Sharp Jump sidekicks its way onto Cincinnati Bell
Canada's Mobilicity relaunched the Sidekick LX as the Mobiflip out of nowhere late last year -- and the odd trend's picking up stream, it seems. Next is Cincinnati Bell, rechristening Sharp's latest (and most likely last) Hiptop model the "Jump." Now, seeing how Microsoft and Danger are shutting down the Hiptop back end on May 31st, we can only assume that both the Jump and the Mobiflip are both specially modified to bypass the cloud, much the same way Verizon tweaked and relaunched the Kins to turn them into low-end texting machines without the benefit of the Kin Studio. It's an odd move, but we suppose Sharp had some inventory to clear out -- and $39.99 on contract ain't bad for a WVGA device with a full QWERTY keyboard, we suppose. [Thanks, Adam]
Sharp Mobiflip channels Sidekick LX's vibes for Mobilicity
Thought the launch of the Kin ONEm and TWOm was strange? Here's another oddity with a Microsoft tie-in: Canadian startup Mobilicity has just announced the "Mobiflip," a phone that the carrier's own press release calls out as being "similar to the Sidekick LX." It's unclear whether what's left of Danger will be supporting the device -- the Sidekick line basically pioneered mobile cloud computing, after all -- but what we see of the interface certainly rings true to the Sidekicks of days gone by. It runs CAD $99.99 ($98) contract-free, which is a whole heck of a lot cheaper than its American doppelganger launched for -- $250 on contract, if you recall. Yowza! Follow the break for the press release.
T-Mobile kills off current Sidekicks, Kin says 'welcome to the club'
It's truly remarkable to see almost every trace of a successful, well-established Valley start-up's work wiped out in the span of 24 hours, but here we are: T-Mobile's discontinuing the Sidekick line as of tomorrow, July 2, which effectively means that the Sidekick LX 2009 will no longer be available. As a refresher, the latest Sidekick LX was the last product holistically engineered by Danger as it got shoehorned into Microsoft -- square peg in a round hole, as it were -- before repurposing the team to work on the just-killed Kin line. In a way, it's a miracle that the LX ever went back on sale following the nightmarish data issues they'd gone through last year, so we suppose it's a silver lining that they made it this far -- but still, it's sad to see Danger's years of design effectively vaporized without a trace like this. For what it's worth, T-Mobile says that it's working "on the next chapter of [its] storied Sidekick franchise" and to "stay tuned" for a "fresh" experience, but since T-Mobile owns the Sidekick brand (not Danger / Microsoft), we've got every reason to believe these new products will be based on Android considering the carrier's huge investment in its myTouch line. Adios, Sidekick -- we'll do one last screen flip in your honor.
T-Mobile cautiously resumes Sidekick sales at lower prices
After a protracted "let's be absolutely certain we're in the clear" period, T-Mobile has gone ahead and lifted its self-imposed moratorium on Sidekick sales following that little meltdown you may have heard about. Oh, and there's a bonus, too: they're a little cheaper this time around. The Sidekick 2008 has dropped to $49.99 on contract while the top-of-the-line LX 2009 has shed $25 down to $149.99 on contract, so if you were looking for an excuse to live dangerously with your precious address book, this might be as good of a reason as any. Then again, what are the odds of lightning striking twice?
T-Mobile brings Facebook and paid Twitter apps to older Sidekicks
The original Sidekick was one of the first devices to push phones as deeply social text-based tools, and that trend continues today -- which naturally makes tight integration with Facebook and Twitter absolutely vital. The fresh 2009 version of the Sidekick LX has been available with both of these, and T-Mobile is now retroactively offering them to owners of the original LX, the Sidekick 2008, and the Sidekick Slide (remember that?). There's a catch, though -- while Facebook's free, Twitter is going to run owners of the older Sidekicks $1.99 a month, despite the fact that it's no charge to LX 2009 owners. Seems exceptionally bogus to us -- but then again, considering how great the latest LX is compared to every other Sidekick ever made, owners might just use this as an excuse to take the plunge. Both apps are now available. [Via Phone Scoop]
T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009 down to $175
Would-be Sidekick LX 2009 owners have one less reason to keep dragging their feet this week with the dropping of the model's price (in both Carbon and Orchid variants, of course) down to $175 on contract after discounts from the original retail price of $250. We're not sure what's ultimately responsible for the price cut beyond the usual ultra-rapid retail shelf aging process and the gnat-like attention span of consumers like ourselves, but either way, the move helps put the high-end featurephone back in line with some of its contemporaries (we're sorry, but running more than a BlackBerry Tour or an iPhone 3GS on subsidy makes about as much sense as mail-order beef). So, does this tip the scale for anyone out there? Who's taking the plunge? [Via Hiptop 3] Read - Carbon Read - Orchid
How would you change T-Mobile's Sidekick LX 2009?
T-Mobile's Sidekick LX 2009 represented a huge leap forward in the hiptop sector. Not only was the swiveling motion as smooth as ever here, but this was the first Sidekick that seemed to really take its user interface seriously. To that end, we're interested in knowing how you -- the opinionated consumer -- feel about Danger's latest effort. Are you impressed by the grown-up features? Does the form factor still have a place in your life? Is the UI snappy enough? Do you still get enough stares from potential mates when you whip it out on the subway? The floor's yours, make it good.
3G Sidekick LX 2009 now available on T-Mobile
No doubt, the latest Sidekick looks pretty much like the swivel-screen Hiptop of yore. But as you'll recall from our review, the new 3G Sidekick LX takes the original tweener aesthetic high-end to match its aging user base. That means one of the best displays (854 x 480 pixel) available on a US handset and new 3G and assisted GPS radios to upload geotagged pics on the quick snapped by the LX's 3.2 megapixel camera with flash. Available now for $250 (after instant discount, mail-in rebate, and 2-year commitment) in your choice of carbon or orchid paint.[Via PhoneArena]
T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009 review
T-Mobile's Sidekicks have been cult favorites stretching all the way back to the original grayscale model -- a device with a design only a mother could love, may we add -- when it launched nearly seven years ago. Though the unusual form factor with the addictive spring-loaded pivoting swivel has largely prevented it from attracting a mainstream audience, the countless teens and twenty-somethings who've latched on to the Hiptop ecosystem have cited many of the same reasons for loving it since day one: an easy, foolproof UI, push email, high-quality customizability, decent web browsing capabilities, and a stellar messaging-optimized layout (remember that QWERTY was little more than a twinkle in most manufacturers' eyes back in 2002). At its launch, the first-generation Sidekick LX represented a new high end for the franchise -- big shoes to fill for the 2009 model of the same name. Does it live up to the hype? More importantly, could this be the first Sidekick complete enough and robust enough to reach new audiences? Read on.
T-Mobile's Sidekick LX 2009 will be $249 for new customers
You still can't order it unless you got in on the pre-sale, but T-Mobile has now confirmed pricing for new customers wishing to pick up a fresh 2009-vintage Sidekick LX: $249. That'll be an after-rebate price on a two-year contract, while existing T-Mobile subscribers will continue to pay the $199 they've enjoyed during the pre-sale so far. Loyalty occasionally pays, it seems.
New Sidekick LXs trickling into buyers' hands ahead of launch
Sure, T-Mobile said May 13 for the Sidekick LX 2009's official date with destiny, but if they want to start drop-shipping units a few days early, we don't think anyone's going to complain. In-the-wild unboxings certainly seem to back up stories that devices are already being shipped to those who've pre-ordered it ahead of release -- and call us crazy, but we think we prefer these shots to that creepy viral video unboxing from a while back. Enjoy the shots, and if you didn't (or couldn't) pre-order, we might suggest viewing them very, very slowly so they last through to the 13th. [Thanks, Ed]
T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009 video hands-on
Our first glimpse of T-Mobile's new 2009 edition Sidekick LX was all too brief, so we've jumped back in for some in-depth video hands-on (embedded after the break). One word of warning: this screen is truly incredible, and we can't be held responsible for any instances of sudden onset Sidekick envy. Traipsing through the OS, we found most everything to be responsive, intuitive and actually pretty feature-packed. The Facebook and Twitter apps are some of the best we've seen, and Laura our demo person was actually brave enough to shoot, upload and stream YouTube live on video with us. The browser had a bit of trouble with the visceral multimedia experience of Engadget.com, but overall seemed fairly together. The Download Catalog is a little barebones at the moment, but promising. Overall the hardware will be totally familiar to Sidekick users, but there are enough enhancements and refinements to make this lust worthy to folks on both sides of the Sidekick fence. It's comfortable in hand, with soft touch plastic and a super solid build, despite our best efforts at wrenching that swivel-and-tilt screen from its magical hinge. The phone hits T-Mobile on May 13th for $199 after rebates.
T-Mobile Sidekick LX officially announced all over again
Sound familiar? Indeed, this isn't the first time T-Mobile has offered a Sidekick LX -- but much like last year's simply-named Sidekick, the carrier is once again carrying forward branding while totally revamping the hardware. The 2009 edition of the Sidekick LX is thoroughly new and pretty much nails every item on every Sidekick fan's wishlist: GPS, 3G data, an absolutely glorious 3.2-inch full wide VGA display, and super-tight integration with Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. You've also got a 3.2 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, microSD expansion (T-Mobile throws a 1GB card in the box), video recording and playback (including YouTube access), stereo Bluetooth, quadband EDGE, and HSDPA 2100 for high-speed coverage when you're galavanting around Europe. The ace up T-Mobile's sleeve, though, might be Exchange ActiveSync support, which will be coming via the on-device software catalog shortly after launch. It's available for pre-sale to current T-Mobile customers starting today -- everyone else will have to wait until May 13 -- but either way, you'll be paying $199.99 after rebate on contract in your choice of "carbon" or "orchid" finishes. Check out all the snazzy photography below -- and follow the break for our quick first impressions of the phone.
Sidekick 2009 caught strutting its stuff in the wild
We still don't know whether to call it the Sidekick 2009 or the Sidekick Blade, but either way, T-Mobile's upcoming hiptop has finally been caught on camera, looking just as it did in a survey from last month and later via render. Unfortunately, we can't glean any specs from the image, but the aforementioned questionnaire listed 3G, a 3.2-inch WVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, microSD card slot, and GPS with turn-by-turn navigation. Alright, Danger, you've made us believers -- now give us some official press shots to gaze upon lovingly.
Purported Sidekick LX 2009 image surfaces
Outside of that dark, grainy, somewhat blurry slide detailing the Sidekick LX 2009, we've had no other images -- renders or otherwise -- to wrap our minds around. Now, we've got this (pictured above, clearly), which is a so-called mockup of the leaner, more streamlined new hiptop. Of course, we aren't about to bet the farm on something as unsubstantiated as this, but couple it with an in the wild shot and you just might make believers out of us.
Sidekick LX 2009 outed in survey, could possibly be real
Whoa, whoa -- calm down hiptoppers. Don't act like you didn't know a new Sidekick was coming in the year two-thousand and nine. Actually, there is a fair reason to celebrate here, 'cause if these specs are true, the Sidekick LX 2009 will be a surefire winner. A reader over at HipTop3 reportedly came across this image above while taking an online survey, which -- as your eyes have no doubt confirmed -- shows off the very first 3G / GPS enabled Sidekick ever. Specs wise, it'll supposedly boast a 3.2-inch WVGA display (854 x 480), a 3.2 megapixel camera, microSD card slot, easy access to YouTube, MySpace and Twitter, turn-by-turn navigation and video recording capabilities. Sadly, there's still a sliver of a chance this could all be a hoax, but we know your brain isn't letting itself accept that fact at the moment, now is it?
G1 themes help Sidekick users cope with feelings of inadequacy
Look, we know how it goes. Rent before new phone. 18 months left on your contract. Your mom kicked you out. They're all very valid reasons to keep on keepin' on with your current Sidekick, but that still doesn't alleviate the pain felt by wanting a T-Mobile G1 with every fiber of your being, now does it? Enter CubanitaStylezz, a theme designer who has taken the time to craft a few new ones for your Sidekick LX / Sidekick Slide / etc. that will make you feel just like the proud new owner of a G1. Almost. At any rate, tap the links below to get your poser on -- and remember, there's no shame in that game.[Via Hiptop3]Read - G1 themes for Sidekick IRead - G1 themes for Sidekick II
Soulja Boy plays with Xbox 360 Special Edition Sidekick LX, pleads for attention on video
Why lust after a Zunephone when you can have an Xbox 360 Sidekick LX? Based on an admittedly bizarre and entirely painful-to-watch video posted up in the read link, Soulja Boy is seen spazzing out over what appears to be a special edition Sidekick LX. The unit is branded (at least in the software) with Xbox 360 logos, and there's also a copy of Resident Evil: Genesis on there that he toys with momentarily. So, the question here: is this thing legit? On one hand, Danger does have a thing for pumping out limited run Sidekicks like they're going out of style, and plus, it would probably have a hard time convincing an A-list rapper to carry a prototype Sidekick. On the other, we're really inclined to believe this is just a sad way for Soulja Boy to fill up his inbox with soulless emails. "SouljaBoyTellEm@tmail.com -- holla atcha boy!"
Tony Hawk Sidekick LX now available to everyone
Feeling a little left out, non-T-Mobbers? Keep your chins up, because the Tony Hawk cut of the Sidekick LX is now available to each and every one of you after a limited release exclusively to current subscribers (not the first time they've engaged that tactic). Expect to shell out $299.99 on contract after rebates for the privilege of being just as cool as your favorite skateboarder -- just don't go trying your luck at the half-pipe now, you hear?
Tony Hawk Sidekick LX now available to upgraders
The riff raff need not apply just yet (you know who you are), but current T-Mobile subscribers can now get in on Tony Hawk's totally tubular Sidekick LX, featuring the skateboarding mogul's branding and a healthy dose of "grip tape" texture around back. Pricing will vary depending on your upgrade situation, but most folks will hopefully have an opportunity to pay less than the $449.99 full retail sticker. Right now T-Mobile itself appears to be the only source for the phone, but Best Buy should be coming online shortly if that's how you prefer to roll.[Via Hiptop3.com]
