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Danger's iconic Hiptop fades away / the Sidekick is here to stay
At the turn of the millennium, three men formed Danger Incorporated, which went on to create a smartphone perfectly positioned for its time. Those men eventually wound up at Google... after one of them founded Android. But what became of the T-Mobile Sidekick, their stylish swiveling phone? After an illustrious life filled with fame, fortune and failure, the Hiptop met its end today. Today, Microsoft and T-Mobile will shut down the Danger servers for good, leaving existing handsets without the push email and cloud services that once made them indispensable to the teens, tweens and businesspeople who used them day in and day out -- leaving the Android-powered Sidekick 4G to fan the remaining embers of the brand. Join us after the break for a video celebration of Danger's pop culture phenomenon, and head on over to Geekwire for a brief history of the iconic device. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got a little water in our eye.
Sidekick 4G review
It's been nearly two years since we last reviewed a T-Mobile Sidekick, and it would be a vast understatement to say things have changed. Then, they were designed by Danger and manufactured by Sharp, and were the messaging phone of choice. Today, following fiasco and failure, the Sidekick empire is in ruins. But good ideas and their originators live on, and several of Danger's brightest wound up in Mountain View, California. Danger's Andy Rubin founded Android, design director Mattias Duarte built Honeycomb (after helping craft the Helio Ocean and webOS for Palm) and now, the Sidekick itself has joined its founders in the house that Google built. In many ways, the Sidekick 4G is a return to form, but in an ecosystem filled with similar Android devices, can it stand out from the crowd? %Gallery-122540%
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]
RIP, Danger, 2002 - 2011: Microsoft axing service on May 31st, T-Mobile promises an 'easy transition'
Oh, come on, you saw this coming: Kin represented what was supposed to be Danger's rebirth under Microsoft's half-billion-dollar umbrella -- and when that failed, there wasn't really a future for these guys in the cards. We've received a statement today from T-Mobile breaking the news that Danger's cloud services will be decommissioned after May 31st, and the problem with Sidekicks is that they're more or less paperweights without a connection to Danger's servers... so if you're still using one, you're definitely going to need a new phone. For T-Mobile's part, they're saying that they'll "provide offers... to help make an easy transition" from old phone to new, and they'll be sharing those offers in the coming weeks. If anything, we wouldn't be surprised if the carrier was simply waiting for its all-new, Samsung-made, Android-powered Sidekick to be ready in the hopes that they'll be able to keep folks in the Sidekick fold even though Danger's gone. They're also providing web-based tools and Sidekick apps to get data off the devices, so you can't say they're not doing all the right things in light of the situation. Smart of Microsoft to make sure the statement comes from T-Mobile, too, since it means the carrier can get out ahead of the panic before it starts. See the full statement after the break.
Sidekick LX 2009 basks in the warm glow of a minor firmware update
In the event that Sidekickgate didn't scare you right out of using anything involving Danger, you've got a bit of good news this week -- if you've got an LX 2009 model, anyhow -- on news that a new firmware has been pushed out over-the-air. Details are thin, but it looks like the biggies here are support for backing up contacts to T-Mobile's Mobile Backup service (independently of the normal sync that happens to Danger's servers) and a host of bug fixes, which are always a pleasant thing for improving the user experience in the field. It's hard to say how many LX 2009s are still in active use and how many more are realistically gonna be sold, but yeah -- if we had to guess, the writing's on the wall for Sidekick as we know it, so at this point, cherish every FOTA like it's your last.
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?
Microsoft to restore remaining Sidekick contacts this week, other stuff 'shortly thereafter'
Sidekick users tend to be an active, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants bunch, so it's gotta hurt like the dickens when they don't have access to their schedules and little black books -- but hey, at least it's still recoverable, right? Microsoft has just posted a quick update to keep everyone abreast on the progress of its Sidekick data recovery, and it sounds like they'll be able to have remaining missing contacts back in action this week with the rest of the data -- to-dos, notes, photos, and the like -- following on "shortly thereafter." Anyone who didn't lose information in the debacle should be unaffected by the recovery process, but for those who did, these backup tapes couldn't possibly load into Danger's feisty data center fast enough.
T-Mobile 'considering additional measures' to compensate Sidekick owners
The official line is still that T-Mobile customers affected by Sidekick amnesia will be given a months' credit on their data plan, but that may not be the end of it (and considering the magnitude of the issue for affected folks, we'd certainly hope not). At this point, they're leaving the door open to more by saying that they're "considering additional measures" to help soothe the souls of those who lost contacts, notes, schedules, apps, and everything else, but exactly what those "measures" are remains to be seen. Free phones? Free service? A gift certificate to a day spa? The full (albeit brief) remarks can be found after the break.
Sidekick failure rumors point fingers at outsourcing, lack of backups
Backing up your personal PC to external media might still be a novel concept for some, but any IT manager fresh out of school can tell you that regularly backing up mission-critical servers -- and storing those backups in multiple physical locations -- isn't merely important, it's practically non-negotiable, and it only becomes that much more critical before undertaking hardware maintenance. Alleged details on the events leading up to Danger's doomsday scenario are starting to come out of the woodwork, and it all paints a truly embarrassing picture: Microsoft, possibly trying to compensate for lost and / or laid-off Danger employees, outsources an upgrade of its Sidekick SAN to Hitachi, which -- for reasons unknown -- fails to make a backup before starting. Long story short, the upgrade runs into complications, data is lost, and without a backup to revert to, untold thousands of Sidekick users get shafted in an epic way rarely seen in an age of well-defined, well-understood IT strategies. The coming weeks are going to be trying times for both Microsoft and T-Mobile, a sideline player in this carnage that ultimately still shoulders responsibility for taking users' cash month after month and keeping tabs on the robustness of its partners' workflows. We're betting that heads are going to roll at both of these companies, formal investigations are going to be waged, users are going to be compensated in big ways, lawsuits are going to be filed, and textbooks could very well be modified to make sure that lessons are learned for the next generation of college grads tasked with keeping clouds running. Why there weren't any backups -- even older ones -- that could've been used as a restore point is totally unclear, so we're hoping Microsoft has the stones to come clean for the benefit of an entire industry that wants to understand how to make sure this never happens again.
Danger's server woes leave Sidekicks in the lurch
Look, Danger, we know that you're hard at work on... ahem, "other things" right now, but can you please just take five and figure out what's wrong with your servers? Sidekicks rely very, very heavily on the ability to phone home for even basic tasks -- looking up contacts, browsing the web, you name it -- and it seems that Danger's data center has been on the fritz for a solid two days now with symptoms ranging from text message weirdness to dead address books and everything in between, up to and including a completely unusable experience. Frantic calls to T-Mobile are resulting in comped bills for some subscribers, so if you're affected, you might want to give 'em a ring. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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.
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 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.
FCC filing from Option -- yes, Option -- outs new Sidekick details
The device itself has already been blessed with an FCC approval of its own, but it turns out that new Sidekick T-Mobile subscribers are patiently waiting for has a secret deep within its pretty shell: the radio guts are sourced directly from Option. We learn from filed documentation that the Belgian wireless specialist has crafted a custom module for the new phone called "Deimos," featuring an onboard Qualcomm MSM7201A core, 128MB of RAM, 256MB of ROM, AGPS, Bluetooth, microSD slot, and a stereo headset jack; HSDPA comes on the 850, 1700, and 2100MHz bands in addition to quadband EDGE, making it a perfect device for globetrotters and domestic 3G lovers alike. Interestingly, Deimos will be compatible with Sidekicks featuring Sharp's choice of 2 and 3 megapixel cameras and either 3- or 3.18-inch displays, but really, once you get above the magical 3-inch mark, who's counting? [Warning: PDF link][Thanks, Geert]
New Sidekick hits FCC with T-Mobile 3G
Occasionally, Sharp will pass a Japanese domestic market handset through the FCC for global roaming certification, but not this time. No, instead, we're seeing the PV300 -- and as any rabid Sidekick fan knows, Sharp's Sidekicks are referred to as "PV" followed by a three-digit number internally, so yeah, we're thinking this is probably the real deal. Of course, we've had no shortage of legit-sounding rumors in the past few months that there's a new high-end Sidekick on the way to T-Mobile shelves, and indeed, it should come as no surprise that this one is certified for AWS 3G -- the very kind T-Mobile uses -- along with the usual assortment of GSM / EDGE bands. Anyhow, see you shortly, dear Sidekick. Hopefully.
Sidekick "Blade" detailed by anonymous tipster
Those Sidekick-crazed hipsters over at Hiptop3 have posted some impressions from a tipster who's purportedly used the Sidekick 2009 / LX 2009 / Blade. Apparently the handset -- which is actually called the "Montreal" by the guys in magenta -- looks just like those leaked images we've spotted before, and has a "more grown up feel" and flush keyboard.The keyboard-centric device is running DangerOS 5.0 (which may or may not be NetBSD based), and has a specialized app to access T-Mobile account info quickly. USB / headphone jacks reside on the bottom of the device, and there's also some new mood lighting. T-Mo will supposedly be marketing this one as the "Sidekick 2009," but that's unfortunately all the intel on sales so far. If the aforementioned deets have your fingers tingling, hit up the read link for even more, and start thinking of ways to pawn off that LX or Slide.
