Sidekick
Latest
Sidekick iD now on sale
Seems a bit of a formality at this point, but yeah, T-Mobile is now officially happy to accept your hard-earned $99.99 -- after contract, rebates, and discounts, of course -- for a Sidekick iD. Compared to its older sibling, the venerable Sidekick 3, the iD eschews some arguably unnecessary features like Bluetooth and EDGE data in exchange for a price point friendly to the younger crowd to which the device is squarely targeted. In the end, the choice of goodies to remove ended up being a bit controversial (Bluetooth in particular), but the colorful bits are kinda cool, we guess -- and gussying up an iD with a different color panel is a heck of a lot cheaper than rocking a D-Wade 3.
"Danger hiptop 2.0" burns rubber in speed tests
Call it wild speculation -- because that's exactly what it is -- but when you see a bunch of "Danger hiptop 2.0"-class browsers hauling butt at speeds approaching 2.0Mbps (according to dslreports.com's speed test, anyway), it's bound to raise a few eyebrows. Said browsers are coming from the dngr.net domain; we suspect it's possible that the speeds are actually indicative of what's being seen between the dslreports.com server and Danger's proxy, but instead we'd like to dream of a WCDMA-enabled Sidekick being prepped for T-Mobile's 3G launch later this year. Seems plausible enough, right?[Thanks, teeratt]
Sidekick iD vs Sidekick 3 hands-on gallery
We're still confused as to whether it's "id" or "eye-dee", but whatever it's called our Sidekick iD showed up today. Yes, it's the underpowered, EDGE-free version of the Sidekick 3 (or the next step up from the Sidekick 2, depending on whether you're a glass-half-full or empty kind of person), and sure, it looks mighty funny when you peel off its skin and replace the bumpers with different colors. But is it an adequate substitute for the full-fledged 3? Perhaps the following pictorial will help you decide one way or another -- but at very least the software experience is basically preserved (sans camera, media, and Bluetooth apps). Now go nosh on some pics.%Gallery-2569%
Sidekick iD reviewed
A Sidekick for the low price of $99 is enough to get any Danger fan excited -- but just what do you give up in exchange for the price break? That's precisely what T-Mobile is about to push out the door to give the cash-starved (and the frugal) among us a taste of the older, higher end Sidekick 3. LAPTOP Magazine had the chance to sit down and put the iD through its paces, pointing out the glaring lack of MP3 playback, camera, Bluetooth, and expandable memory. On the flipside, though, what's left is still Sidekick through and through: a messaging focus, mobile web surfing and the typical Hiptop form factor that makes voice calling just a tad awkward. More is lacking in the iD, though -- the lack of even 2.5G EDGE data is going to make serious surfing an exercise in frustration. Are there any old-school GPRS fans out there still? We thought not, but there probably are a few Sidekick-for-$100 fans. All told, LAPTOP was digging the myFaves integration (you're next, Sidekick 3 users) but found the nixed features a little tough to swallow, suggesting folks might be better served saving up a little extra coin for the 3 or a Motorola Q to get mobile multimedia done right.
Sidekick iD finally launches
Not that any secret tends to remain well kept in the gadget world these days, but we've finally got official confirmation on the Sidekick iD. This 5.1 x 2.5 x 0.9-inch bugger's gonna run you a cut-rate $99, and features replaceable, colored bumpers, and all the basics necessary to get going T-Mobile style (including myFaves). But if you want the full Sidekick experience (i.e. camera, Bluetooth), you're still gonna have to roll with the 3. Welcome, welcome, teenage wallet-prybar. Gallery: Sidekick iD finally launches
Colorful Sidekick ID spotted in its full glory: a rebate form
For some odd reason -- and a most fortuitous one for us -- the rebate team never seems to quite get in sync with the launch team for a good percentage of handset launches, giving us tantalizing glimpses at the future of cellphones now and then, or at least a model name to go on. This time we've got all we could ask for out of this common snafu, since friendly tipster AJ managed to track down a rebate form for the much-rumored Sidekick ID on T-Mobile's site that not only promises a handy $50 to whoever can navigate its tricksy questions, but also gives us a likely sounding April 18 launch date to mull over, along with our first full-on "press shots" of the phone. The cute, pared down exterior is further complemented by a selection of primary colors, as seen above, making this a likely pick for the budget-minded "I don't need no stinkin' EDGE data" fashionphone set. In fact, with prices like these ($99.99 after a $50 rebate), why not just buy 'em all to mix and match with your outfits? You know you want to. [Thanks, AJ] Colorful Sidekick ID spotted in its full glory: a rebate form
Motorola working with Danger on "Sidekick X"?
Now that we know that Danger and T-Mobile's upcoming low cost Hiptop device will be called the "Sidekick ID," lettered suffixes on the Sidekick brand seem plausible enough -- as in "Sidekick X." This screen shot was supposedly somehow captured at a T-Mobile conference detailing a so-named multimedia-friendly device manufactured by Motorola and sporting some RAZR co-branding, indicating that it would probably retain some of the RAZR's trademark looks (read: thin, sleek, metal). Frankly, we think the whole sitch is pretty believable; after all, no one said Sharp would be the only company manufacturing devices on Danger's platform, and customers have been crying for a more "adult, professional" rendition of the Sidekick pretty much since day one. We'll keep a close eye on this one and try to debunk it or validate it just as soon as we can.[Thanks, Ed]
Sidekick ID, myFaves support to shore up Danger on T-Mobile
We've noticed that Hiptop users tend to be some of the most rabid, intensely loyal fans of their devices around; the reasons vary a bit from user to user, but the gist seems to be that Danger knows how to make products that simply work with minimal fuss. So yeah, to that end, good news: Danger and T-Mobile hear you guys, and the love is going to get a little stronger this year. First up, myFaves support is going to get pushed to Sidekick 3 owners over-the-air -- as all Sidekick updates tend to come -- adding a critical feature out of T-Mobile's playbook to its most popular exclusive device. Oh, and the Danger options in T-Mobile's lineup are going to get a little more extensive, too (read: two devices instead of one). We knew there was a low-end Hiptop of some sort gettin' baked by California's funkiest mobile platform folks, but the smart money always said it'd be called something a little more interesting than "PV150," Sharp's model number for the new piece. We now have that name, at least in T-Mobile nomenclature: "Sidekick ID." Besides being myFaves compatible, the new model will lack EDGE and a cam to keep pricing low -- like "$99.99 after $50 rebate" low. Not bad, Danger; not bad at all. Just add a high-end Sidekick with support for T-Mobile's odd brand of 3G and you'll have a little something for everyone.[Thanks, The Fish]
T-Mobile officially announces Dwayne Wade Sidekick 3
If you're not a huge fan of the Miami Heat, you're probably not all stoked to hear the firm details about T-Mobile and Danger's latest Sidekick 3 variant, the Dwyane Wade (or D-Wade, as it were) Edition. As we know by now, nothing else differs about this one from its other flavorless and flavored editions, but for the D-Wade obsessed it could be a must-have. Snag yours starting February 21st.
Sidekick 3 sportin' the iPhone theme
First, we caught a Windows Mobile phone posing as the iPhone and now its the Sidekick's turn at it. It appears that one user, with a lot of time on his hands, decided to trick out his SK3 with an iPhone theme (right down to the the fish screensaver.) We think it looks interesting -- just too bad that Danger-sized display doesn't give him much room to work with. Now, everyone take a guess on how long it will take the folks in Cupertino to sue him, OK?
Sharp, Danger prepping low-end Hiptop?
We're light on details and heavy on extraordinarily boring radiation analysis reports at this point, but the FCC's just cleared a Sharp device going by the model number PV150. Ring any bells? It should -- the Hiptop 2 went by PV100 and the Hiptop 3, PV200, suggesting that this'll be another Danger-developed device (as if the "Powered by Danger" on the ID label weren't evidence enough) slotting somewhere in between. Interestingly, there's no mention of 2.4GHz testing in the FCC docs, leading us to believe that the PV150 (Hiptop 2 1/2?) lacks Bluetooth and lending support to the theory that this is a lower-end device. On the upside, GSM 850 and 1900 are both on board, so T-Mobile would have little trouble slapping a "Sidekick" label on this one and rolling it out in these parts. Rest assured, we're going to be on the hunt for shots of this sucker.[Via Phone Scoop]
Sidekick 3 hits the UK
The UK might be flush with UMTS, but for a change of pace, here's one hotly-anticipated device just now launching east of the pond that doesn't do 3G. The Sidekick 3 has been kicking around for a few months here on T-Mobile's US network (along with a couple of its fashion-savvy siblings) and they've finally seen fit to prep it for a European launch, offering Brits all the same screen-spinning, trackball-having, QWERTY-typing action that we've been enjoying. The feature list is identical as best we can tell, leaving only the exact release date in question -- expect it some time in December.[Thanks, Ed]
The Sony mylo's first street review
While the Sony mylo isn't really meant for your lap (we envision it as more of a dual-handed device -- or, erm, "dual-core," if you will), Laptop nonetheless decided to take 'er for a spin -- one of the first in-the-wild reviews that we've seen since our recent unboxing. The verdict? It's a cute little curvaceous piece of hardware that does what it advertises -- you can surf the web, Skype, IM, and play back media from it all with ease (they even claim it plays back WMA "secure", i.e. PlaysForSure, which we somehow highly doubt). But the mylo isn't the be-all Sidekick killer that Sony would surely like it to be. The magazine described the keyboard as too small and cramped for their liking and added that the mylo didn't handle all web pages perfectly (specifically the image-heavy MySpace, whose denizens Sony is aiming at) on its 2.4-inch display. This led us to wonder if we'll start seeing mylo-friendly webpages in the near future, but nevertheless, we still think Engadget looks best on the biggest screen in your house.
T-Mobile hacker gets slap on the wrist
What better deterrent to breaking into T-Mobile's customer database, than a year of being forced to sit at home with nothing to do but screw around on the 'puter? We can't imagine, and apparently neither could U.S. District Judge George King, sentencing 23 year old Nicholas Lee Jacobsen to a whopping 365 days of home detention for the 2004 crime in which several hundred names and Social Security numbers were swiped (not to mention the Sidekick contents of a Secret Service agent, of all people). To be fair, the hoodlum was also ordered to pay T-Mobile ten grand -- and we have to believe the feds are doing what they can to keep Mr. Jacobsen away from technology for the time being -- but we wouldn't have minded seeing some hard time involved.
Keepin' it real fake, part XXX: Sideki... er, Slide Click
No one's going to be fooled into thinking this thing is the genuine article -- but for kiddies asking mom 'n pop for a Sidekick, this might be a decent substitute if actual phone communication isn't a priority. The $34.95 "Slide Click" serves as a super-basic organizer and calculator, while two of 'em can pair up to send text messages to each other within 50 feet. More importantly, with the Sidekick knockoff styling, the young'uns can look just as hip as their older siblings toting the real deal but without that pesky monthly bill.[Thanks, Dave]
Custom backgrounds on your Sidekick 3
Where there's a will, there's usually a way. Sidekick 3 owners miffed about being trapped inside Danger's walled garden of content will be happy to know that some resourceful peeps have managed to drop custom backgrounds and themes on their units -- and it appears to be a pretty simple process, to boot. Modify a text file, drop a few images via USB, and you're good to go. At least until Danger decides to patch to get you non-conformists back in line, that is.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sidekick 3 wipes credit cards?
Apparently, the magnet used to latch the screen on the Sidekick 3 can hold a fork captive, leading some guys with a credit card reader to ask the obvious question: what happens if a magnetic data stripe passes in harm's way? Sho' nuff, it looks like you get a bricked card. Of course, the number can still be read and typed in, but stay with us, folks -- the point is that the closed Sidekick ate the stripe in less than a second of exposure. We're guessing most people aren't carrying their credit cards in their pocket along with their phone, but don't say you haven't been warned.[Via Mobile Magazine]
Sidekick 3 fetches $4050 on eBay
Despite the fact that the long-anticipated official launch date is fast approaching, the demand for Sidekick 3s appears to be as hot as ever, with one lucky/crazy individual scoring one of the suckers for over four grand on eBay -- and it wasn't even a pimped out one. While the seller appears to be legit (no, it's not us), we can't say the zero feedback of the winning bidder inspires much confidence of him actually ever receiving a dime. But who knows, maybe it's some celebrity going incognito after failing to snag a freebie at the big launch party in LA last week. Gotta fit in, you know.[Via GigaOM]
All's well that ends well for stolen Sidekick
Not long ago we reported that Evan Guttman's pal had lost her Sidekick, which somehow mysteriously wound up in the hands of a girl in Corona, Queens, who used the stolen device only to find her self-portraits showing up all over the internets. Well, all's well that ends well for Ivanna, the woman to whom the Sidekick originally belonged. After braving threats from the Sidekick swiper's brother, an MP, and basically outing the family to the general public for not simply returning the phone (which resulted in limited harassment, and Engadget editors TPing their home), Evan and Ivanna turned the identified parties into the police, resulting in the arrest of Sasha Gomez, the young lady pictured right, on charges of possession of stolen property in the fifth degree. Now, we're not sure anyone should really have been arrested for grabbing an ownerless Sidekick out of a taxi and keeping it for your own -- we think some community service might do the trick -- but let it be known to all you would-be criminals out there: stealing phones isn't just bad, it's bad for you.
Sidekick 3 review roundup
By the time the Bluetoothin', memory expandin' Sidekick 3 drops on T-Mobile come next month, it's our duty here at Engadget to make sure our readers practically know more about the phone than your average Danger employee. The next phase in that plan involves a barrage of reviews, presented here for your perusal. Complaints centered around the device's weak-but-common 1.3 megapixel camera, while the redesigned glossy keyboard earned mixed ratings. The critical reaction has been generally positive, with some reviewers suggesting that the third iteration of the Hiptop is the first one strong enough to serve as a dedicated phone. Read - Mobileburn Read - PC Magazine Read - LAPTOP Magazine Read - Phone Scoop
