the custom shells seem really cool

dahdout

The features are great but something that I've always been drawn to is the feeling of solidity. I've got zero experience with Sidekicks but this phone just looks like it would have that "squeaky, plasticky" flex-sound to it, and that the screen would soon be wobbly. I'm just curious if they've been able to give it the feeling of quality.

chonnes

The only "adult" I've ever seen use a sidekick is Paris Hilton, and I'm not sure she exactly qualifies as an adult, even with the sarcasm quotes.

thechansen

The Gizmodo Sponsor Gizmodo Content feedback loop is imploding on itself as I gaze upon a half dozen T-Mobile logos on the front page...

(Nah, I actually have full faith in the credibility of Giz's writers)

Hiphopopotamus

@phnxamg: That's the sales pitch.

cipotefello

It still looks very myspace/high school/tweenish.

phnxamg

Price without contract?

.endejas.

Did you know that nearly half of all sidekick customers are deaf? The deaf community is finally able to leave the grasp of T-Mobile and its terrible service as more choices with good AIM, email, web and text services have popped up - the iPhone and the Blackberry series. I can easily make the prediction that with this "deaf exodus" towards other phones, this is going to be the last sidekick ever.

iananthony

I just bought my first smart phone (a Moto Q), and I am already in love with the QWERTY keyboard. I can barely use a normal cellphone anymore, and I think something like this would be good for me. I do text frequently, and don't need the corporate parts of windows mobile like push e-mail etc; I don't have a data plan and don't plan on getting one. Then again, I'm a seventeen year old student so I guess I fall into the designated Sidekicks sales audience.

Research at it's finest, Danger! Hope to see a Zune phone (slash Xbox 360 USB Webcam and Speakerphone for Live) from you guys!

buttrockz

Uhm, i've had the sidekick. It's not preteeny or childish at all. It does what a blackberry does..no one is calling those preteeny or childish.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

Well I guess since T-Mobile threw some money at ya you gotta review their crap. I'm not hating though, bills gotta get paid somehow.

Oh well, its looks slick and does most things teenagers who don't read Gizmodo would want. Text and IM quickly without hassle of a complicated OS

spimoles

Notice the little icon that Says "Start Dialing!" almost as if its commanding you to call someone.

gamecrazychris

@.endejas.: $300

americandanger

Typical teen gadget. I think i hear 200,000 teens begging their parents to take them to T-Mobile.

Ramen

@thechansen: really, teenagers arent the plague, they don't eat human flesh or brains, despite popular belief...

Charging_Mooses

@HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!: Aren't you still in your teens?

thechansen

@Charging_Mooses: That's easy to say if you don't work in a high school. My experiences tell me otherwise. The Sidekick is still the tween training wheels for smart phones

thechansen

@Hiphopopotamus: Heh, just a coincidence in timing. I had no idea it was going to be T-Mobile day today.

Jason Chen

huh such a glowing review, and what's that sponsored by T-Mobile. I never!

nyaz

How's the web browser?

SportsCentre

One major flaw: It's not the iPhone.

PC+Mac Coexist

@Elliuotatar: simple soulution :: Invisible Shield sure it costs money... but what doesn't

Charging_Mooses

It looks cheap compared to my LG. Plus, like my LG, there's no way to cover the screen, and I recently gouged a huge scratch in my screen with my keys in my pocket, so I've realized having the screen unprotected is kinda stupid.

Elliuotatar

@iananthony: Last sidekick ever? You predict this directly after Danger just got bought by Microsoft?

americandanger

@elislider: It's not, but I can see why you'd say that. But trust us, it's not. :)

Jason Chen

@thechansen: Paris will bling the hell out of that Sidekick with thousands of Swarovsky crystals :-)

rjbuddyboi

this screams "sponsored review"

elislider

@thechansen: oh god i feel sorry for you... are you a teacher?

Charging_Mooses

If the iPhone never came out, I'd be using this thing. Love the To-Do list.

LOVE IT!!!

SuperCollider

Sidekick+Android= Beast.

Adisah

$150 with a two year contract will buy you a lot of phone these days. That covers a number of "real" smartphones like those from Blackberry and HTC. Really I can see no reason to buy this- their entire target demographic probably wants iPhones anyway.

mhlaxp

That's a nice device. If Microsoft wants to win, they dump Windows Mobile and go with this. It works. You can tailor the UI to different markets and build all sorts of devices....

altus

I think I might trade in my Shadow for this phone. That thing looks like a texting machine. My only gripe is that the screen needs to be just a bit bigger to be awesome. Something like 3" screen instead of 2.6"

daftrok

@gamecrazychris: Teens these days lack initiative. You have to force them to do those things

iCanhasLs2plz

@HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!:
most kids 14 and up can do what adults do.
no one's calling them adults, are they?

oh... wait a minute...

tehdahl

Wow so much hate for a Sidekick it's unbelievable. I personally don't have a sidekick but I used to have one and what I can say is usability is through the roof on these devices.

It does what it needs to quickly and efficiently. It is a great phone for texting (though I swear it needs threaded sms), IMing (nothing compares to it in this category), and emailing. Web browsing isn't half bad too, the only limitation it has is using T-Mobile's terrible data network.

Danger makes sure the OS is solid (Which it most definitely is) and intuitive, reminds me of Apple in a way. I've never had any issues with the software or hardware on my Sidekick nor do I know anyone else with issues (except when on occasion TMobile's data network goes down). Also there is no other device that I've ever used that had a better keyboard than the one on any sidekick (minus the Slide which is definitely not for men lol) not even my HTC Mogul's keyboard comes close.

So before you guy's start runnin' off at the mouth about how terrible Danger/Sharp/Tmobile is for creating these Sidekicks understand it's for a younger demographic whose main focus is text, im, myspace'ing, facebook'ing ect. not for a business owner, or Joe CEO, or a stock broker or anyone who needs corporate Email and business-esque features.

end rant/?

Ricorich196

@iananthony. wait you realize that the sidekick does more than the iphone does right....more features. video mms. msgers. if you really want to get to the nitty gritty the iphone is a really expensive ipod with a cute ui. its nothing amazing squirt.

s0x

Did anyone check out the sidekickshells.com? I've got to admit its pretty nice. You can completely customize the look from text and vector graphics to uploading images from flickr, facebook, or any other internet source.

forty4

Show when does microsoft replace the ball with a squircle on it, dear microsoft please make it slimer and less wide

utube2007

T-Mobile: the company that thought it was a good idea to raise text messaging overage charges 2 weeks before the iPhone 3G was released, thus entitling jumpers to a waiver of the ETF.

Personally, not only can this not compare to an iPhone, I don't think it would hold its own against a BlackBerry, which T-Mobile is selling for $100 with a 2-year.

Colonel Panic

@thechansen: I'm 19, I have my own car and my own place. I have credit cards and I go to college...I don't think I fit exactly into the sidekick mold you are thinking of.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

@Dakota Courtois: Did you read some of the little phrases in the ad? "No wireless company provides perfect coverage". While this is true, you don't go around saying it because it translates to "which is why we gave up trying".

On the other hand, the version that says "I'm on the go and need a phone that can (a)work internationally, (b)support my work needs, (c)not break easily" is a brilliant dig at both Verizon and the iPhone.

Colonel Panic

@Charging_Mooses: even worse, a substitute teacher.

thechansen

T-mobile, the company sponsoring Gizmodo and boasting their "street level coverage" yet in my entire COUNTY has no T-mobile service?

As badly as I want a Sidekick, I'm stuck to AT&T for coverage; and the Sidekicks' data goes through Danger servers so I can't even use data/MMS even if unlocked.

Dakota Courtois

The Sidekick isn't that bad! I broke and my girlfriend gave me her spare I found that they aren't terrible, it isn't the iphone but it does have some good features.

jrguitar311

@mhlaxp: I can guarantee you I do not want an iPhone. I've had no reason to come to Gizmodo for months because I do not want or own an iPhone.

maura_ea

@HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!:
Sooooooo, that's why Sidekicks are so successful... they're designed for the legions of dependant, spoiled brats who don't have high-paying professional jobs like you, right?

= )

ANoel

@Carmen Sucks: Two things:

(a)I thought you were 19 and turned 20 yesterday. If this is not true, I revoke my Happy Birthday and replace it with "Birthday FAIL".

(b)Again with the poor planning. Perhaps you don't understand the puerile behavior that goes on in here. I'm talking about the propensity of commenters to say "I'd Hit That" or "I'd Hit Her" or whatever the meme is.

Bottom line, your name needs a gerund - an "at __________". "Carmen Sucks At Parcheesi" or Carmen Sucks At Performing Her Own Automotive Repairs" or Carmen Sucks At Doing Her Taxes". Something like that, although the last one is only good in April.

Being 19 (or 20) and having the screen name "Carmen Sucks"....

Yeah... that's not going to work out so well.

Colonel Panic

they really need to improve and add innovation to the OS itself. stereo BT is nice for people who need a phone and mp3 player in one, but what about maps? GPS? WiFi? 3G? Isnt it about time the guts and soul of the device grew up while still having that adolscent feel? (i laugh, but I am serious) :)

Stacky Botrus

@OMG! Ponies!: I just plain suck, lol.

Nope I turned 19 :) and Don't worry I will keep the Happy birthday.

I do my own automotive repairs (although my new car hasn't had those, but i do maintenance!)
(I also do my own taxes, but you are right, once again that only applies for April)
I can't say I suck at Parcheesi seeing as how I have never played.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

@Ricorich196:
I've had a Sidekick I, II and now a III. I looked at the LX and Slide (didn't even consider an ID) last week at the tMobile store. The salesman showed me the sample '08. I'm waiting on it! My biggest gripe with all three of my Sidekicks has been the bulkiness -- they kind of remind me of the old Beta-Max video recorders compared to the DVD players of today. The '08 is half the thickness of the Sidekick I. They are moving in the right direction...

As for the "plastickiness" of the Sidekick, I've yet to break one. We keep the old ones around for when a non-Sidekick user in our house breaks a phone.

oh, and I am a 41 year old professional.

marycost

it looks nice.but im sticking to my iphone 3g.

iErik

look. i happen to own an LX im a 27 year old musician. I love the LX . Does anything that any other smart phone could do but does it alot faster. I can send out an instant message (using the direct yahoo servers for INSTANT messaging) in a flash. Unlike most other "smart phones". I personally love the sidekick and If you have ever learned the shortcuts and all the tips in the sidekick then you would feel the same.

jae_mez

I like this sidekick the most out of all of the iterations of the sidekick I've seen so far. And the 2.6" screen is definitely the main reason I like this one. I can't say that I like the name though, they should of just named it something else.

mrHiDefinition

@Carmen Sucks:
A Sidekick is a friend. A Sidekick is what I give my friends (Into a pile of "reality cushions) when they "need it".

= )

ANoel

@Stacky Botrus: This phone isn't meant for that kind of stuff. Jeez people really seem to be missing the point of what a Sidekick is.

Carmen Sucks

it's funny that the majority of people knockin on it probably have never even tried one out firsthand.

yeah, it may have some "teeny" features, but so did nokia and their swappable shells back in the day, and many of you who knock this probably had an old nokia until you felt you grew out of it. maybe it's the special editions that have most of you jaded about the device's abilities? i'm not all about blingin out my devices, but for those that are, at least the option is there... and those that arent, you have that nice, stately black to fall back on.

they're great devices. i prefer my blackberry, but even at 32y/o, i can see the ingenuity of the sidekick lineup after having given one a go for 2 weeks just to see what the fuss was all about. if you're a texter, this is a great option... if not, why are you even looking at this article?

freedom of speech is a right, but sometimes people should exercise their right to shut the hell up once in a while.

pokieoakie

little weird color scheme..Hmmm and still that cheap plastic. Why can't they change the look?

vgart

@Stacky Botrus: Thats why it's a kids phone. It's made for myspace and AIM. Nothing else.

@ANoel: lol exactly

@Carmen Sucks: That kinda fits the mold perfectly but thanks for playing. Renting while your in college doesn't really count because that's just a glorified dorm, I would hope that since you most likely got a car at 16 or 17 that you would own it or be close to owning it. I had my g20 paid off by 20 and I got it when I was 17, and being able to incur debt on a credit card does not mean anything either, we all had the $500 limit my-first-credit-card play set

thechansen

@thechansen: Thanks for playing yourself, but you've lost. I OWN my condo. I OWN my car (that is right It's ALL paid off for) and I have NO credit cards with remaining balances :) I work hard in school and my job.

Carmen Sucks

@iananthony: I was just thinking the exact same thing. I worked with a deaf woman and she used her Sidekick as her communicatioon device, since, DUH, she couldn't use a conventional cell phone.

Karinabob

Yeah, i have the lx, but im afraid i'll soon be switching to the blackberry bold. although this new sidekick is nice, danger is too controlling in what they let you do with it.

those custom skins are pretty dope though, and im sure alot of people will buy them just for that.

bobojuice

OH NOES!!!!! It bees an iPhonez killer!!!!!

JEmlay

@Carmen Sucks:
A lot of adults, let alone teenagers, find it hard to go to school, study hard and do well and work hard at part time jobs and pay for tuition and their own living space and living expenses and a car. Fewer still 18 year olds OWN their own condos and cars and have no debt for all their clothes and makeup and shoes and cellphones and refreshments, etc.
I have two daughters, one just graduated from University, the other in 3rd year ... so I know.
You must be really exceptional Carmen... how do you do it?

ANoel

I just went and bought mine. it's a badass phone to be honest, i love the misspelled word corrector. its small and handy and pretty well built. the only thing that bugs me is the fact that the camera has no flash, the fact that the battery is as big as a moto razr battery and where the USB and headphone plugs are. other than that, its a badass little phone, kinda like it more than the LX for now and yeah, kill me, but i like it more than the iPhone.

NarPhoto

@ANoel: First of all Scholarships help A LOT.
2nd of all I have been investing all my birthday money since i was little, graduation money and money from jobs since I can remember and investing those in stocks and other investments. My investments specifically aren't anyones business. I am a business major I know how to work with my money so that it works FOR ME. I also do free lance photography on the side and each job pays 2500-5000 dollars sometimes more.

Carmen Sucks

@s0x: Oh please, I've had sidekicks since 2003 and after getting my iPhone, I can definitely say that the iPhone packs A LOT more features than a sidekick with what the app store brings.

iananthony

@Carmen Sucks:
Thanks for sharing that amazing story Carmen. Your folks must be very proud!

= )

ANoel

But still no proper browser? Tsk tsk.

videoCWK

if you are over the age of 18 and you have a sidekick, then you Sir/Mam are a DOUCHE! Grow up people...

gravion17

lmao @ all of these comments bashing the sidekick. The number one complaint is that it is a tweeny phone...whatever that means. I have a sidekick and my mother has a blackberry and we use our phones for the EXACT same purposes other than she has her work email linked to it. I perfer to leave work where it belongs....at work! I can almost be sure I am positive when I say the ones on here that are bashing this phone are not CEO's, VP's or hold any type of Executive postions other wise you would not be concerned about how tweeny this phone is, so instead of the sidekick seeming immature you folks are taking that place! Its not that serious refer to someone as a Douche b/c they have sidekick, how mature is that?? So if you dont like the sidekick, by all means get your panties out a bunch and continue to favor the phone of YOUR PREFERENCE...thanks.

Oh-Really