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Review: Sidekick LX

Form Basics Extras Video Wrap Up Comments 8

Screen

All I can say is "whoa" - Keanu Reeves style. Yes, the iPhone has an unbelievably dense, high resolution screen with more pixels, but the LX gives it a run for its money. The screen is crisp, bright in all light conditions and a joy to read thanks to the new font Danger created for this latest series of phones. I was worried that it wouldn't be as readable outdoors as the old reflective screen, but as soon as the backlight kicks on, it's more legible than older models.

Signal

Sidekicks have never been known for their amazing signal strength and the LX does little to change this reputation. In fact, performance is almost exactly the same as the Sidekick 3. The LX fails the vault test. It is unable to hold a signal long enough to make a call or get online. It also loses reception easily in weak coverage areas. When returning to better coverage, it gives the impression of re-joining the network faster, but in truth it is no faster than the Sidekick 3 was.

Sound

The D-pad that doubles as the speaker is disappointing. At low volumes, the sound is fairly clear, but the volume is so soft that you can only use it at such low volumes in very quiet rooms. Turning the volume up doesn't make the call louder so much as it just distorts it.

The LX makes up for this shortcoming with both Bluetooth support as well as a 3.5mm headset jack. Sound quality through either is superior to the built in speaker.

Battery

Despite the much larger screen which now requires a backlight, the LX actually goes slightly longer on a single charge. It now makes it two full days, but just barely, and only if you keep Bluetooth and music use to a minimum. If you forget to forget to charge your Sidekick on the second day, it won't be long before you hear the familiar sound of the battery warning. Thankfully that sound is no longer played at the maximum volume. So your Sidekick no longer announces it's dying to the entire neighborhood.

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Sharp Sidekick LX 2007

3" display 400 x 240 pixels
OMAP 331 processor
1,540 mAh battery
Memory Card Slot, Hardware Text Keyboard, Headphone Jack (3.5mm)

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