Preview: T-Mobile Sidekick

Lau Pan said:
Garbage is: The QWERTY keyboard is a disappointment. The keys are small (even for a smartphone), slippery, and hard to press.

All the new sidekicks(except for the slide) use rubber keys. And I get a lot of customers tell me its the best keyboard they've used because the keys are spread out unlike some smartphones.

Dialing a phone number is garbage. You have to slide the screen open and enter the number using the keyboard. (If you've already entered a contact into your address book, you can initiate a call with the phone closed.) Once the call is connected, you can close the phone--and to talk, you'll have to. This additional step isn't a deal-breaker, but it’s a pain. The sidekick is also bulky and heavy when on a call.

True the dialing isn't the best but a lot of full QWERTY keyboards aren't the best for dialing. It just the nature of the full keyboard. But there is an on screen key pad so you can use the track ball to dial.

The Slide, supports the EDGE data network. This is not a true high-speed, 3G data network, and it shows: Pages and images can be slow to load.

True it doesn't support 3g and only edge. T-mobile hasn't rolled out their 3g network yet. When they do though the new sidekick(not the slide) has a really nice browser.

Software is a true weakness for all Sidekick phones. They run a proprietary operating system which supports very few third-party applications. If you're looking to edit--or even view--word processing files or spreadsheets, this is not the phone for you.

Same goes for the iphone. There are some apps you can purchase from the sidekick store. Just like the iphone. But at least the sidekick can do MMS.

The camera lacks a flash, and the photos it captured were only decent at best. It cannot capture or playback video.

True the camera doesn't have a flash but most camera phones/devices don't have a flash. The picture are good but I have yet too see a whole lot better except for nokia. And yes the NEW sidekick does do video and there is an update for the LX and slide to do video.

Of the major text message devices rated sidekick comes in last in a survey in December 2007. Helio Ocean, Kyocera, LG came in the first 3. All are less money and better devices.

And were is this survey? I sell tones of sidekicks and people love them.

This is available from T-Mobile for $200 (after discounts and rebates, when signing a new two-year service agreement). Motorola gives this to T mobile for nothing and sells it high.

Yeah because the phone doesn't cost Motorola anything to make and they just give it to T-mobile. Sorry to inform you but phones cost money to make and T-mobile has to buy them from Motorola.

If you're looking for a phone with text messaging features, for two hundred dollars and a two year contract they will sell it all day because of the profit. If productivity software and value is important to you, this “ain’t it”.

The NEW sidekick is $150.00 and can be customized like crazy. In store we have 11 different shells and can create your own online. You can't do that with any of the other messaging phones out there. If you want a messaging phone the sidekick and its plan are pretty hard to beat. If you want a "productivity" phone get a blackberry or a windows mobile phone. Those are made for business. The sidekick is designed for the younger crowd to have fun with and it does that pretty well.