The Sidekick's QWERTY keyboard is pretty easy to use, except for the top row of number keys, which sit very close to the bottom edge of the screen. There's an onscreen dialpad that you can access using the track ball (actually a bit time-consuming, so it might be easier to just use the keyboard) and you can also scroll through your address book and select and call contacts. The good news, however, is you can now dial numbers without having to use the keyboard. We did find that the top row of number buttons were pretty close to the edge of the bottom of the screen, so there were occasions our thumbs bumped against it. There's plenty of spacing between the keys, and we were able to easily compose messages. ![]() The keyboard itself is similar to the one found on the Sidekick LX. With the exception of the Sidekick Slide, the T-Mobile Sidekick has a swivel-screen design where if you nudge the upper-right corner or the lower-left corner of the screen, the display will rotate a full 180 degrees and expose the full QWERTY keyboard. ![]() The camera lens is located on the back of the phone minus a flash or self-portrait mirror and finally, there's a microSD expansion slot, but you have to remove the back cover to access it. As we've noted in our other Sidekick reviews, we found these controls a bit hard to use since they're pretty tiny in size and set flush with the phone's surface. The volume rocker and the power button are located on the bottom. On top of the unit, there are two function buttons that perform different tasks depending on which application you are using, as well as a mini USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The T-Mobile Sidekick is available starting today in select stores and online for $149.99 with a two-year contract after rebates and discounts. For these reasons, we think the Sidekick will be a hit with its target audience of young T-Mobile customers looking for an all-in-one communication device. Beyond looks, the Sidekick also ships with all the new features that were introduced with the Sidekick LX software update, including stereo Bluetooth support and video recording and playback, while keeping its strong messaging capabilities. Shells cost $14.99 for two or $9.99 each. While we saw some of this in the T-Mobile Sidekick iD, where you could swap out color bumpers, the Sidekick lets you not only change the color but also allows you to add your own graphics, images, and designs to the outer shell, making it completely unique and your own. The big highlight is the new level of personalization. And they have – for sure – released some unusual devices.With the new features, extra level of customization, and affordable price tag, the T-Mobile Sidekick is a good choice for the carrier's younger customers looking for an all-in-one communication device. After all, they’ve got nothing to lose anymore. What do you guys think? If you could pick a manufacturer – in a completely make-believe, never-gonna-happen dream world, who would it be? For me, I’d love to see a BlackBerry-made device. Anything without those two key ingredients isn’t a true Sidekick. As long as it had the 180-degree mechanism and the physical keyboard. If any manufacturer did decide to give it another go, I’d buy one in a heartbeat. It was never market-leading, and never sold in astronomical numbers. I’ve written before how much I’d love T-Mo to bring back the Sidekick range, and I know many out there will agree with me. I couldn’t use any of the web-based services on this old device, and that made me sad. Now, any old Danger Sidekick is nothing but an expensive and rare paperweight. ![]() And two years later, in 2011, the company pulled the plug on the very thing keeping old Sidekicks running. Things were already going downhill before Danger’s infamous server crash of 2009. It was geared to be a fun, communication-centered product. The original model featured monochromatic display, a scroll-wheel which lit up in all the colors of the rainbow and even shipped with a plug-in camera. It went through many changes throughout its life as a range, eventually ending up as a Samsung-made Android device which was a pale imitation. Its iconic 180-degree rotating display and awesome physical keyboard made it stand out in a market full of candybar style and flip phones. Having originally launched in 2002, the T-Mobile Sidekick became of the most instantly-recognizable phones on the market. Today was one of particular interest to TmoNews readers and T-Mo fans alike. Some of you who follow me on Twitter will know I’ve been running a series of retro phone reviews over on PhoneDog’s YouTube channel.
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