No, it’s not the Sidekick 4. And it’s not another Sidekick 3, but more like a Hiptop II with less hardware features and a Sidekick 3 OS. Sharp is still the manufacturer on this one, so it’s not the Motorola device we’re guessing is in the works. It sounds like this is going to be targeted at people who don’t want to drop the cash on the full feature set of a Sidekick 3. Rumor has it that it will be missing a camera (good for those in high security jobs), no miniSD card, and of course no MP3 player since there’s no storage. That’s about all we’ve heard so far. No word on whether it will be carried by TMobile, or what it will be named. We doubt it will be a Sidekick, or even a Sidekick Light, but you can bet the OS is probably similar since that’s what Danger banks on. We’ve heard that the hardware is similar, however with a different screen (lower resolution cause it’s cheaper). We’re still digging for details past that.

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With Apple’s recent announcement of the iPhone (way too many details available on your favorite gadget sites), a lot of people are wondering, “Is it worth jumping from the Sidekick to the iPhone?” Of course this boils down to a personal preference for everyone, but there are a few things that are making us want to stick with the Sidekick 3.

– SIZE! We were originally told the iPhone was 6″ long. The spec on Apple’s page say that is not so. Here is an updated size comparison:

– A keyboard. You can’t walk down the street typing without looking on a virtual keyboard with no tactile feedback. There is a need for input, no arguing that, and with “smart devices” a large percentage of the input is text. Ipod style interfaces (touchscreens, wheels, etc) are great for navigating data, but not for inputting.

– Removable battery. We like knowing that a battery can be replaced without having to replace an entire unit or take it in for service.

– The user interface. Danger excels as far as a user interface. It’s very quick and easy to pickup and once you’re used to it, it becomes second nature to fly around the OS.

– The “Flip” C’mon, you know it’s just cool.

Any other thoughts or comparisons? Drop em in the comments below.

When we heard there was a cradle for the Sidekick 3 available from Monaco Wireless, so we figured we’d give it a try. Like many people, our first thought was “Aren’t these for handhelds that can’t sync wirelessly?” and we figured it seemed a little silly. But then we actually got it, and it turns out it’s quite convenient.

The Sidekick 3 cradle is not really geared towards syncing data even though there is a USB cable for connecting to your computer to transfer mp3s and themes. It’s more about charging your Sidekick 3 and/or an extra battery. The Sidekick obviously sits in the cradle as expected, and there’s a convenient spot for charging a battery behind it. So while you’re out running around all day, draining your battery sending IMs to all the ladies, you can be charging your second battery so it’s ready to go when it’s time to go out for the night. And yes, you can charge the Sidekick and an extra battery at the same time thanks to design of the cradle.

One other nice feature about the cradle is the angle that it’s tilted at. Instead of letting your Sidekick sit flat on your desk and having to pick it up everytime you want to check something, the cradle tilts it at a comfortable viewing angle while it charges. Great for those of us that work desk jobs and want to keep an eye on incoming messages but still look like we’re working. You can also flip the screen open while the Sidekick is in the cradle for quick access to the keyboard. The only buttons you can’t get to are the power and volume buttons on the bottom.

There was only one thing that we didn’t care much for on the Sidekick 3 cradle. There’s a small LED light on the front that indicates the charging, which would be great. However, if you don’t have an extra Sidekick battery in, it alternates flashing red and green, which can be a bit distracting. We asked about this and were told it was by design because there was no other way to determine if a battery was charging if the Sidekick 3 was in the cradle. With a battery in the dock, it should stay a solid red. Like most people, we’ll be keeping the battery in the cradle until it’s needed to avoid the flashing.

If you’re looking for one of these Sidekick 3 cradles, Wireless Ground has them for sale in their online store.