Australia Gets First Dibs on Sidekick 2009?

Telstra Update on Hiptop LX 2009

We got the above screenshot in our email. According to the sender and the contents, it appears to be a memo to a Telstra Manager talking about the plans for the “Hiptop LX 2009“. (The Sidekick is marketed as the Hiptop in non-T-Mobile markets) It says that the 2009 was supposed to be release early this year, but is delayed due to “software compatibility issues” and the necessary repackaging for it to say Hiptop/Telstra instead of Sidekick/T-Mobile. The email goes on to say that they expect these delays will “be resolved in the March/April period” and that more info will be sent out then. It mentions that Telstra is going to release the Sidekick 2009 before T-Mobile, much like the Sidekick Slide was released.

We’re filing this under “we hope it’s true” but are very very skeptical. The proof is lacking in context and easily replicated. Just grab a Telstra logo off the web, type up some text, slap it together in Microsoft Word, and save as a PDF. So, if there are any Australian readers out there that can get us more info, please do so! We’d love to hear that this is a worldwide release.

32 Responses to “Australia Gets First Dibs on Sidekick 2009?”

  1. meme Says:

    It looks like their prayers were answered!

  2. Joekido Says:

    Well, I bet it’s true, now can we get more information of what’s in SK2009

  3. Ian P. Says:

    Looks fake to me…the logo is pretty blurry compared to the text…and the way its written doesn’t sound like an offical letter really…its like whoever wrote it went down the list of things we already knew about the new device from the original screenshot.

  4. FreddieDrama Says:

    I agree with Ian P.
    This one is a fake.
    Its too poorly written and structured to be a real press release.
    Why would a Telstra refer to the Blade as Hiptop Lx 2009.
    Hah Phone companies have a thing for using codenames so just incase something like this happens people won’t know what they are talking about. (Though it rarely is effective)

    But yea seems somone is desprate for some hiptiop love down under.

  5. gizmo Says:

    thats a fake. it is not addressed properly, the specs list is very short(usually with any cell phone things like the speakerphone and bluetooth and calender are included) the letter is supposed to be from telstra?? that is not right because authorized dealers are authorized to deal under an umbrella and do not get their product from the cell phone company. they get it grom the manufacture. that letter is a fake. dont get your hopes up guys.

  6. 915rko Says:

    any ways, it says that the can’t get it because they still have to remove the logos from the phone and box. doesn’t that mean that the sidekick 2009 is already set to go for t-mobile?????

  7. shannon Says:

    Sadly looks pretty fake to me. Telstra notices etc always have letter heads on them so that’s one clue.

    Also has been “created” in “plasq skitch” – https://i43.tinypic.com/30s7p0k.jpg

    And one last thing – at the end it says to clear your Slide stock, yet a few Telstra dealers around Australia still have Hiptop 3’s.

    Just sayin’

  8. stevo351 Says:

    yeah i agree with most readers here; it seemed a little non formal for a telstra email (“finally video recording/viewing”). of course i hope this is true as im sure everyone else does, but im leaning towards a fake. i work at a telstra reseller store and have been asking my bosses, and i even asked some telstra reps who came in the other day but they had no idea about the 2009 blade (or so they said) but they did refer me to another guy who may know and comes in every know and again.
    also the fact that it was referred to as the ‘2009 LX’ was a bit sus.
    anyway, ill try get onto this dude and ill keep you posted!!

  9. Cassie Says:

    I really want to hope its true,
    but it seems completely fake (N)
    x x Cassie

  10. Joseph Says:

    OMG!
    i cant wait

  11. Joseph Says:

    OMG!
    i cant wait
    im in australia! and i want to upgrade from my slide!!!
    hahahaha
    i hope its true!!!!

  12. James Says:

    Sorry guys but that is a fake.

    Telstra have never produced any letters that look anything like that and never have for any product in communication to staff or external partners.

    Once something comes official and it’s public info I’m sure you will all know. 🙂

  13. kayne Says:

    nah its true about it coming to Australia pretty early, because i went into a Telstra dealer, asking if the hiptop slide was on 3G, and they said no, so i didnt wanna buy it.
    but they did tell me that the new hiptop will be arriving in July/August

    however, this ‘letter’ says otherwise.

  14. Tommy B Says:

    Sales reps barely know anything themselves though, I doubt they would know anymore about the new sk/ht anymore than the guy who wrote this fake letter.

  15. stevo351 Says:

    *I JUST POSTED THIS IN THE FCC THREAD, POSTING HERE TOO*

    ok. this is lame. i hope its just a coverup so i cant spill any info they may have given me but here it is; i emailed telstra a while ago asking if they would be stocking the LX. here was my reply. (i have removed the emails due to me not being f*cked dealing with telstra’s shit)

    RE: HIPTOP?

    From: Paula Bertoli
    To: Stevo
    Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 15:40:43 +1100
    Subject: RE: HIPTOP

    Dear Steve
    Thank you for your email dated 21 February.
    I have looked into this on your behalf and am sorry to advise that at this stage, we will not be ranging the Hiptop LX.
    Thanks again.
    With kind regards
    PAULA BERTOLI – Executive Assistant

    i didnt really mind, so i continued with this:

    From: Stevo
    Sent: Thursday, 5 March 2009 6:24 PM
    To: Bertoli, Paula
    Subject: RE: HIPTOP

    thanks very much for the information, i have been calling around and have been told the latest in the Hiptop Range is the 2009 Blade.
    do you know when i will be able to get this phone? a rough month estimate would be great.
    Steve.

    to which she sadly replied:

    RE: HIPTOP?
    From: Bertoli, Paula
    Sent: Sunday, 15 March 2009 1:46:05 PM
    To: ‘Stevo
    Steve
    My apologies we will not be distributing the Blade either.
    All the best
    Paula

    so there it is, as i said i hope (and do beleive) that this is just so i dont come onto a site like here to spread my news but yeah.

  16. J.jenkins Says:

    what a load of rubbish, this is total fake. the picture has been stuffed around with and that just a picture of a cat placed on top of it

  17. unicornkid Says:

    When will we know if its truee?

    I hope sooo

  18. sam Says:

    I call fakesies because the Telstra logo that is used is from when they launched the next G network. hopefuly they are just lazy and haven’t changed it in their email system and that this news is true

  19. harrison26 Says:

    Im sure its a fake, if it is true I will be really angry, because I just signed up with a slide on a 24 month contract in february!

  20. tane Says:

    yes i know, telstra would have it more professional and would not have the detailing. plus its july and were still stuck with the crummy slide 🙁
    i hope they release the LX-2009 and for ppl who cannot afford it the iD on pre-paid… evn tho theres a one in a billion chance they wud do that but it;d be way good

  21. stevo351 Says:

    well i work at a harvey norman store and we sell the hiptops and every now and again i just check to see if anything has magically appeared in my stock list (ie the 2009 lx – which it never does) and today, instead of the RRP for the slide being $689 like usual, it went way down to $499 with an even lower cost price (information i cannot release) now thats quite a significant drop seeings i check once every week or so and it doesnt seem like any accident… its not like we just go changing prices for phones that we rarely get in. to me, this is a good thing. SLIDES are coming down in price…. perhaps to make way for a bigger better phone? oh i hope so!

  22. Laura Says:

    i live in australia, queensland and I went into telstra on the 15th of august to purchase a hiptop slide but was told they have discontinued them. i asked the lady if there is a new one coming out but she said she doesnt know for certain. i think its stupid if they take such a good selling phone off the market if they arnt going to bring out a new one. but im really hoping they are. it would sell fantastically

  23. Sheena Says:

    Laura i did the exact same thing but on the 20th of august i think? and i went to every store i could think of where i saw hiptops and they said they arent selling them due to the 2G network being disconnected next year.
    anyways
    i asked the telstra shop if there was a new one coming out, they said yes but they dont know when. i asked harvey norman and they said yes but in a couple of months. so i really dont know what to believe anymore. its pretty gay that we cant get any hiptops atm >:(

  24. jordin Says:

    I really hope its true, cuz I have a slide, and I’ve been watching vids on utube of the sklx09 and I want it baaaadddd. So I hope it comes out here. (Btw I live in queensland – AUS) lol. 🙂

  25. tara Says:

    omg i am getting so frustrated…i badly want the sidekick lx 2009 and i live in aus! i went to 3 telstra dealers and they dont sell hiptop slides anymore but they told me a new hiptop will be coming out in november….they told me this in about august…..its almost november but i havnt heard anything else…im going to have a look at other phones this weekend so im going to ask again but if anyone knows anything updattteee pleeeeease! haha

  26. Matt Says:

    Dude it’s like December and I’ve heard shit all about a new phone.. I’m so sick of living in Australia. We always get left out in the cold on things like this. It’s not fucking fair

  27. Nocturne. Says:

    Matt I agree with you.
    Australia is a shit country,
    And I can’t wait to fucking leave it.
    And its not even a matter of “we’ll get it later”
    Its “the US and Japan and Korea can shove all their new tech shit into our faces,

    AFTER wiping it all over there ass.”

    Fuck my life in Australia.

  28. shimii Says:

    No shit aye.
    This ‘letter’ is obviously bullshit as it’s December and no such phone has been released.
    The Lx looks amazing and I too have been searching them on youtube. All I can say is all Americans are fucking lucky. They always get the new technology before us Aussies. The hiptop is no where near as good as the Sidekick. Gah we can’t even buy the sidekick lx off ebay because the features won’t work. Heaps devo.
    BRING OUT THE LX!! <333

  29. Amylee Says:

    Its now the year 2010, i dont know if anyone is gonna read this. i havnt heard of or even seen the new hiptop LX.. bloody hurry up telstra.. i love my hiptop, its such a great phone and i would love a new one.. anyone got any new info about when the LX will hit aussie land?

  30. bonnie Says:

    So much for all the talk about it comming out in 2009!
    its now feb 2010 and nothing has come out!
    i just want my *****ing sidekick.
    Can i buy an unlocked one from USA and use it here?
    Internet too?

  31. sandra Says:

    l really wwanted the sidekick lx but obviously its not gonna be realesed here anyt time soon im hearding to south africa in a couple of days hopefully l can find it there

  32. micky! Says:

    wtf. its 2010. my hiptop slide jst died. i want a new effing phone/ dont want a shit iphone or black berry.
    does anyone REALLY KNOW if its coming or not. im sick of waiting!!!!!!!



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