This is definitely one to take with a grain of salt, and there’s not really a whole lot of meat to salt! Tmonews is reporting that there are is a new device (possibly two) on the way in July. They say there’s evidence (but not what the evidence is) of a device named “SK Gekko” due on July 27th and a “Sidekick Aspen” launching on July 30th. Like everyone, we’ll have our eye on the FCC site to see what sort of info we can find on these devices if they are in fact real. Could this be the 3G Sidekick we’re all waiting for or maybe just limited edition devices? We’re putting our money on some new limited edition devices since the LX hasn’t had any Limited Editions yet and it would be silly not to offer those since they sell like crazy. Who would you guys most like to see a Limited Edition from?

Thanks for the heads-up Shawn

The blogs are abuzz with rumors of T-Mobile finally launching a 3G network here in the US. According to TmoNews, New York will be the first city to get the coveted high-speed connections in May. Another 24 cities will also be outfitted with 3G in the coming months. Of course this is all rumor and not confirmed, so take it with a grain of salt. And it means jack squat for us Sidekick users, until a 3G version of the Sidekick comes out. But with T-Mobile supporting 3G in the near future, that means there is more motivation for them to get out a 3G version of the Sidekick in order to keep that market going. Don’t get your hopes up yet, I’m sure the dust from the Microsoft acquisition of Danger will have to settle first.

Here’s the list of 25 cities to get 3G first according to TmoNews:

New York City
Austin
NJ and Long Island
Las Vagas
Minneapolis
Miami
Dallas
Chicago
Houston
Philadelphia
Denver
Detroit
Orlando
Kansas city
Atlanta
Los Angeles
New England
Portland
Sacramento
San Diego
Seattle
Washington DC
San Francisco
Birmingham
Memphis
Tampa
Phoenix

According to TmoNews (an unofficial blog about T-Mobile) the new Sidekick Slide color is going to officially be called “Scarlet” and should be available May 15th. They’ve got what looks like to be an internal memo about it.

There’s a video that proves its existence (or at least a prototype) and now BGR is reporting that the Sidekick Slide is slated for a late May/early June release from T-Mobile. They’ve also got the above image, which may just be a color-shifted version of the purple Sidekick Slide we all know.

We’ve got no further information on this yet, so buyer beware, but there’s currently two auctions up on eBay for Limited Edition Black Sidekick LXs. The seller says he has 5 units pre-ordered, 4 of them “Buy-It-Now” style and one up for auction. The seller also says that the devices won’t ship until January 30th. Reasons we’re skeptical:
The photo of the said device is very poor. It’s not a press photo from T-Mobile and the seller says he has devices pre-ordered, not in hand, so how’d he get the picture? Why is he selling most of them “Buy-It-Now” when he could definitely make more money selling them auction style? But if you’re trusting and have the money to spend, here’s a link to the Seller’s Items. He does have 100% feedback for what it’s worth.

UPDATE: Our sources say that this is fake, not to mention the auctions got pulled from eBay. We’ll let you guys know as soon as we hear anything about Limited Edition Sidekick LXs.

It’s official.. The Sidekick Slide has landed for T-Mobile customers. If you were passing on the Sidekick LX because you wanted a smaller device, then now is your chance! Check it out on the official T-Mobile page.

It’s going to cost you $329.99 without a contract, or $249.99 with a contract, which is a bit more than we were all expecting. Heck, it’s even more than what T-Mobile said it would cost. At least people are reporting that T-Mo is tossing in the free Express Shipping for the $30-50 increase in price.

Want to check out the Sidekick Slide Reviews while you wait on hold?

Let us know how your ordering experience went in the comments!

Looks like T-Mobile isn’t the only one pushing the Slide this month. Telstra has a fancy Flash page up advertising the availability of the Hiptop Slide. Sam says the retail stores were telling him November 5th! Check out Telstra’s page for more info!

Update: We’ve been told the Hiptop Slide actually was available at the beginning of November, so go get yours now!

Holding out for the Sidekick Slide on November 7th here in the US? Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about you Motorola lovers! Hands on reviews for the Sidekick Slide have been popping up now that T-Mobile has officially announced it (along with the Sidekick LX). Here’s a roundup of posts that we’ve found so far. If you’ve seen any others, drop them in the comments!

Gizmodo – Hands All Over the Sidekick Slide (Verdict: Best Build Quality Ever)
Engadget Mobile – Hands-on with the Sidekick Slide!
CrunchGear – Hands on with the Sidekick Slide
BoyGeniusReport – Sidekick Slide (Zante): Hands On!
CrunchGear – Sidekick Slide review [Update]

Well, it’s been 5 months since we first found evidence of the Sidekick LX, but the day is finally upon us. Anyone out there can run to the T-Mobile store and grab a Sidekick LX of their own! (If you live in the US) Have you gotten yours? What color did you pick? The Midnight Blue or the Espresso Brown?

Along with the official press release from T-Mobile there’s also an announcement of the “T-Mobile Sidekick Video Contest” from Sidekick Nation:

In anticipation of the new devices’ launch, T-Mobile kicks off Sidekick Nation: T-Mobile Sidekick Video Contest. To enter the contest, fans across the country can create an original video, no longer than two minutes in length, which exemplifies how their Sidekick serves as their social lifeline. Videos are to be submitted on www.myspace.com/sidekicknation beginning October 2nd and no later than November 12th. On November 21st, the entries judged as finalists will be showcased on the Sidekick Nation MySpace page for community voting which will help determine the final winner who will win the ultimate grand prize: a new Sidekick LX, $10,000 and a trip to Los Angeles to attend a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live! where highlights of the winning video will be aired.

For more information on Sidekick Nation: T-Mobile Sidekick Video Contest including the official contest rules, video submission guidelines, prize restrictions and regulations, please visit www.myspace.com/sidekicknation. For more information on the Sidekick LX and Sidekick Slide, please visit www.sidekick.com.

No word yet on when the LX will make it overseas, but we’ll keep you posted!

The Sidekick LX has officially hit for current T-Mobile customers. IF you want yours, give Customer Care a call at 1-800-937-8997, or log in to My T-Mobile and click on “Upgrade Phone” in the bottom left. If you’re eligible for an upgrade it will let you select phones. The Sidekick is under the “Handhelds” tab.

- $299.99 with a 2 year contract extension
- $399.99 with no contract extension
- $15 for Express (3 business days) shipping on the phone. Free Express shipping if you order online apparently.
- $9.95 for UPS Ground (7 business days)
- Tracking number is your 10 digit phone number (including dashes)

We grabbed a Midnight Blue Sidekick LX, no contract extension, and Express shipping for a total of $444.86 after tax!

Which one did everyone get?

Don’t forget to get your microSD card for your Sidekick LX!

Thanks to Thomas for processing our order!