Life as a Sidekick user is starting to return to normal as T-Mobile/Microsoft/Danger slowly announce each piece of data that is restorable as they make progress. We’ve gotten back Address Books, Calendars, To Do Lists, Notes, and most recently Photos. I know a lot of people are still waiting on Bookmarks and I imagine that will be next in line. However one of the hallmarks of the Sidekick is still missing and we haven’t heard any word on when it will return.

I’m of course talking about the Download Catalog, aka the first App Store. The Catalog has been down for over a month and this sucks both for Sidekick users as well as Sidekick Developers. I’m sure T-Mobile is feeling the hurt too as a large source of their income from Sidekick users comes from selling applications, ringtones and themes.

While there are no other ways to get applications (save having a developer key), it is possible to get ringtones and themes while the catalog is down from unofficial sites. Themes for most Sidekicks can be found at Sidekick Themes and if you have a Sidekick LX 2009 you can get free ringtones at Skringers.com.

UPDATE (2009-11-11): We’re hearing through the grapevine that the Download Catalog may be up by Saturday if things go well! Keep your fingers crossed.

Got a broken Sidekick that’s not covered by insurance? Maybe you dropped it and now you need to fix your Sidekick LCD screen. Or maybe your trackball is just incredibly dirty and you want to pull it out and clean it. Well if you’ve got nimble fingers and are good with a tiny screwdriver, you’re in luck. We came across a site called Fix My Sidekick which has a number of tutorials including photos on how to take apart your Sidekicks. Here’s a sampling of some of the articles:
* How to Replace the Sidekick LX Faceplate and LCD Lens
* Fix a White LCD Screen on Your Sidekick
* How to Remove and Clean Sidekick 3 Trackball
* Fix The Backlight on Your Sidekick
* How to Replace a Sidekick 3 Screen
etc.

Check them out if you’re suffering from the broken Sidekick blues and are still holding out for a 3G Sidekick before buying a new one. You can also get replacement parts (or a new Sidekick if the repair fails) from SidekickShopper.com.

image via FixMySidekick

If you’re like me and tend to get lost, then maps are your best friend. If you’re also like me, it’s a pain to try to fold those maps back up and stuff them in your back pocket. Mike writes in to let us know that Google Maps will now work on your Sidekick. It’s not as great as the developer builds of a Google Maps app that were floating around, but it will do in a pinch to help you find your way. Just follow this link to use Google’s more Sidekick-friendly maps. It’s also best if you switch to (Menu->View) Full-Size layout in the browser.

We’re all about the community that’s formed around the Sidekick over the years. It’s amazing at the number of groups that the Sidekick has given rise to. Whether it’s chatting on forums (PBD forums or Hiptop3.com forums), posting on a community blog (Hiptop Nation or PBD Blogs), sharing Sidekick Themes (sk08, skLX, skSlide, or sk3), doing the annual Halloween HiptopHunt, or just saying hi to someone with a Sidekick on the bus.

Now we have one more site that strengthens this community, SidekickProfiles.com. It’s brand spanking new, but it looks like it has a lot of promise. It’s basically like MySpace, but for Sidekick users. The layout is specifically designed for the Sidekick browser and loads fast and perfectly every time. It has a lot of the same basic features of MySpace and should be a great way to connect with other Sidekick users. You can setup your own profile with pictures and customized layouts. You can also add friends, leave comments, message people, etc. I recommend you check it out! I did