A couple more videos about the Sidekick 4G from T-Mobile:

Seems like today is National Get Your Hands On a Sidekick 4G Day. A number of hands-on reviews of the new Sidekick are streaming in from CTIA in Orlando. Here’s the ones that have been posted so far:

LaptopMag: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G Video Hands-on: Great Keyboard, Funky UI

• This iconic messaging device continues the storied Sidekick legacy with a very familiar look and feel but also adds the power of Android to the mix, all for $99.

PCMag: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G: Hands On

• “The Sidekick looks even better in person than it does in photos.”
• “The Sidekick is an Android 2.2.1 phone with some pretty heavy customizations, but I think they’re good looking.”
• “Three customizable colored LEDs along the top of the screen play the role of the old “disco ball,” telling you about new messages.”
• “The Sidekick felt even zippier than the usual Samsung Galaxy S phone, which was surprising given that they share the same 1GHz Hummingbird processor.”

PCWorld: Hands-On with the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G

• “The Sidekick 4G’s keyboard rocks.”
• “The user interface is basically an updated version of the old Sidekick OS’s, but with some Samsung touches here and there.”

MSNBC: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G: The phone your kids will want

• “The device is solid and felt comfortable in our hands whether we were using the full keyboard or the touchscreen. The phone has a secure sliding mechanism which we actually found ourselves preferring over the swivel mechanism of past Sidekick generations.”
• “The Sidekick 4G will be available later this year and will be priced at $99.99 (after a $50 rebate and with a 2-year service agreement with an unlimited data plan).”

AndroidCommunity: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G Hands-On – with video and lots of pics

• “The phone is clearly made for folks who like to text, type, or otherwise message one another, as the entire Sidekick line has always been, and the addition of Android has blasted its insides into outer space in a way that I can only describe as the most ambitious user interface modification ever applied to Android.”
• “This device even marks its info screen differently than the average Android phone, marking its version of Android as “Firmware version: 2.2.1? and its Build number as FROYO.UVKCB. You could also note the model number if you felt so inclined here, SGH-T839.”
• “Lots of apps seem to be integrated in like qik for video chat, Media Hub, Visual Voicemail, wifi calling, group text, and the sweetly touted Cloud Texting which will allow you to pretty much chat from whichever device you’ve got to whichever other device you’ve got one it’s released in earnest.”
• “There’s not too much NEW to say about the hardware as it’s essentially the same model T-Mobile has been Sidekickin’ since back in the day, but with Android running around inside, there’s some magic going on.”

BGR: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G hands-on!

• “…despite our initial fears that it would be a lackluster device compared to the high-end beauties recently announced, we were pretty pleased with what the Sidekick 4G offers.”
• “It felt well built and its display hinge felt very sturdy when we popped it open to reveal the keyboard.”
• “The Sidekick 4G has a 3-megapixel camera but sadly, it lacks a flash. For those up on video-chatting, however, there’s also a front-facing camera.”

cnet reviews: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G gets priced, hands-on treatment

• “The new Sidekick will cost $99.99 with a two-year contract with unlimited data and after a $50 mail-in rebate. Alternatively, you can purchase the messaging handheld for $149.99 with a two-year service agreement and lower data plan, such as its 200MB data plan.”
• “Instead, the Sidekick 4G has a slider design with a spring-loaded hinge. Sliding the phone open was generally easy, and the screen securely locks into place at a slight angle, so it’s easier to see when you’re using the keyboard.”
• “It uses the Samsung TouchWiz user interface but the company has done even more tweaking on top of TouchWiz, including changes to the lock screen, menu shortcuts, and wallpaper.”
• “The only missing part of the puzzle is the release date, which we’ll hopefully have soon, but so far, we think it will do pretty well with the young’uns.”

Engadget: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung priced at $99.99 with a two-year contract, we go hands-on – with video

• “Much like its Sidekick 3 and iD older brothers, the slightly-curved keys are almost perfectly spaced, and while they aren’t rubbery like those on the Sidekick LX, they do have a nice smooth coating.”
• “We admit we miss the 180-degree swivel, but the slider actually doesn’t feel half bad.”

Know of any hands-on reviews that we missed? Let us know in the comments.

The moment so many loyal Sidekick fans have been waiting for… meet the Sidekick 4G!

It’s not the sexiest phone I’ve seen, but the physical layout of the 5 row keyboard gives me great hope for this new device. It’s very similar to the layout of the Sidekick LX 2009 keyboard, however most of the alt keys have been moved around which I’m sure will annoy some long time users to death. The Sidekick keyboard has remained virtually identical since the Sidekick II, why mess with it? Also the side buttons appear to be rearranged too, with the Menu button on the upper right and the Jump Menu button on the top left now re-branded as “Home” since it will be running Android.

Other things we can glean from these photos: we’re getting a camera (no big surprise), the trackball still exists, there’s a new Sidekick logo icon on the top right of the screen, we’ve lost the Call/End buttons, there’s a headphone port on the bottom left, much like the SK LX 09, we’ve lost the directional pad (another staple since the beginning), etc.

But the big thing that I know is going to upset people: it slides, not swivels.

Pics via TmoNews

UPDATE: Another pic showing that the Sidekick 4G is running Android 2.2.1

It took a large scale data disaster, but looks like Microsoft/Danger/T-Mobile will finally be giving Sidekick users a way to backup their data to something other than Danger’s servers. An OTA is rolling out to users that will allow you to backup your Address Book to T-Mobile’s Mobile Backup service. The announcement on the T-Mobile forums makes it look like this might only be for Sidekick LX 2009 users, which is a little worrisome for people with other devices.

Here’s what T-Mobile is saying:

T-Mobile will begin rolling out Mobile Backup for Sidekick LX 2009 customers via an Over The Air (OTA) process. All Sidekick LX 2009 customers should receive the OTA in the next few weeks.

What is Mobile Back up?
Mobile Backup is a free service via My T-Mobile that allows you to avoid manually re-entering contacts into a device in the event you need to replace it or in the event it’s lost or stolen.

How will I know I have it?
T-Mobile will send an Over The Air (OTA) update in phases over the next several weeks. You will receive a message that says “System Update Notice”. Once you receive the message, please accept it. Upon successful receipt of your OTA, you will receive a T-Mail confirming that you have Mobile Backup.
Another way to verify receipt of the OTA is to navigate to your device’s Address Book and select Menu. Under the drop down you will see Mobile Backup.

What if I don’t have it right now?
Don’t worry. T-Mobile is rolling this update to our customers in phases. All LX 09 customers should have it by Dec 10, 2009.

So am I at risk of losing my data again until I have the update?
Microsoft/Danger has taken steps to help ensure all data is readily available. This is an additional enhancement to backup your contact data should you change your device in the future.

For more info on Mobile backup check out https://support.t-mobile.com/doc/tm23951.xml

T-Mobile has hired a third party research firm to question current Sidekick users about what they feel a “Sidekick” really is. The questionnaire asks what defines a Sidekick, what features could or could not be included, and what features/capabilities would be the most satisfying on a device. The features/capabilities in question seem to be:

– D Pad – directional button/keys for navigation
– Easy to hold and type
– Audible sounds when navigating
– Unique, recognizable form factor
– Home key that jumps to the homescreen
– Controls on both the left and right sides
– Phone’s menu is in a “ring” format on the homescreen
– Visual notification of messages and alerts
– Easy to remember shortcut and jump keys
– Big, high definition screen
– QWERTY keyboard
– Unique, recognizable opening mechanism that reveals a keyboard
– Audible opening (aka Hinge sounds)
– Personalizable shells
– Distinctive “look”/silhouette when open
– Flashing/Colorful lights for messages or alerts
– A screen that swivels open to reveal keyboard
– “Best in class” gaming experience
– Fun to use
– An integrated messaging experience (IM, SMS, E-mail)
– Intuitive to use features and functions
– Access to social networking apps
– Ability to have multiple conversations at once
– A download catalog for applications, themes, music
– Desktop PC-like web browsing experience
– Touchscreen
– The ability to quickly navigate through various features and functions
– The ability to “open” the phone with one hand
– Outside dialing without opening the phone
– Wide variety of free and/or paid apps available for dowload
– Single, unlimited data plan
– Secondary display that shows a preview of messages
– Ample storage for messages
– Ability to use a WiFi Internet connection to make phone calls
– Reliable back up of all information on the phone

What do you guys think? Which of these features defines a Sidekick? Which features are important to you? Which ones could be dropped/added to the next Sidekick? If you want to check out all of the pages in the questionnaire, check out the gallery:

[Show as slideshow]

Want to take a peek at Danger’s official Sidekick LX 2009 manual?

Over the past few months most of our Sidekick LX 2009 questions have been answered in one way or another. But now that the device is here and actually in the hands of people it’s time to fill in the holes of the questions that haven’t been answered. Exiva was one of the lucky ones who got his Sidekick LX 2009 early. Because he’s awesome, he has agreed to answer whatever questions you have about the device.  This is your chance to ask someone who is actually holding the new Sidekick in their hands.  Here we go!

How does the keyboard feel?
-It’s a harder rubber than the LX. Same style, feels nice. There’s definitely a difference though.

How does the OS look/perform?
-It looks gorgeous on the new LCD (everything does though.) It performs really well. I haven’t noticed any slowdowns yet.

How does it compare to other sidekicks in all areas?
-It’s much lighter than the LX was, It feels more sturdy than the 08 in the few times I played with it. I haven’t tested battery life yet, so I can’t comment on that. The speaker is significantly louder than the LX’s, which is nice.

If you had ringtones on a previous sidekick, were they transferred over?
-Not sure, I never bought any ringtones.

Can we use sounds as ringtones saved from emails?
-Yes, as long as they are 100kb or less. So to get any length in the mp3 the quality will be pretty crummy. You can record on the device up to 20seconds.
Click through for more questions…

Want to watch a video of the Sidekick LX 2009 that’s totally in focus? Here’s T-Mobile’s official press release video:

There’s also the video of this guy using it:

If you’re one for soundbites too, then there’s also these videos from Emily Blair, the T-Mobile Sidekick Manager talking about the features of the Sidekick LX 2009:

Last night T-Mobile threw a party to celebrate the Sidekick LX 2009. Our invitation must have been lost in the mail on the way to San Francisco, but EngadgetMobile was there. They filmed this video playing with the Sidekick LX 2009:

According to the rep for T-Mobile:
– Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are built in automatically downloaded and installed. Technically they’re actually catalog apps so you can uninstall them if you don’t want them later though.
– YouTube video streaming looks smooth
– You can capture any length of video, but MMS is limited to 30 seconds

Thanks again to PBD for giving us a video preview of Mood Lights on the new Sidekick LX-09:

https://s581.photobucket.com/albums/ss259/appletech_pbd/?action=view&current=MVI_1944.flv