If you’re looking for a Sidekick 2008 aka Gekko and you’re rich and you can’t wait for the release date, then you’re in luck. Just make this guy on craigslist a big offer and he might sell it to you. Regardless, looks like we’ve got the first “in the wild” pics of the Sidekick Gekko, err 2008 now.

UPDATE: A couple of eagle eye readers have pointed out the blue keypad on the Gekko as well as the LX, which indicates these are trial devices, aka devices that people are given to test before release. I’m sure this guy doesn’t yet realize that he’s not supposed to be selling these devices, especially the Gekko.

craigslist post:

SideKick Lx + Gekko – $250400 (alameda)
Date: 2008-07-15, 10:53PM PDT

ATTENTION SERIOUS NO JOKE
New Sidekick LX(BLUE)
W/ Video Capibility.(365)
Also Able to Record Own Ringtones!
Condition:9/10
Comes With Charger, Case, etc.
If interested Please Write Back.
AIM;############
510-###-#### Call/TXT
Don’t Be Afraid to ask questions. I will not deny you!
Serious Buyers please

s0 be one of the only people!!
Also Have A Regular Brown Lx. In okay Condition.! Not the Best but still usable.!< ---(250) Third Phone is the " SIDEKICK GEKKO!"n0t f0r sale unless a Big Offer c0mes! (400) ALL PHONES COME WITH HOME CHARGER USB AND ALL HAVE SCREEN PROTECTORS Also interested in Electronics: IPODS, PS3, XBOX 360 ETC + $$$$

Looks like Rockstar21 over on the PoweredByDanger forums got ahold of some information that maybe he shouldn’t have. He’s posted some blurry pics of a folder of info on the new Sidekick Gekko/2008/Aspen, slated for release at the end of July. He’s also transcribed the contents of the folder for your information:

Pricing: Get yourself a sidekick at an Affordable price. =)

Catalog: Download more apps, themes and games faster from the catalog

Address book: improved intergration. see what friends are online and immediately start chatting. activity logs. easier dialing for phone calls. improved interface.

Shortcuts: QuickFind, SpellCheck, Shortcut key strokes, and QuickJump(unified inbox and recent applications list)

Headset jack: 3.5 standard audio headphone jack

External memory: 512 mb for videos, pictures and music. can take up to 4 gb card.

Notifications: sounds, vibrations and multi colored trackball.

SMS: yes

MMS: yes

MyFaves: capable

Target Customer: Young fashionable, predominantly female who likes to express themselves and be creative.

Demensions: 120×57.5×18 mm “slightly wider, yet shorter slightly thicker than the sidekick slide”

Weight: 140 g lighter than both slide, and lx

Display: 2.6 diagonal viewing “400×240 pixel WQVGA” Mobile advanced Super V LCD (.4 inches smaller than LX)

Camera: 2.0 Mp still camera and video recorder (should be obviously noticable difference in quality of pictures and video recordings)

Instant Messaging: AIM, MSN, Yahoo. with group chat, stealth mode, and links to profiles.

Media Player: video and music player. 3gp and MPEG 4 with WMA and ACC formats.

Web Browser: yes, with zoom, pan, and scan.

Bluetooth: yes, stereo, phone calls, watching/listening to music and vidoes, sending and recieving media files.

standby time for battery: 10 days
talk time: 5 hours
128 mb ram
64 mb flash rom

Another hiptop3.com exclusive coming at you. A little birdy showed us some stuff that shows that T-Mobile is working on a site (probably https://www.sidekick.com/shells)where you can create your own shells for your Sidekick. It looks like it’s going to be going to have a fancy flash interface where you can upload your own images to help customize your device. Links at this time indicate that the actual shells are going to be made by skinit.com. (It looks like this means the “shells” might be more like the “skins” we know and love already) In addition, reminiscent of some theme sites out there, you’ll be able to browse around and see what other people have created, and you can even vote on them. I can’t wait to see what sort of theme/shell combinations people come up with. Some screenshots of the site still in development below:

Feast your eyes on some more pictures of the Sidekick Gekko. We’ve also found more concrete evidence that we were right to begin with when we found out the name was going to be the “Gekko”. Of course, this is subject to change. We’ve heard all sorts of names for this device, but Gekko has the most proof at this point.

So the latest rumor on the street is that this long awaited Gecco device is going to be called the “Sidekick 2008” by T-Mobile. We have to wonder if T-Mobile marketing is serious about launching a device halfway through the year it’s named for, but then again they did release the SKiD. We’ve squinted our eyes and examined the photos and haven’t been able to see anything that confirms that it will be called the Sidekick 2008. On the back of the screen where it normally says “Sidekick LX” or whatever, it just says “Sidekick”. So here’s your salt shaker, this is what we’ve heard. Probably even more exciting though are some fuzzy pictures floating around that you can see above and below. Looks like T-Mobile is prepared to help you customize the hell out of your device with Sidekick Shells.

via Thanks for the tip Dominic!

We’ve got more screenshots for you to enjoy of the 4.6 OTA.

Updated with Quick Find screenshots

Brightness and Sound Profile settings are now grouped together

We’ve seen those before.

As you can see here, the browser introduced a new “Full-Size Layout” option

Hiptop3.com viewed in the Full-Size Layout mode

sklxthemes.com viewed in Full Size Layout mode

Globally empty trash menu item, and Quick Find menu items

Quick Find search window

Quick Find results

*new*

Spellcheck Settings

New!

Spell Check in EMail

New!

Spell Check in AIM
More screenshots coming soon.

These are images from the 4.6 Manual we posted Here We pulled them out and mirrored them, so you don’t have to scrounge through the manual for them.

New AIM splash screen, updated to reflect AOL dropping the “Running Man” logo

Updated Camera application splash, Now showing Space Remaining and Video logo.

Camera Application recording a video. Note the 176×144 resolution.

Camera application icons and mode guide

Camera Settings

If you have a little bit of a closer look at the images on Sidekick.com previewing the Tony Hawk LE device, you can get a little peek at the OTA. They are kind of small, so we’ve zoomed them in for your viewing pleasure.

New AIM splash screen logos:

Media Player splash screen (Formally Music Player)

We’re not quite sure what that is in the middle of the splash screen, our best guess is it’s Album Art for the currently playing track.

Media Player playing a video

Take the size and quality of the video playing in the Media Player shown here with a grain of salt. It looks really edited to us.

Now, let’s go into the errors here.

T-Mobile, please stop showing the Sidekick upside down. Really.

Tony, you *almost* had it!

It was going good the first few times you showed off your Sidekick. But then…

What happened?! For someone who’s such a proclaimed sidekick fan as yourself… You should know better Mr. Hawk.

The Tony Hawk Sidekick LX is official.
T-MOBILE USA ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH WORLD-RENOWNED PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDER TONY HAWK

Collaboration Includes the New T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition

BELLEVUE, Wash. – June 5, 2008 – T-Mobile USA, Inc., has aligned with one of the world’s greatest action sports stars, Tony Hawk, for a multiplatform partnership that includes the creation of a limited edition T-Mobile® Sidekick LX™ device, presenting sponsorship support and programming for Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom HuckJam 2008 North American Tour, and events benefiting the Tony Hawk Foundation.

As one of the most renowned professional skateboarders in the world, and a respected ambassador of the ever-popular action-sports world, Tony Hawk has brought attention to the sport of skateboarding on a mass level, becoming a household name and role model for his fans, while maintaining an authentic edge among his core peers. Through close collaboration with Tony Hawk, T-Mobile is providing Sidekick enthusiasts with a limited-edition version of the popular T-Mobile Sidekick LX this summer.

Tony puts his personal design on the iconic device by giving it a true skateboard look. The bottom cover of the device is outfitted to resemble and feel just like the top of a skateboard, including a texture like grip-tape and eight simulated screws. The limited-edition Sidekick also features a slate-grey shell, accented with blue and white designs, and Tony’s well-known hawk graphic. A customized Tony Hawk theme will be included on the device featuring an exclusive video of Tony performing tricks, a Tony-inspired background, and skate-themed swivel screen open and close sounds.

In addition, the T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition will be the first Sidekick to ship with video record, play and share. It also includes other enhancements such as a more personalized Web browsing experience, stereo Bluetooth support, easier downloads and more options for theme and background personalization.

“I’ve been a loyal Sidekick user since the first model that launched back in 2002; I use my Sidekick for everything from staying connected to friends to keeping my hectic schedule on track,” said Tony Hawk. “I’m excited to be collaborating with T-Mobile to create a brand new, custom Sidekick LX that will represent action sports, as well as my own style.”

“Tony Hawk is a global sports icon revered and respected by people of all ages,” said Mike Belcher, Director of Integrated Marketing for T-Mobile USA. “His ability to keep connected to his friends, family and others while maintaining a busy, fast-paced lifestyle is what the Sidekick brand is all about.”

To support the availability of the T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition, T-Mobile will launch a national consumer promotion and also implement programming for the Tony Hawk Foundation and the annual Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom HuckJam action-sports tour. For the national promotion, beginning this summer, T-Mobile Sidekick will offer consumers and Sidekick fans alike a chance to win the ultimate prize package that will include a trip to Los Angeles and an opportunity to meet Tony in person, including a VIP pass to attend his annual charity event, Stand Up For Skateparks, in Beverly Hills, Calif., benefiting the Tony Hawk Foundation. More information on the promotion, including full contest entry rules and restrictions, can be found at www.sidekick.com later this summer.

Tony Hawk created the Tony Hawk Foundation in 2002 to help promote and finance public skateparks in low-income areas. The Foundation will launch its signature Stand Up for Skateparks benefit in East Hampton, N.Y., later this year to benefit the cause, raise funds for the development of future skateparks, as well as to launch the new T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition. T-Mobile will also be a Premier sponsor of the Foundation’s Stand Up For Skateparks annual benefit in Beverly Hills, Calif. In addition, T-Mobile Sidekick is the presenting sponsor for Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom HuckJam 2008 North American Tour, a multicity tour beginning this summer featuring the world’s best skateboarders, BMX bikers and freestyle motocross riders performing exciting routines on a million-dollar ramp system over live music. Since its inception in 2003, the hugely successful HuckJam tour has sold out venues across the country every year. In select markets of the Boom Boom HuckJam Tour, T-Mobile Sidekick will work with local radio stations for additional ticket giveaways and provide another opportunity for Tony Hawk fans to meet their icon.

This summer, all Sidekick LX customers will receive an over-the-air update that includes the new functionality that is integrated in the T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition, such as video recording and playback ability, an alarm clock, stereo Bluetooth support, and Bluetooth file transfer support. The limited-edition Sidekick also features all of the great functionality that Sidekick LX customers have grown accustomed to, such as seamless Web browsing; a dynamic MySpace experience, available for download; instant messaging; e-mail; and a best-in-class keyboard.

Key features of the T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition include:

* Iconic swivel screen and full-QWERTY keyboard (manufactured by Sharp)
* WQVGA screen with high-definition LCD technology
* Stereo Bluetooth support
* Web browser and JavaScript support
* Personalized Web surfing: full-page layout similar to a PC or standard Sidekick screen-size layout to scroll and read a page; use Mini Page to zoom out on an overview of an entire Web page; save images from Web pages to the microSD card
* Record, play and share videos: record videos using the camera; receive video attachments from e-mail, picture messaging, or sideload videos to the microSD card; play video using the built-in media player; share videos via e-mail, Bluetooth support or picture messaging
* Easy downloads: install and use downloads without the need to restart the device; set a theme as the device’s default instantly
* Built-in music player that supports MP3 and AAC
* Mood lights: customizable light settings for various communication alerts including SMS, MMS, IM, phone, e-mail, Web browsing and organizer reminders
* Customized MySpace Mobile application available for purchase through the Download Catalog

Current Sidekick customers will have a chance to be the first to upgrade to the T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition in July through www.t-mobile.com or by calling 1-800-T-MOBILE. It will be available nationwide soon thereafter at select T-Mobile retail stores and dealers. All customers will be able to pre-register on www.sidekick.com and will receive a notification to alert them when it is available. Please visit www.sidekick.com for T-Mobile Sidekick news and updates.