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.

Looks like press photos of the Tony Hawk Sidekick LX that we’ve been waiting for are out. Rumor from BoyGeniusReport has it that it will have grip tape on the back. And like we’ve been reporting, it’s probably going to have all the features and improvements that are coming with the Sidekick LX OTA. Basically it’ll be running the same version of the operating system as the Sidekick LX after the OTA to come. We haven’t gotten official word from T-Mobile yet, so of course the obligatory “grain of salt” is required, but as soon as we have the official word, you will be the first to know!

We’ll be keeping an eye on eBay to see if a Tony Hawk Sidekick pops up. Any bets on how much they go for?

via BGR

The Sidekick LX OTA is going to open up quite a few new features for Bluetooth on the Sidekick LX. All of these features are of course software based so everything that the LX is getting, the Sidekick Gekko will also have. Here’s a list of the bluetooth features:

* Phone calls – Use either a Bluetooth hands-free headset or car kit. Read more in Bluetooth Hands-Free Headset (Mono/Stereo) or Hands-Free Car Kit.

* vCard exchange – Send your vCard or any of your contacts’ vCards using Bluetooth. Read more in Set and Send My vCard and Send and Receive vCards.

* Listen to music and videos – Listen to your music or videos using a Bluetooth stereo headset or speakers. Read more in Listening Choices.

* File exchange – Exchange photos, music, or videos that you’ve stored on your memory card with other Bluetooth devices. Read more in Send and Receive a File.

* Print – Print a photo on a Bluetooth printer. Read more in Send a Photo to a Printer.

Yes, it says “Print a photo on a Bluetooth printer! Pretty cool if you ask me. I’ll be at the local Best Buy printing off pictures of my cat if you need me.

Wondering what the Sidekick will be able to record and playback as far as video is concerned? We’ll we’ve got the 411 straight from the manual:

Note! The SonicBOOM Media Player will play 3GP and MP4 (simple profile) video files, and MP3, WAV, MIDI, WMA, AAC (MP4), XMF, RMF, AIFC, IMY, AMR music files. It will not play RAM, M4P, FLAC, RA, AVI, or any other file that is not listed above.

Sorry gang, no YouTube support this time around. Maybe when a 3G device comes out in the distant future.

As for the format the Camera will record videos in, it looks like that’s going to be .3gp files using the H.263 video codec. Should be nice and small for sending to your friends.

For all those that were doubting us when we said that video was coming to the Sidekick LX via an OTA, we present you with a page straight from T-Mobile.com. The text reads:

Viewing available memory for pictures and videos
To view available memory for pictures and videos, perform the following steps:
1. At the Jump screen, roll to and select Camera.
2. The available space for new pictures appears in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.

The original page for the Sidekick LX can be found here (if they haven’t pulled it yet). There’s also the same page for the Sidekick Slide, although we haven’t heard any details on an OTA for you Slide owners yet and there’s also this page which says: “The Sidekick Slide does not support sending video messages.” So we’re going to stick with saying to expect the video OTA for the LX, but not for the Slide. Sorry Sliders.

Pictures and videos man. Pictures AND videos.

-Thanks to Ryan for catching this.

A little birdie told us that with the OTA update, the Sidekick LX will finally get support for A2DP Bluetooth devices. What does this mean? In short, you’ll be able to listen to phone calls, MP3s, videos, games, etc. in high quality stereo sound using bluetooth headphones.

(image via)

We’ve been saying it for months and months, but now we’ve actually got some picture proof for you guys. Yes, the Sidekick LX is getting video, as evidenced by the screenshots above. We’re still trying to figure out details on what exactly the Sidekick will support as far as video is concerned. But yes, you will be able to capture and playback video on the Sidekick LX. I’m sure the question on everyone’s mind is “Will I be able to watch YouTube videos?” and as of now we don’t have a firm answer yet. Rumor has it that the H.264 codec will be supported, and YouTube started encoding videos in H.264 for Apple awhile back. So there may be some sort of workaround, but as far as a dedicated YouTube app for the Sidekick LX, we haven’t heard anything yet. We’ve also heard that it might be H.263 instead of H.264. We’ll let you know as soon as we nail it down so you can start converting your videos to be ready.

But for all you Sidekick LX users, look for an OTA coming very soon. And if you’ve been holding off on getting a Sidekick LX because of the lack of video support, it’s time to spend that money you’ve been saving. There was also a recent price drop in the device yesterday, so take advantage of that.

Looks like the T-Mobile Sidekick is on a sponsoring spree! They’re just finishing up the Grammy Tour (last show in L.A. on Wednesday) and as I was looking for more info on the Tony Hawk Limited Edition Sidekick LX, I found out that they’re also sponsoring Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huckjam this year! The tourdates are up, and if the Grammy tour is any indication of how T-Mobile throws an event, then you’ll want to hit this one up. Here’s a list of the dates, cities and the venues:
Fri • Jul 18 San Antonio, TX Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Sat • Jul 19 Corpus Christi, TX Concrete Street Amphitheatre
Sun • Jul 20 Houston, TX Sam Houston Race Track
Wed • Jul 23 Birmingham, AL Verizon Wireless Music Center
Thu • Jul 24 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
Sat • Jul 26 Harrington, DE Delaware State Fair
Sun • Jul 27 Boston, MA Great Woods Amphitheater
Wed • Jul 30 Moline, IL I Wireless Center
Thu • Jul 31 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
Tue • Aug 05 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Wed • Aug 06 Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion
Thu • Aug 07 Long Island , NY Nikon at Jones Beach
Fri • Aug 08 Philadelphia, PA Tweeter Center
Mon • Aug 11 TBA TBA
Wed • Aug 13 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Thu • Aug 14 St Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Fri • Aug 15 Kansas City, MO Kemper Arena
Sat • Aug 16 Denver, CO Fiddlers Amphitheater
Mon • Aug 18 Boise, ID Idaho Center Amphitheater
Tue • Aug 19 Seattle, WA White River Amphitheatre
Wed • Aug 20 Spokane, WA Spokane Fairgrounds
Fri • Aug 22 San Jose, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sat • Aug 23 San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium
Sun • Aug 24 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Anyone that keeps tabs on which celebrity uses a Sidekick will know that Tony Hawk loves the Sidekick. The press release for the Sidekick II even quotes him:

“I can’t live without my Sidekick,” said skateboarding icon Tony Hawk. “I take it everywhere with me. It allows me to answer emails as they come in instead of coming home to 100 different messages.”

So it’s not too big of a surprise to hear rumors that he’s going to get his own Limited Edition Sidekick LX. We hope he’s still not stuck on the Sidekick II, but if so, this will be more than enough reason to upgrade.

No official word from T-Mobile on this yet, but rumor has it that the Tony Hawk Limited Edition Sidekick LX will launch on July 16th. This is perfect timing as it is 2 days before the first stop on Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huckjam presented by T-Mobile Sidekick. Yes, another event with a name just as long as the 50th Grammy Celebration Concert Tour presented by T-Mobile Sidekick. We’re not even sure of the color of this one yet, but as soon as we find out more info, we’ll let you know. What color do you think it should be?

TmoNews says it so it must be true, right? 🙂