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.

We’re a bit behind in the news as we’re still getting over the hangover from SXSW. But while we were gone, T-Mobile has gone and dropped all sorts of news on the new Sidekick 4G. Here’s a video they released a couple days ago.

We’re a sucker for a well-done commercial and it’s not often T-Mobile has one. But this time they pulled one out with their new Sidekick LX 2009 dance-off commercial. I’m really not sure how these people in the video do the things they do with their bodies.

For more behind the scenes of the making of this commercial and even more crazy dance moves, check out T-Mobile’s YouTube channel.

UPDATE: If you’re looking to just download Sidekick ringtones for the Sidekick LX 2009, you can get them over at Skringers.com!

Did you miss his first episode? It’s not as informational, but it’s still an entertaining approach to making it easier to kick your screen:

Last night we headed out to the Mezzanine in San Francisco for the Sidekick LX 2009 Launch Party.  The place was packed with people!  There were other parties in other cities and upstairs you could hop on a laptop and use Skype to chat back and forth with partiers in different time zones.  There were also screens showing the red carpet in LA.  If you’re wondering what celebs showed up, PopSugar has a good photo gallery.

Downstairs on the big screens the party in LA was being broadcast while DJ Morse Code spun tunes.  The bars were open and I think T-Mobile paid me back for a few months of data service.  The highlight of the night in San Francisco was DJ Jazzy Jeff showing us all that he still has skills on the turntables.  But perhaps even bigger news was from the LA party where Blink-182 reunited and performed a “surprise” set, their first in over 4 years.  They only played a few songs but there’s already video up on YouTube:

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If you have the chance to go to a T-Mobile party, take it.

Let’s hear if for a new and improved shutdown and startup animations on the Sidekick LX 2009!

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