Not happy to let the T-Mobile Sidekick be the only device to keep its name, T-Mobile has, as you all know, released the update to the Sidekick LX named… the Sidekick LX. Similarities don’t end there, however. We’ve covered the device a little bit but we’ve now got a unit of our own and in addition to some unboxing photos, here are some of our continued first impressions:
The screen is possibly the best screen we’ve seen on a mobile device. RIM really nailed it with the Bold and 8900 but we think the ‘kick take it one level further. Anyone who has used a Sidekick before will obviously be right at home. The main navigation buttons like Jump, Back, Menu, Cancel are all in the same positions and the trackball makes navigating really simple. What about the keyboard? Any real ninja (not you fake ninjas) will know that the Sidekick holds the title for best mobile QWERTY. Ever. It’s not debatable and you will be banned for making a comment that says otherwise. So how is the LX’s keyboard? Fan-friggin-tastic! Really, really awesome. The thinness of the device is much appreciated nowadays but we really wish they’d step it up in the application department. Apple’s App Store approval process makes T-Mobile’s Catalog approval system look uncivilized and down right stupid at best, plus, it’s not like there are any great tools to develop applications with either on the Sidekick. At the end of the day it’s about the OS and we’re not sure Danger’s OS cuts it.
As far as the social aspect of the device, there’s still some major idiot decisions all around. First off, the 6MB mailbox. Do you even want anyone to at least try and take this seriously? It seems like you do. You added Exchange support finally. 6MB though? Get real. The browser is still pretty horrid and with no other 3rd party options, you’re out of luck. As usual, the Sidekick holds the crown for instant messaging. Yes, it does. Now with photo support (something that should have been added long ago), too. MySpace on the Sidekick is crack (if you uh, still use MySpace), but we need some time to dig into the new Twitter app and Facebook app.
All in all, the key phrase for the last two years for the entire industry (minus a very, very select few exceptions) has been evolutionary and not revolutionary. In a world where even Google is having trouble battling the BlackBerry, Apple and Nokia champs, the Sidekick brand (or Danger, or Dangersoft) really needed to come out swinging. It’s a completely different landscape than it used to be when the Sidekick reigned supreme, and we keep feeling like each new Sidekick product cycle should have happened an entire cycle ago — not where the roadmap currently sits. We’ll dive into this thing and get a review going. For now, check out some flicks in the gallery!
