Sidekick 2008

“The latest iteration from Sidekick's got more nicknames than David Ryder (aka Thick McRunfast aka Roll Fizzlebeef aka Big McLargehuge). Dubbed the Gekko, Gecco, Sidekick '08 and even just Sidekick, the whatever-you-want-to-call-it (for our purposes we're naming it the 2008) has finally arrived and it definitely delivers what we've come to expect from Sidekick.The biggest selling point is supposed to be the customizable skins you can order to replace the solid-colored ones (we opted for jet black). But apart from flashy aesthetics, the pocket-friendly 2008 is 0.4 inches shorter and 0.9 oz lighter than the pricier LX. It also packs features that were sorely missed with the tragically minimalist iD. Most notably, a 2.0-megapixel camera that can also capture video clips (albeit crappy ones). Though the 2.6-inch WQVGA swivel screen's gotten a slight - and necessary - boost in pixels (400 x 240), the resolution's still not fantastic. And neither is Bluetooth. We found data transfers not only paused the media player (annoying), but afterwards, we had to go back and manually unpause whatever track was playing (doubly annoying). For the price, though the 2008's a solid option compared to the LX - but only if you live and die by instant messaging and you don't mind being seen with Paris Hilton's device of choice in public.”

“The T-Mobile Sidekick 3 was the first Sidekick that could really compete head to head with regular cell phones and smartphones on features. The new model for 2008 takes those same capabilities and puts them into a competitive form factor, one that is smaller and lighter than the prior models, yet still offers the same - if not better - functionality and features.Fun features like the user designed covers are just going to make the new T-Mobile Sidekick all the more popular. It might not have full smartphone functionality, but it can do most anything that the typical consumer needs. We give it a Highly Recommended rating.”