OCTOBER 16, 2006
Product Review
By Ian Sager
T-Mobile Sidekick 3: No BlackBerry
Deutsche Telekom has added some grown-up features to its stylish phone, but this one still holds plenty of appeal for the MySpace generation
If you've ever received a present only to have someone else in the house abscond with it and make it their own, then you'll know how I felt when I brought the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 along for a recent visit to my parents. Within minutes of my arrival, my 12-year-old brother was instant messaging, surfing the Internet, and sending e-mail.
The episode is telling. As much as T-Mobile has modified Sidekick so it can take on Research In Motion's (RIM) very grown-up BlackBerry, the third iteration is still geared toward teens and young adults.
At first glance, the Sidekick 3, from Deutsche Telekom's (DT) U.S. mobile-phone division, looks and feels like any other smart phone. You hold it like a video game controller, a hand on either end. Your right hand controls the trackball, a feature that's new for the Sidekick 3, and lets you move the cursor with 360-degree range of motion.
HIGH SPEEDS. Another standout is the flip screen. Press the lower left-hand corner, and it fishtails out 180 degrees, exposing a QWERTY keyboard. Typically I struggle to type on the minuscule keys on most PDAs, but not on the Sidekick. Hold it properly and you'll be typing at high speeds in no time.
The Sidekick is known for easy-to-use instant messaging, and this third generation keeps the reputation intact. Sidekick 3 offers AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger. Users logged into AOL Instant Messenger can see an entire buddy list, including away messages, and conduct multiple conversations at once via the QWERTY keyboard.
In addition to the strong IM capabilities, the Sidekick 3 includes an e-mail client, HTML Web browser, text messager, address book, calendar, music player, camera, game function, and notepad.
The browser, music player, and camera are noteworthy. The browser is simple to use and lets you surf quickly by compressing pages to 30% to 50% of their original size—though it doesn't sacrifice Web page quality. I checked out the sites for MySpace (NWS), CNN (TWX), ESPN (DIS), and the BBC and had no problems.
MINIATURE FLASH. The music player is a nice addition to the Sidekick 3, but be warned—the speaker isn't impressive. Be sure to carry headphones. The Clash's "Lost in the Supermarket" sounded like it was being played in a fishbowl until I connected the headphones. And while the 1.3-megapixel camera isn't anything to write home about, it's sure to keep users happily snapping pictures, especially at night, with the addition of a miniature flash.
The most impressive addition to the Sidekick 3 is Bluetooth, letting users connect to other electronics—say, a headset or home computer—without cords or wires. I tested the Sidekick with my Apple MacBook laptop and the results were impressive. I had no problem accessing files on my computer. Think of the Sidekick not only as a smart phone but also a handheld PC backup.
As welcome as Bluetooth and other new features are, not everything has changed for the better. For starters, the Sidekick 3 is still bulky. Although it has been slimmed down to 130 x 59 x 21.8 mm from 133 x 66 x 23 mm, it still is far from inconspicuous riding around in your pocket. It felt like I was carrying two cell phones.
TOO MUCH FUN. What's more, the speaker picks up lots of background noise. In nearly every call I made, the person on the other line asked if they were on speakerphone because of the background noise they heard.
Good or bad, the complete set of features make the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 a sure hit with the younger crowd. The ability to instant message, e-mail, and play games and music while on the go is ideal for teens and young adults who can afford the roughly $300 asking price (after rebates) and want to manage active social lives.
But don't expect the Sidekick 3 to replace your company's standard-issue BlackBerry any time soon. It's just too much fun.
And if you see my little brother around, tell him I'm looking for my Sidekick.
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