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Trendy handheld with QWERTY keyboard
- Excellent full QWERTY keyboard
- Can work most places in the world
- Supports multiple music and video formats
- Can customize Sidekick shells (not LX)
- Good for messaging
- Plastic body
- No Wi-Fi
- No Word document support
- Unimpressive camera
- Choppy video playback
- Poor email and text storage
- MicroSD slot is under back cover
The T-Mobile Sidekick and T-Mobile Sidekick LX (Free with new contract; *est. $20 with renewal) are quad-band (world) slider cell phones with full QWERTY keyboards, but they can't access T-Mobile's speedy 3G network and don't have Wi-Fi either. Reports in early 2009 indicate that the next update will include 3G capability. Both models had software updates in 2008 that added video recording/playback and stereo Bluetooth for music. Reviews generally say you lose little by skipping the LX in favor of the Sidekick, which runs about $50 less and is smaller, lighter and has a higher-resolution camera (2 vs. 1.3 megapixels). The T-Mobile Sidekick LX has a larger screen (3 inches vs. 2.6 inches), but the same 400-by-240-pixel resolution and about an hour more of battery life (a promised six hours, though both exceed that in independent testing). A major factor for some buyers may be the Sidekick's customizable shells, which are not offered for the LX. You can design your own shells (one for $15, two for $20), choosing not just colors but personalized photos printed on the plastic body.
The plastic body is a turn-off for some reviewers, who point out that the Sidekick and Sidekick LX are certainly aimed at young buyers. While some describe the QWERTY keyboard as the best or among the best that they've tried, reviewers note a lack of support for Microsoft Word documents and a maximum of 6 MB of email storage and 100 text messages. This makes the Sidekick and Sidekick LX inferior choices for business use or even heavy texters. It can't compare to full-blown smartphones like the BlackBerry Curve or multimedia mavens like the Apple iPhone either. And while the Sidekicks are considered good messaging phones, most reviews recommend various versions of the BlackBerry Pearl for heavy messagers. The lack of Wi-Fi also eliminates both models from access to T-Mobile's unlimited HotSpots plan that saves minutes by using Wi-Fi for some calls. The Sidekick supports multiple music and video formats, but PCMag.com says video playback is OK on short clips but "jerky and choppy" on longer videos. Reviews don't praise the cameras, and some say they are "lousy." Included in the box is a 512 MB microSD memory card, but the slot is inconveniently placed under the back cover.
PCMag.com, CNET and InfoSync provide thorough, separate reports on the T-Mobile Sidekick and T-Mobile Sidekick LX. We also found good coverage of the Sidekick at PC World and of the Sidekick LX at ConsumerReports.org. Owner reviews of the updated models are still trickling in at CNET, Amazon.com and PhoneArena.com.
Our Sources
1. PCMag.com
Reviewer Sascha Segan rates the Sidekick LX as just "fair" and says the less bulky Sidekick is a better deal at about $50 less. The BlackBerry Curve 8320 "does pretty much everything the LX does, just better." Segan also says the Sidekick LX's 2-megapixel camera is "lousy."
Review: T-Mobile Sidekick LX (2008 Update), Sascha Segan, July 28, 2008
2. PCMag.com
Reviewer Sascha Segan rates the T-Mobile Sidekick as "good" but says the BlackBerry Pearl 8120 is better. Segan allows that the gimmick of interchangeable customizable shells is appealing to some. While text and instant messaging are judged to be good, there is just 6 MB of email storage.
Review: T-Mobile Sidekick 2008, Sascha Segan, July 29, 2008
Reviewer Philip Berne likes the customized shells on the Sidekicks. He says the Sidekick is a better choice than the Sidekick LX, but the bottom line is that the build and the "aging" interface make the Sidekick feel "more 2006, and not 2008."
Review: T-Mobile Sidekick 2008 Review, Philip Berne, July 31, 2008
Reviewer Philip Berne says the T-Mobile Sidekick LX has a terrific keyboard, but the bottom line is a mediocre rating and the conclusion that it ought to either be cheaper or have more upgrades, such as 3G capability and GPS.
Review: Review: T-Mobile Sidekick LX Messaging Phone, Philip Berne, Nov. 2, 2007
5. CNET
CNET's Bonnie Cha rates the T-Mobile Sidekick as "very good," and a few dozen owner reviews combine for the same rating. Cha says that the shell customization and messaging tools make the Sidekick appealing to young users, but that the lack of 3G and Wi-Fi are a problem.
Review: T-Mobile Sidekick, Bonnie Cha, July 29, 2008
6. CNET
CNET's Bonnie Cha gives the June 2008 software update (video capabilities, stereo Bluetooth support) a "very good" rating, and a handful of owner reviews score it a bit lower. Cha says the lack of integrated Wi-Fi is a shortcoming.
Review: T-Mobile Sidekick LX, Bonnie Cha, Updated July 17, 2008
7. PC World
The T-Mobile Sidekick 2008 update rates ninth in this top-10 roundup, with the BlackBerry Pearl 8120 ranking No. 1. Darren Gladstone's full review says the Sidekick has the "best cell-phone keyboard I've ever used," but he complains about the lack of Word support.
Review: Top 10 Cell Phones, Ginny Miles, Mar. 6, 2009
8. ConsumerReports.org
The T-Mobile Sidekick LX (but not the Sidekick) is one of about two dozen smartphones ranked in a chart. There are also brief write-ups for each. Among factors considered are ease of use, talk time and voice quality.
Review: Smart Phone Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
9. Amazon.com
Only about 10 owner reviews are posted at this writing, none scoring the Sidekick less than three out of five stars. Some reviews are actually about the Sidekick LX, however. There are some helpful observations from people who own both the current and past Sidekick incarnations.
