The updated Sidekick LX 2009 sports some new features--like 3G support--that are designed to help this messaging phone appeal to a more mature crowd. While the new additions are nice, the Sidekick LX remains a phone for the young--or, at least, the young at heart.
Design
The Sidekick LX, available in gray or purple, sports the familiar swiveling design: The screen flips up and twists open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. I love the twisting action, but I found that the screen on my review unit tended to stick, and I had to push it harder than felt comfortable to get it open.
The screen itself is gorgeous: It sports a resolution of 854 by 480, making everything look sharp and crystal clear. It's one of the best displays I've seen yet, and, at 3.2 inches, it feels plenty roomy.
I wasn't as fond of the keyboard, though. Past Sidekicks have wowed me with their keyboards, but not this one. While the keys are nicely spaced, they lack the rubbery keys found on past Sidekick keyboards. These keys are rounded and just slightly raised from the surface.
Making Calls
As you might expect given the Sidekick's spacious display and roomy keyboard, the phone itself is a bit on the hefty side. You wouldn't for example, want to slip it in your jeans pocket; it's simply too big. The Sidekick LX weighs 5.8 ounces, a full ounce more than the iPhone 3G. And you feel that weight, especially when holding the phone next to your ear during calls.
The Sidekick LX's call quality was up and down. I often noticed a slight but distracting hiss in the background, and voices sounded a bit dim. Another issue when making calls: The Sidekick's swiveling design can get in the way here. You have to open the screen in order to dial a number that's not in your contact list, but then once the call is connected you have to close the screen in order to hold the phone comfortably next to year. It can be awkward until you get used to it--especially if you need to dial an extension after connecting a call.
On the bright side: The Sidekick LX supports T-Mobile's myFaves plan, which allows you to make unlimited calls to five numbers that you select. Those phone numbers can be cell phones or landlines.
Software
Sidekick phones run the Danger operating system, which is easy to use, but lacking in true productivity applications. You will find a new Download Catalog which lets you download software directly to your phone, but it's nothing that can compare to Apple's App Store or even BlackBerry App World. It includes handful of "Personal Productivity" apps, but nothing in the way of a real office suite.
But what the Sidekick LX lacks in business software, it makes up for with entertainment apps. You'll find MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter apps built in to the phone, and you'll find plenty of fun titles in the Download Catalog.
You also get a built-in GPS application of sorts: Microsoft Live Search. You can get maps, driving directions, and local information, but not turn-by-turn spoken directions. It's a good start, but I would have liked to see the GPS app do more.
Browsing the Web
I'd also like to see more from the Sidekick's Web browser, which is simply adequate. It displays mobile versions of Web sites and now has support for Flash, which is a nice touch. But it simply can't compete with today's more sophisticated mobile browsers, like Safari.
Support for T-Mobile's 3G HSDPA network is a definite bonus, as it dramatically speeds up the browsing experience. Still, I'd like to see support for Wi-Fi wireless networks, too.
Messaging
The Sidekick is, at its core, a messaging phone. And most of its messaging features are very good. You get support for text and picture messaging, and both features are easy to access. I do wish the Sidekick would display text messages as threaded conversations, though; this makes them much easier to read in context. You also get three consumer instant messaging clients installed on the phone: AOL's AIM, Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger.
The Sidekick's e-mail handling has also been improved in this phone. Adding an e-mail account is easier than before; in most cases, you simply need to enter your user name and password to get your account up and running. The phone will support Yahoo, AOL, Windows Live, and POP3/IMAP4 e-mail accounts, and T-Mobile says that it will add the ability to sync with desktop Outlook accounts.
What's still lacking is support for HTML e-mail, and the ability to add more than three personal e-mail accounts. (The Sidekick will support four e-mail accounts total, as you get a Tmail account, too.)
Multimedia
The Sidekick LX's multimedia features are decent, but not exceptional. You get a 3.2 megapixel camera with both a flash and autofocus. The photos I captured weren't stellar, but were better than many I've taken with camera phones. It also captures video clips, though those were nothing to write home about.
Other multimedia features include a basic media player, which plays back audio and video files. Unfortunately, T-Mobile does not offer a music service, so you'll have to transfer your own tunes to the phone. You do get a microSD card slot for added storage and a standard 3.5mm headset jack for connecting headphones.
The Sidekick LX 2009 is not without its limitations, such as its lack of productivity software. And I wish it were cheaper: Right now, T-Mobile is offering the phone for $250, after a $50 mail-in rebate. But if you're looking for an easy to use messaging phone with lots of social networking features, the Sidekick LX could be the phone for you.
