SunCom customers: surf faster, rock harder, take the pictures to prove it. The hiptop3 is now available for $299.99 for SunCom customers. Experience the music player, faster web surfing, better photos, Bluetooth, games and more. If you already own a hiptop2, you'll receive discounts of 33% - 50% on upgraded versions of Catalog content you've purchased. Find out more and get your hiptop3.

 
Source: Wired

If the tabloids are any indication, T-Mobile’s Sidekick has seen teen idols through more sex scandals, catfights, and mediocre movie roles than any other device. And like the stars, this smartphone has gotten surgery – but it’s more than cosmetic. From an upgraded 1.3-megapixel camera and MP3 support to a micro trackball for easy navigation, nearly everything on the third-gen Sidekick has been improved. The 240 x 160-pixel screen adjusts for low-light conditions, perfect for dance clubs. Messaging, Web browsing, and email hit the Net through a high-speed EDGE connection. And it’s 20 percent smaller than before – just like a certain starlet’s nose.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.08/play.html?pg=10

From: The Lifestyle Beat

Can I Kick It? With the Sidekick 3 in hand, the answer is yes, yes, you can.

THE FEEL. Since the introduction of the original in fall 2002, the Sidekick, aka hiptop, has set itself apart in the crowded handheld space, largely thanks to its signature flip-screen design. The SK3 keeps the flip but offers a more durable trackball and a welcome set of hard keys to replace the gummy keyboard. Overall, the look is more mature, with black trim and a slimmer form.

THE MAKEUP. We’ve always thought of the Sidekick as the Mac of handhelds, as in you don’t have to be Bill Gates to figure out how to use the damn thing. The SK’s easy-to-navigate OS continues to put practical applications like e-mail, IM, and Web browsing at your fingertips and, like earlier, also features a camera, here upgraded to 1.3 megapixels. But the most welcome tech improvements are the ability to support a Bluetooth headset and the Mini SD slot, offering up to 1GB (250 songs). Our only complaint? The Bluetooth option doesn’t support stereo headphones, so you gotta get wired if you want to listen to your tunes. Guess it leaves something to improve on the SK4.

THE BRAND. There’s something all-American about T-Mobile; the Catherine Zeta-Jones commercials (yeah, she’s Welsh but you get the drift), Vince Carter running off to the fam…but in truth, the company, a subsidiary of German telecom giant Deutsch Telekom, first entered the US market in 2001, when it dropped a cool $24 billion to buy out VoiceStream Wireless. Today T-Mobile’s the third largest mobile carrier in the world, with 87 million subscribers.

Source:
 

If the tabloids are any indication, T-Mobile’s Sidekick has seen teen idols through more sex scandals, catfights, and mediocre movie roles than any other device. And like the stars, this smartphone has gotten surgery – but it’s more than cosmetic. From an upgraded 1.3-megapixel camera and MP3 support to a micro trackball for easy navigation, nearly everything on the third-gen Sidekick has been improved. The 240 x 160-pixel screen adjusts for low-light conditions, perfect for dance clubs. Messaging, Web browsing, and email hit the Net through a high-speed EDGE connection. And it’s 20 percent smaller than before – just like a certain starlet’s nose.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.08/play.html?pg=10

The T-Mobile Sidekick 3 is now available!

Get Your T-Mobile Sidekick 3 Now!
If you are already a T-Mobile Sidekick customer, log in to upgrade online, or visit any T-Mobile retail store.

Already a T-Mobile customer, but don't use a Sidekick? Log in now to upgrade online or call Customer Care at 1-800-937-8997 (611 from your handset). Note: When you get your Sidekick 3 come back to My T-Mobile to sign-up for a Sidekick plan for e-mail and web.

Not a T-Mobile customer yet? Stop in at any retail T-Mobile store, or visit the T-Mobile website.

Pricing for the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 is $299.99 with a 2-year contract or $349.99 with a 1-year contract.

Rooftop parties, DJs, skateboarding pandas - how many secrets have you found at the new http://www.sidekick.com? Check out the new Sidekick 3 demo, explore the virtual cityscape and find out when a Sidekick party is coming to a real city near you.

Folks at Danger love to get feedback - especially when there is singing and dancing involved. This music video will have you breaking out into dance moves in the subway:

We've added a lot to the Sidekick 3 - a music player, Bluetooth connectivity, higher-resolution camera, miniSD storage, a faster radio and processor, and more – while making it smaller, easier to navigate, and more powerful. The Sidekick 3 will make its public debut mingling with the Los Angeles stars in Hollywood on June 20th.
Learn more at www.sidekick.com!

MrVersatal, a bookstore manager, T-Mobile Sidekick veteran, and brand new father is constantly on the go.

How did you first hear of the T-Mobile Sidekick, and what made you decide to get one?
I was searching for a new phone/ PDA with internet capability. I used WAP on my old Verizon V60 to death, and wanted to take that experience to the next level. I literally stumbled across the color Sidekick in a shop by my house and was sold on the spot. He just started listing features, and I didn't even hear them once he showed me the browser.

What feature do you find yourself using the most?
Definitely the web browser. I've made more efficient use of my time with this device than ever before. Now all the information I need is at my fingertips, so I can adapt to many situations on the fly without worry. With the 2.3 OS update, my browsing has been fantastic. Now the variety of websites I can access has tripled, and the overall experience has been greatly improved!

What is your favorite third-party application/game?
I'd have to say Big Itch Golf has been my overall favorite. It's the most realistic sports game available. They've factored in everything from stroke strength and angle to windspeed and trajectory.

What is your current default ringtone?
Kanyé West's "Heard 'Em Say." Few words are truer than the chorus to that song. It has great sentimental value for me as well.

Tell us about your most amusing/surreal Sidekick moment.
Sad, but true:
One day I was outside just " 'Kickin" it. I was crossing the street and typing a response to a SMS at the same time. All of a sudden, I hear a car horn blaring and see this car flying down the street at me.
Adrenaline kicks in, and I bolt for the street corner. My relief quickly turned to more panic as I tripped over the curb - still going full speed - and dove to the concrete. My Sidekick goes flipping out of my hand, and I somehow manage to go into a forward roll. Upon flipping onto my keister, my first thought has nothing to do with my bruised toes, my aching back, or my two pulled hamstrings... It's my Sidekick troubling my brain. Where is it??

As soon as I get the thought out, I look up to see my Sidekick flying down in front of me - right onto my lap.

I give a big exhale as I look around. Applause rains down from the spectators who witnessed my flip, and I've never typed while crossing a street again.

Thomas Dolby, musician/inventor, knows a bit about ringtones. His company, Beatnik, created the polyphonic ringtone software used in cellphones worldwide. Including yours! Here is what he had to say about the Sidekick's sound in a recent interview:

Does the T-Mobile Sidekick really have the best sound of any cell phone?
Dolby: "I think so. I like it. Several ex-Beatnik audio engineers now work at Danger and they make that. They were insistent that they didn't cut any corners on speakers. Sometimes it's so loud, you have to turn it down. The acoustic design is different, too."

In the sports world, it is a case of life imitates art. And by art, I mean videogames. During the NFL Draft, ESPN caught Vanderbilt quaterback Jay Cutler using his Sidekick inbetween picks. Perhaps he got the idea while playing NBA Ballers: Phenom by Midway Games. In the game, once players' characters are drafted, they communicate throughout the game via T-Mobile Sidekick.

The increasingly hard-to-find Juicy Couture Sidekick II showed up in a recent episode of Gilmore Girls on the WB. Chris gets Rory the Sidekick, then gets one himself and goes a bit overboard with the texting to Rory. So in the end Lorelai takes posession of Chris' Sidekick. Like SHE won't be texting Rory obsessively. If they try to type as fast as they talk, there is a real danger of fingers flying off.

This month, we learn that two Sidekicks are better than one when we talked with joined-at-the-Hip Users Mara Marini and Sean Wing. These two actors use their Sidekicks to talk, flirt, play and share each other's lives, even when far apart.

How did you first hear about the T-Mobile Sidekick II, and what made you decide to get one?
I love gadgets! I really did my research and looked at the Blackberry, Sidekick II & Treo -- I fell IN LOVE with the Sidekick II. I don't understand why anyone else would use another device. The interface is amazing, clean, fresh & user-friendly. I needed something where texts, emails, IM-ing & a phone all worked WELL. And the Sidekick II went beyond my expectations!
When I heard about the Limited Edition Juicy Couture Sidekick II I was calling the T-Mobile store by our place DAILY for months so I wouldn't miss it. It combines my two loves: Juicy Couture & my Sidekick! You can't get any better than that! (Sorry Sean. I love you too!! Lol.)
Sean thus found out about the Sidekick through me.

How has the hiptop helped you stay in touch while apart?
I can't express how big a part the Sidekick has played in our lives. The industry we've chosen is difficult--and even more difficult for couples. Filming on location; ups and downs of the audition process; love scenes; competition...etc etc. But knowing that not only are we just a phone call away...but we can text/email/IM when we have to be quiet on set; we can send photos of each other so the other person feels like they are "there"; we can put each other on speakerphone if we're getting ready/multi-tasking...there's so much available to us. It has proved to be absolutely invaluable to our relationship. It has calmed our worries, squelched our jealousies & allowed us to be close without necessarily being geographically close.

What application do you love the most, and why?
Instant messaging aside - because those are indispensable - I'd have to say Picture Transfer. Because we can email photos back and forth and then save them as our screen savers (my personal fave) and/or add them to profiles in our Address Book. (But that was a really hard question - my life is literally in my Sidekick)

What is your funniest/most surreal Sidekick moment?
The funniest was when I was out in Toronto visiting Sean on location. We went to grab a bite at this old-fashioned little diner. And our waitress - this sweet older woman - asked what "that" was. (Pointing to my little pink Sidekick). And I said "Oooh. It's my Sidekick" and she said "Your psychic!?!". I said "Oh no, no, no...see?" and I flipped it open...and she SCREAMED! Loudly! I then went on to explain that it was a phone. It was very cute and Sean and I couldn't stop laughing. :)

Matt Burke hangs out with rock stars and is an aspiring fashion designer who manages his diverse worlds via Sidekick while constantly travelling.

How did you first hear of the Sidekick, and what made you decide to get one?
I first heard about the Sidekick after a few of my friends had gotten them and were constantly talking about how amazing they are. I decided to get one in November of 2004 because I was leaving town for a few months and wanted a way to keep in touch with friends and family as much as possible.

What feature do you use the most?
I use the AIM feature the most because it's the easiest way to stay in touch with everyone, at all times.
What inspired the large Sidekick tattoo on your back?
The reason for the tattoo is pretty basic...I love the Sidekick and I thought it would be cool because, seriously, who else has a Sidekick tattooed on them?

What kind of reaction does it get?
I would be lying if I said it gets a positive reaction from everyone. People are always saying 'Oh, you'll regret that when the Sidekick 3 comes out' and things like that, but people that have Sidekicks usually think it's amazing, and pretty funny as well. But, the only thing I care about is that I like the tattoo.