Probably the easiest to use e-mail handheld in the world, the Sidekick line has become a hit with celebrities who arent typically known for their high-tech savvy. Thats a big compliment to Danger, the designer of the Sidekicks software, as it has created a slick, icon-based interface that is unusually easy to set up and use.
T-Mobiles new Sidekick ID continues the trend. The difference is that the ID is cheap, if not particularly cutting-edge. But in a market where e-mail handhelds typically cost hundreds of dollars, thats a good thing.
When my Sidekick 3 review originally ran, I got dozens of semi-coherent IMs from teenagers desperate to know more about the gadget. With its low price, basic features, and easily recognizable shape, the ID seems custom-made for folks with after-school jobs, not corporate careers.
The $99 ID takes the basic e-mailing, instant-messaging and phoning capabilities of the Sidekick 2, puts them in a sleeker body with a cute trackball (much like the Sidekick 3s,) and adds the Sidekick 3s operating-system improvements. Thats pretty much it.
If youve never kicked it sideways before, the Sidekick is a super-easy-to-use handheld that used to look more like a brick than a cell phone. Now, thanks to its makeover, the handset resembles a much flatter brick, at 5.1 by 2.5 by 0.9 inches; and weighs 6.2 ounces. You swivel the screen open (thats the “kick”) to reveal an extremely clear keyboard of well-separated hard plastic keys, similar to the Sidekick 3s. With the screen closed, you hold it to your head to make calls.