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Mobile communications giant T-Mobile USA, the U.S. division of Deutsche Telekom AG’s Mobile Communications Business, announced the Sidekick LX, featuring 3G for improved data download speeds and enhanced mobile access to the Web, with T-Mobile putting the emphasis on an improved social media Web experience.
The Sidekick LX is available for preorder starting April 17, but only through pre-sale on the company Website for existing T-Mobile customers. It will be available for all on May 13 at T-Mobile stores and online.
In addition to 3G capability, the LX provides improved video capabilities as well as GPS-enabled Live Search. T-Mobile has also updated the design by offering two new colors-orchid and carbon-and features the sharpest screen and thinnest profile ever for a Sidekick.
Denny Marie Post, T-Mobile USA’s chief marketing officer, said current Sidekick customers are going to be “blown away” by the phone’s new features, which is why the company is giving only current customers access to the phone during the pre-sale. She noted the importance of social networking sites for their customer base.
“Today’s Sidekick customers are avid communicators, with three out of four accessing social networking sites on their device at least once per week,” Post said. “The real-time notifications, tied with 3G speeds and GPS, will provide customers with the best experience of any Sidekick before, and we expect it will exceed their expectations.”
The “Communities” section of the Sidekick provides one-click access to popular social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter (the assumed holy trinity of the social Web) directly to the customer via customized applications that update automatically and put notifications directly on the Sidekick home screen.
The Sidekick’s GPS-enabled Live Search application allows customers to map their current location and search for a nearby movie theater or library, share favorite spots with friends and family, or view additional search tabs to quickly check real-time traffic, gas prices or the weather.
The updated mobile also features a 3.2-megapixel camera and “enhanced” video capabilities that T-Mobile said makes it easy for users to record and share pictures and videos on the social sites. Support for audio and video streaming lets users access Websites such as YouTube.
The Sidekick LX also includes a 1GB microSD memory card, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP-which supports stereo Bluetooth and Bluetooth file transfer to other Bluetooth devices (including photo printers)-and a battery life offering 3 hours of talk time and 6 days of standby time. On the 2G network, talk time rises to 5.5 hours and standby time improves to eight days.
Shortly following launch, T-Mobile plans to make available Exchange Active Sync support via the Sidekick Download Catalog, so customers can stay virtually connected to work.