I don’t want any of you to think that tomorrow’s NYC T-Mobile event has anything to do with anything other than the new 3G Sidekick LX. So, here are two variations of the event invite, which coincidentally were not sent to me by T-Mobile.
Aw, come on T-Mobile. If you’re going to spoil the fun of bloggers everywhere by unboxing your own new toys before they’re even on the shelves, do it well. Or, at least, actually unbox it. This 2-minute long video, which just went up on T-Mobile’s Youtube channel, is about 10% unboxing and 90% some girls face.
Plus - if you can’t top the Samsung Omnia’s parade-in-a-box, what’s the point?
Sound familiar? Indeed, this isn't the first time T-Mobile has offered a Sidekick LX -- but much like last year's simply-named Sidekick, the carrier is once again carrying forward branding while totally revamping the hardware. The 2009 edition of the Sidekick LX is thoroughly new and pretty much nails every item on every Sidekick fan's wishlist: GPS, 3G data, an absolutely glorious 3.2-inch full wide VGA display, and super-tight integration with Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. You've also got a 3.2 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, microSD expansion (T-Mobile throws a 1GB card in the box), video recording and playback (including YouTube access), stereo Bluetooth, quadband EDGE, and HSDPA 2100 for high-speed coverage when you're galavanting around Europe. The ace up T-Mobile's sleeve, though, might be Exchange ActiveSync support, which will be coming via the on-device software catalog shortly after launch. It's available for pre-sale to current T-Mobile customers starting today -- everyone else will have to wait until May 13 -- but either way, you'll be paying $199.99 after rebate on contract in your choice of "carbon" or "orchid" finishes. Check out all the snazzy photography below -- and follow the break for our quick first impressions of the phone.
We had a chance to sit down with the new model for a few minutes recently, and we'll say it on no uncertain terms: this is by far the best Sidekick that Sharp (or Motorola, if you want to get technical about it) has ever made. It's the first model we've ever come across that actually feels professional and aspirational; it makes every other Sidekick seem like a toy by comparison in terms of physical design, materials, and build quality, and the addition of ActiveSync support makes this an entirely reasonable choice for young, white-collar types who cut their teeth on an older model. T-Mobile couldn't have picked a better time to be launching a device with tight Twitter integration, and it worked like a champ for us. We didn't have a ton of time to play with Microsoft Live Search and its GPS mapping capabilities, but maps loaded reasonably quickly, you've got live traffic data available to you, and naturally, you've got some pretty comprehensive search capabilities in there as well. The phone is physically large, but not impractically so -- owners of the original LX will feel right at home -- and the soft-touch plastic looks and feels great in either color. The 854 x 480 display is one of the best (if not the best) we've ever seen on a mobile device launched in the US, crisp to the point where individual pixels are utterly imperceptible to the naked eye (see the gallery shots to get a sense of what we mean). Put simply, from our brief time with it, we're struggling to come up with bad things to say -- and frankly, we're a little jealous of anyone plunking down the cash.
Well, well. Looks like someone launched the new Sidekick LX page a little too early. The oft rumored 2009 model of the Sidekick LX is now 100% official.
As far as we can tell, all the stuff we’ve seen leak out over the past few months was spot on, from the 3G, to the 3.2 megapixel camera, to the heavy social networking focus.
Form-factor wise, it’s.. well, it’s a Sidekick. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it may not be the slimmest phone of the lot, but its always been an outstanding handset to type on. Beyond the 3G, Facebook/Myspace/Twitter home screen support, and all of the other new features (see the big list below, along with a bunch of shots), we’re probably most excited about the new 3.2 inch 800×480 (WVGA) screen. Low resolution screens have always plagued the Sidekick series, a trend which started to fade with the 2008 LX’s 400×280 screen - but this one oughtta blow them all out of the water. We’re talking razor sharp.
Only bummers? No Wi-Fi, and the microSD card T-Mobile throws in is only 1GB. Come on, guys: when you’re competing with phones that carry 8 or 16 gigs of memory, you should spend a few bucks on a bigger card.
An integrated social networking experience bringing Facebook, MySpace and Twitter directly to the customer via customized applications that update automatically and put notifications directly on the Sidekick home screen. Today 3 out of 4 Sidekick customers access social networking sites at least once per week from their Sidekick and we expect this trend will take off even more with the integrated experience on the Sidekick LX.
GPS-enabled Live Search lets Sidekick LX customers map their current location and search for a nearby coffee shop or café, share favorite spots with friends via integration with Sidekick’s messaging capabilities, or view additional search tabs to quickly check real time traffic, gas prices or movie showtimes.
An improved multimedia experience with a 3.2 megapixel camera and enhanced video capabilities make it easy for customers to record and upload pictures and videos to popular social networking sites. Support for audio and video streaming lets users view and listen to YouTube clips and other content online.
The largest, brightest screen ever on a T-Mobile device. A 3.2-inch F-WVGA screen with high-definition LCD technology with 854×480 resolution
High-speed Web browsing with support for T-Mobile’s 3G (HSDPA) network
Future support for Microsoft Exchange: Following retail availability, Microsoft Exchange e-mail support will be available via the Sidekick’s Download Catalog.
New personalization options including the ability to record your own ringtone or receive and save them via e-mail
Specifications:
Dimensions: 5.20 x 2.40 x 0.64 inches
Weight: 5.82 ounces
External Display: 3.2″ F-WVGA 854 x 480 pixels
Frequency Bands: 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 1700/2100/85/2100 UMTS
M3 rated for hearing aids
And now the important stuff. Beginning today, existing T-Mobile customers can pre-order the Sidekick LX from Sidekick.com. Everyone else will have to wait until May 13. The new Sidekick LX will be available in “Orchid” or “Carbon” for $200 with a 2-year contract and MIR.
Well, here's one rumor that's looking destined to pan out: the S522, which we'd heard was being readied for availability on T-Mobile, just hit the FCC as the MAPL100 (that's "Maple" for short, the device's codename) bearing 3G on the AWS band. That would make it fully compatible with T-Mobile's HSPA network -- but what we still don't know is whether the device's new Inner Circle service will be stripped from the retail unit like we've been hearing. Either way, this is interesting in light of the fact that HTC has said an unbranded S522 would be made available in the States this summer, so it looks like T-Mob won't have much -- if any -- North American exclusivity on this one.
T-Mobile's always been known for aggressively pricing its plans against the other nationals, and that trend continues today with the introduction of a new $89.99 myFaves family plan with 1800 minutes, the addition of 500 anytime minutes to its $99.99 and $129.99 family plans, a $10 reduction in price on a couple other plans, and -- perhaps the most relevant new feature for many customers -- unlimited mobile-to-mobile on every individual plan $49.99 and up. Not a huge change, granted, but it's pretty rare to get something for nothing, so we're going to take what we're being offered and keep our mouths shut.
I haven’t been getting e-mails to my BlackBerry in the last couple hours and a quick survey on Twitter reveals a couple of otherfolks haven’t been getting their e-mails either. Friends not on Twitter have been complaining about it as well.
What’s up, T-Mobile? Looks like folks on AT&T and Verizon haven’t been getting e-mails on their BlackBerrys as well.
Update: I just got a flood of e-mails on my BB, so I’m assuming everyone is getting them as well. No clue what happened, but I’m glad to see that annoying flashing red LED again.
Update 2: Looks like service is still sporadic throughout the land. After my initial flood of emails, I haven’t received any in the last 45 minutes or so.
T-Mobile UK has decided to throw a little shindig for members of the press the very same day as its Yankee cousin -- this coming 21st -- but there's a very important distinction with the UK event: it drops a hint about what they'll be announcing. It turns out that they'll be launching an "exciting new BlackBerry collaboration," which we can only take to mean a new handset; now, the only question is whether these events are synchronized. If they are, that means we'll be getting new RIM goodies on T-Mobile USA, but if it isn't, this means precisely zilch for American subscribers. Historically, the US branch has been pretty out of sync with it European counterparts (for some good reasons, by and large), so we'd be surprised if the same announcement was coming out of both groups -- besides, we're clueless what new BlackBerry device would prompt the US side to throw an event this month. That said, let's have your thoughts: would you rather see the Magic, a Sidekick, or a BlackBerry?
The details are all kinds of sparse, but T-Mobile is sending ’round e-mails to let everyone know to keep the 21st free. They’re going to be announcing something in NYC in just under 2 weeks - but what could it be?
All sorts of things! It could be the grand unveiling long-awaited acknowledgment of the Sidekick 2009 - or might they be making the HTC Magic’s stateside journey official? Will the Android Cupcake build work its way into the announcement? Maybe they’ll blow our minds with a new $120 per year digital picture frame? The possibilities are endless. Okay, fine - maybe not endless. Maybe there are more like 3. Still, excitement!
Well well well. Well. What do we have here? Apparently the cats and kittens over at T-Mobile have something special planned on Tuesday, April 21st. We've just gotten a very brief email letting us know that something was going down, but without any other detail. Obviously our gadget-alarms started clanging, and the way we see it we've only got a few things to get excited about. Will we see the launch of Cupcake? Could this be the official US unveiling of the Magic? Or perhaps we'll finally get to see the new Sidekick which just hit the FCC. Look -- anything is possible, but whatever happens, we'll be there. What do you guys think is in store?
We're not sure why T-Mobile would be market-testing names other than "G2" for its upcomingHTC Sapphire, but it apparently is -- and if these leaked slides are to be believed, it's not doing so well on the ideas front. Seriously: "T-Mobile Genius 3G with Google" and "Prism 3G with Google" both trade in the well-known G-series branding for banal anonymity, and "myTouch 3G with Google" just sounds like a skin disease that's gone from bad to worse. Interestingly, "T-Mobile G3" is also on the list, which makes us wonder if there's a less-drastic G2 model in the works, but that's pure speculation on our part -- what we do know is that we'd take Vodafone's Magic branding over any of these other sad options in a heartbeat.
Occasionally, Sharp will pass a Japanese domestic market handset through the FCC for global roaming certification, but not this time. No, instead, we're seeing the PV300 -- and as any rabid Sidekick fan knows, Sharp's Sidekicks are referred to as "PV" followed by a three-digit number internally, so yeah, we're thinking this is probably the real deal. Of course, we've had no shortage of legit-sounding rumors in the past few months that there's a new high-end Sidekick on the way to T-Mobile shelves, and indeed, it should come as no surprise that this one is certified for AWS 3G -- the very kind T-Mobile uses -- along with the usual assortment of GSM / EDGE bands. Anyhow, see you shortly, dear Sidekick. Hopefully.
With T-Mobile-branded Dreams making accidental appearances and FCC filings abound, it’s pretty much inarguable that the HTC Magic is coming to ol’ Magenta. Seeing as it’s the second T-Mo Android phone and borrows much of its aesthetics from the G1, you might assume that T-Mobile would be branding it the G2; call the HTC Magic the “G2″ around an HTC rep, however, and they’ll probably chew your head off.
With good reason, it seems. If the customer survey slides a tipster sent into TmoNews are legit, “G2″ might not even be a name option - but “G3″ could be, along with “T-Mobile Genius 3G”, “T-Mobile myTouch 3G with Google”, and “Prism 3G with Google”. “Prism” doesn’t strike us as being even remotely relevant, and “myTouch” is about cheesy as names comes. If they’re going to stray away from the sequential G naming scheme, “Genius” isn’t too shabby.
So the juicy part of this rumor has to be the fact that T-Mobile could get a branded version of the lovely HTC Snap (or rather the US-specific S522, which doesn't carry the Snap name), a belief based on a leaked ROM rife with references to the carrier's name and logo. Of course, seeing how T-Mobile was HTC's partner on the Excalibur / Dash, it makes a lot of sense that they'd want to carry on the portrait QWERTY tradition there with an updated model, which is precisely where the S522 fits into the puzzle. This is where it gets weird, though: the ROM apparently has wiped all references to Inner Circle, HTC's software tweak that lets you selectively filter out emails from anyone not on your whitelist. Why they'd want to get rid of it is unclear since it wouldn't seem to affect carrier revenue in any way, so we're holding out hope that it'll reappear by the time the device ships -- if this rumor even ends up checking out, that is.
This is all starting to sound semi-official, but still a little vague. Huawei's mysterious Android device -- first spotted at MWC -- is apparently headed out on T-Mobile in late 2009, as reportedley confirmed by a Huawei spokesperson. The same details we've previously heard, including the 5 megapixel camera, 3.5mm headphone jack and WiFi -- are still on the list, though nothing new is emerging thus far. It also seems to be called the G3, but again, it's hard to say if that name is official or not. We'll let you know when we hear something more concrete, but until then... just keep marvelling at the buttonless wonder you see above.
It hasn't been verified, but optimistic T-Mobile customers aching to get a little broadband on the beach might want to schedule their trips to Honolulu around Q4 -- at least if you're willing to believe this 3G rollout schedule that's apparently being sent out this morning. Other notable cities on the list include Milwaukee, Tucson, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Nashville and Salt Lake City, as well as a wide swath of Texas. We're poking around for confirmation -- at the very least, this list doesn't contradict anything T-Mo's said in the past, but we'll let you know.
T-Mobile will apparently be selling an Android-based home phone system and some sort of Android tablet device next year, according to “confidential documents” obtained by the New York Times.
T-Mobile wouldn’t comment on the supposed offerings but admitted that “several devices based on Android” are currently in development.
According to the New York Times:
T-Mobile plans to sell a home phone early next year and soon after a tablet computer, both running Android, according to confidential documents obtained from one of the company’s partners. The phone will plug into a docking station and come with another device that handles data synchronization as it recharges the phone’s battery.
The home phone sounds mildly interesting, while the tablet computer is much more intriguing assuming it could be taken outside the house and used anywhere you can get a T-Mobile signal. Apparently it’ll have a 7-inch touch screen and “would handle basic computing jobs like checking the weather or managing data across a variety of devices in the home.” Again, let’s hope you can throw this thing in your bag and take it on a train.
Further details like pricing and availability are non-existent so far, but this is another good sign that the Android platform is continuing to expand.
According to documents obtained by the New York Times, T-Mobile's set to release a home phone early next year, and a tablet PC after that, both of which are said to be powered by Android. We're a bit light on details, but we do know the phone itself has a docking station and will come with another device for synchronization. That device's supposed resemble a small, keyboard-less laptop with a 7-inch touchscreen and could check the mail and manage data for devices across the house. Here's hoping T-Mo's been taking notes watching its AT&T HomeManager / Verizon Hub predecessors.
The gang at TmoNews have it from a "trusted source" what's purported to be a list of tentative release dates for nearly a dozen T-Mobile phones. At the top on that list is the Sidekick 2009 (a.k.a. "Blade") for May 13th, followed by heavy hitters HTC Snap and HTC Rhodium (Touch Pro2) for July 1st / 22nd, respectively. Rounding out the list is a pre-paid Nokia 1661 for April 29th, a mysterious Sony Ericsson CS8 for June 24th, six Samsung T-series phones all debuting between May 6th and August 19th, and a big, fat "TBD" for the HTC Magic (Sapphire). Don't think these dates as gospel, but with less than six weeks until Blade's rumored to hit retail, we'll know soon enough if this list has any credence
It looks like the HTC Rhodium (that's the Touch Pro2's codename, if you're keeping track) is inching ever closer to its launch on T-Mobile as the Wing II -- the slider QWERTY handset just arrived at the FCC. The listing is awfully meager at the moment, but it looks like the model number will be the RHOD100, for those of you prone to prowling government databases late at night. Of course, there's no word on release date or anything like that, but we're willing to wait for this sexy piece loaded up with Windows Mobile 6.5. Engineers and RF fetishists, your SAR reports await at the read link.
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