“T-Mobile is pleased to announce that Sidekick sales have resumed. New pricing for the Sidekick LX 2009 will be $149.99 with a two-year contract and the Sidekick 2008 will be $49.99 with a two-year contract.”

But after everything that happened, and heck, all the new hotness available, is anyone going to be picking up a Sidekick anytime soon?

These past two weeks have been one hell of an emotional roller coaster for Sidekick users, but it looks as if all isn’t lost as Roz Ho, Corporate Vice President of Premium Mobile Experiences for Microsoft posted this message on T-Mobile’s Sidekick forum:

We are pleased to report that we have recovered most, if not all, customer data for those  Sidekick customers whose data was affected by the recent outage.  We plan to begin restoring users’ personal data as soon as possible, starting with personal contacts, after we have validated the data and our restoration plan. We will then continue to work around the clock to restore data to all affected users, including calendar, notes, tasks, photographs and high scores, as quickly as possible.

We now believe that data loss affected a minority of Sidekick users.  If your Sidekick account was among those affected, please continue to log into these forums for the latest updates about when data restoration will begin, and any steps you may need to take. We will work with T-Mobile to post the next update on data restoration timing no later than Saturday.

So just what was the cause of this who debacle? Oh you know, just another one of those “system failures” caused by a mischievous data gnome that triggered a “data loss in the core database and the back-up.” Oh well, it happens. At least you’re likely to get getting your data, one months free service and a $100 gift card for the inconvenience. Or maybe not the last two parts?

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There’s not too much to say so we’ll let T-Mobile do the talking…

Dear valued T-Mobile Sidekick customers:

We are thankful for your continued patience as Microsoft/Danger continues to work on preserving platform stability and restoring all services for our Sidekick customers.  We have made significant progress this past weekend, restoring services to virtually every customer.  Microsoft/Danger has teams of experts in place who are working around-the-clock to ensure this stability is maintained.
Regarding those of you who have lost personal content, T-Mobile and Microsoft/Danger continue to do all we can to recover and return any lost information.  Recent efforts indicate the prospects of recovering some lost content may now be possible.  We will continue to keep you updated on this front; we know how important this is to you.

In the event certain customers have experienced a significant and permanent loss of personal content, T-Mobile will be sending these customers a $100 customer appreciation card.  This will be in addition to the free month of data service that already went to Sidekick data customers.  This card can be used towards T-Mobile products and services, or a customer’s T-Mobile bill.  For those who fall into this category, details will be sent out in the next 14 days – there is no action needed on the part of these customers.  We however remain hopeful that for the majority of our customers, personal content can be recovered.

Sidekick customers can continue to visit T-Mobile Sidekick Forums (http://www.t-mobile.com/sidekick) on a regular basis to access the latest updates, as well as FAQs regarding this service disruption.  The Forums also offers tips and suggestions for rebuilding content on your device.

If you make your way onto T-Mobile’s website, you might end up shedding a single tear for what you find in the Sidekick section — they’re all labeled temporarily out of stock. T-Mobile is reportedly stopping the sales of Sidekick online and in some retail stores. We really can’t blame them after the massive outage that the Danger servers had followed by permanent loss of user data. We’re not sure if or when the Sidekick will be available again, but drastic times call for drastic measures. The last thing T-Mobile needs is more customers demanding refunds or trying to terminate contracts after losing valuable info on their phones. Is anyone shattered by this news, or are you feeling indifferent?

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Sorry to be the bearers of bad news for T-Mobile Sidekick customers that are still without data after nearly two weeks, but it appears that you’ve got little to no chance of ever getting any information you had stored on Danger’s servers back. Said T-Mobile today:

“Regrettably, based on Microsoft/Danger’s latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device – such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos – that is no longer on your Sidekick almost certainly has been lost as a result of a server failure at Microsoft/Danger.”

Ouch. Can someone please check that Perez Hilton hasn’t had a heart attack? Just to clarify, there is a difference between no data access, which is now restored, and device data on handset. Because of this, T-Mobile urges you not to turn off your Sidekick or let its battery die.

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In case you’ve not heard by now, T-Mobile Sidekick users have been trying to live a normal life this weekend while suffering from the ill effects of what surely has to be the be all and end of all of mobile data outages. As it stands, it appears that every single Sidekick user across the country is unable to use any services that pass through Danger’s servers meaning the only thing they’re currently able to do is make calls and send text. Everything from email, IM and, perhaps worst of all, contacts are unavailable. Yesterday T-Mobile promised that it would have services up and running by late evening, but this obviously did not happen which is why our inboxes are being flooded by the suffering. We’re still waiting on an update from T-Mobile on this matter, but rest assured that we’ll let you know what’s going on just as soon as we hear.

Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

Microsoft must be shitting bricks by now, because Gizmodo clearly has befriended someone very high up within the company. Yesterday they brought us information about the Courier tablet and now they’ve (temporarily) moved on to two handsets that represent the fruits of labor of Microsoft’s project Pink. If the Turtle and Pure don’t scream high end to you, good job; you’re amongst the most observant people on this planet. You see, Pink is all about assisting Microsoft establish a strangle hold on the very same market that Danger (a recent Microsoft acquisition) is going after with its Sidekick. And by that we mean pretty much everyone who wants a phone that can do more than make calls, has quite a lot of social media integration but doesn’t carry the costs or “un-hip” stigma that many smartphones possess. Having said that, it really isn’t clear what Microsoft is going to put into Pink handsets, but all rumors seem to point to them snuggling up fairly close to the Zune family of products. Hit the jump for a few more pics.

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Okay, so get a load of this. Apparently (please note the emphasis) a former employee of Globalive aka Global Wireless, the next big Canadian wireless provider that is building a UMTS / HSPA network with service planned for all provinces and territories excluding Québec, recently got canned for “poor performance in marketing”. This of course led to him logging on to HoFo and leaking everything about the carrier’s plans except what the CEO ate for breakfast. There is tons of stuff to cover and the slides are pretty grainy at best, so we’ve taken the time to write it all out for our Canadian friends. Now hit the jump and prepare to mess yourself because if even half of this stuff is true, the Canadian wireless landscape is about to make a serious shift for the better starting in Q4. Just one question — why no BlackBerry love?

Thanks, “Ex-Global Wireless Employee”!

14 Handsets

• Sony Ericsson TM506
  • 7.2Mbps HSDPA clamshell. $29.99 on 24-month, $99.99 on 12-month and $199.99 monthly / pre-paid. Available in green, silver and red.
• Nokia 5330 XpressMusic
  • 384Kbps UMTS candybar. $59.99 on 24-month, $109.99 on 12-month and $207.79 monthly / pre-paid. Available in black and red.
• Nokia 5730 XpressMusic.
  • 3.6Mbps HSDPA candybar. $49.99 on 24-month, $99.99 on 12-month and $179.99 monthly / pre-paid. Available in black, pink, blue and red.
• Nokia 6070 Classic
  • 10Mbps HSDPA candybar with 5 megapixel camera. Pricing is unknown. Available in silver and black.
• Sidekick LX 2009
  • Radio information is unknown, though we’d wager 3.6Mbps HSDPA. Pricing is unknown and you can have it in any color you like so long as it’s black.
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
  • 7.2Mbps HSDPA Window Mobile 6.1-powered slider to be billed as the flagship device of globalWireless. $149.99 on 24-month, $249.99 on 12-month and $449.99 monthly / pre-paid. Look for it in black.
• Global (HTC) G1
  • Same thing as the HTC Dream and the T-Mobile G1 including the 7.2Mbps HSDPA radio. $129.9 on 24-month, $229.99 on 12-month and $429.99 monthly / pre-paid. Black only.
• Global (HTC) M1
  • Same thing as the HTC Magic aka T-Mobile G2. Pricing is unknown, though we do know it feature 7.2Mbps HSDPA and will be offered in white only.

Airtime Rates

• $29.99 – 350 minutes, unlimited e/w, unlimited incoming
• $39.99 – 650 minutes, unlimited e/w, unlimited incoming
• $59.99 – Unlimited minutes and incoming.

Voice Add-Ons

• $5 – Unlimited nights at 5PM
• $8 – Unlimited mornings until 9am
• $15 – Unlimited calls to the US

Included Services for Monthly Plans

• Unlimited SMS (Canada and USA), Voice Mail, Caller ID, Name Display, MissedCall, Call Waiting, Call Conferencing and Call Forwarding

Optional Services

• $4 – 500 international SMS
• $7 – Unlimited international SMS
• $5 – Video Mail

International Calling

• $5 – 100 minutes to Asia
• $10 – 250 minutes to Asia
• $5 – 100 minutes to Philippines
• $10 – 300 minutes to Philippines
• $5 – 200 minutes to Eastern Europe
• $10 – 350 minutes to Eastern Europe

US Roaming (T-Mobile)

• $0.19 per minute without plan
• $0.05 per SMS without plan
• $0.40 per MB of data without plan

US Roaming Plans (T-Mobile)

• $15 – 75 minutes
• $25 – 200 minutes
• $40 – 650 minutes
• $10 – 250 SMS
• $19.99 – 50MB of data
• $29.99 – 250MB of data
• $59.99 – 1.5GB of data

Data Access Rates

• $10 – Unlimited email (20MB in reality), IM and “communities” (social media sites?)
• $23 – 2.5GB data and unlimited email
• $40 – Unlimited, plain and simple

Data Add-Ons

• $8 – Unlimited browsing
• $5 – Enables tethering
• $10 – “100MB of global remote mobile storage”

SIM Cards

• $0 on 12 and 24-month plan
• $19.99 on 1-month contract
• $29.99 outright
• Will only work on a globalWireless handset

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Not happy to let the T-Mobile Sidekick be the only device to keep its name, T-Mobile has, as you all know, released the update to the Sidekick LX named… the Sidekick LX. Similarities don’t end there, however. We’ve covered the device a little bit but we’ve now got a unit of our own and in addition to some unboxing photos, here are some of our continued first impressions:

The screen is possibly the best screen we’ve seen on a mobile device. RIM really nailed it with the Bold and 8900 but we think the ‘kick take it one level further. Anyone who has used a Sidekick before will obviously be right at home. The main navigation buttons like Jump, Back, Menu, Cancel are all in the same positions and the trackball makes navigating really simple. What about the keyboard? Any real ninja (not you fake ninjas) will know that the Sidekick holds the title for best mobile QWERTY. Ever. It’s not debatable and you will be banned for making a comment that says otherwise. So how is the LX’s keyboard? Fan-friggin-tastic! Really, really awesome. The thinness of the device is much appreciated nowadays but we really wish they’d step it up in the application department. Apple’s App Store approval process makes T-Mobile’s Catalog approval system look uncivilized and down right stupid at best, plus, it’s not like there are any great tools to develop applications with either on the Sidekick. At the end of the day it’s about the OS and we’re not sure Danger’s OS cuts it.

As far as the social aspect of the device, there’s still some major idiot decisions all around. First off, the 6MB mailbox. Do you even want anyone to at least try and take this seriously? It seems like you do. You added Exchange support finally. 6MB though? Get real. The browser is still pretty horrid and with no other 3rd party options, you’re out of luck. As usual, the Sidekick holds the crown for instant messaging. Yes, it does. Now with photo support (something that should have been added long ago), too. MySpace on the Sidekick is crack (if you uh, still use MySpace), but we need some time to dig into the new Twitter app and Facebook app.

All in all, the key phrase for the last two years for the entire industry (minus a very, very select few exceptions) has been evolutionary and not revolutionary. In a world where even Google is having trouble battling the BlackBerry, Apple and Nokia champs, the Sidekick brand (or Danger, or Dangersoft) really needed to come out swinging. It’s a completely different landscape than it used to be when the Sidekick reigned supreme, and we keep feeling like each new Sidekick product cycle should have happened an entire cycle ago — not where the roadmap currently sits. We’ll dive into this thing and get a review going. For now, check out some flicks in the gallery!

Click on over to our T-Mobile Sidekick LX Unboxing gallery!

Last night T-Mobile held a private launch event for the upcoming Sidekick LX and your pals at BGR just couldn’t stay away. After all, T-Mobile most definitely knows how to throw a party. Amidst a packed house, terrific food and drinks, a handful of arcade games and a great soundtrack, the new Sidekick LX emerged and we got to enjoy some solid face time with the orchid-colored messaging machine. First things first — the display… is… ridiculous. You can stare at “854×480 resolution” on the spec sheet all you want but until you hold it in your hand you really can’t appreciate just how crystal clear and vivid the F-WVGA display on this bad boy is. Once you manage to avert your focus from the screen, you can move on to what is undoubtedly the most solid Sidekick built to date. Danger/Microsoft and Sharp did a fantastic job on the new LX; it’s slim and sleek, the rubberized feel is perfect and the keyboard is big and inviting. But we don’t want to get too deep into it right now — you know a full and thorough review is on its way. So without further ado, click through to enjoy some hands on pics of the unit complete with a first look into the LX’s social networking integration (Twitter, Facebook and MySpace) and a little taste of AIM image transfer.

Click on over to our T-Mobile Sidekick LX hands on gallery!

Not that big of a secret but finally made official at the stroke of midnight, T-Mobile’s Sidekick line-up finally gets a much needed refresh. It’s been covered a bunch before but here are the major selling points (or just random lines of text you can ignore):

• A stunning 3.2″ 854×480 resolution Sharp F-WVGA screen
• Integrated Facebook MySpace and Twitter (finally!)
• GPS support! Live Search is now GPS-powered, too
• 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with improved video capabilities
• Microsoft Exchange support
• T-Mobile 3G/HSDPA
• Other really cool stuff you don’t know about

The new Sidekick LX will go on sale May 13th nationwide for $199 on a two year agreement. There are two color choices, the first being carbon and second is orchid which is after the break! Anyone interested?

The folks over at HipTop got their hands on an internal memo from a T-Mobile employee that confirms most of the rumors regarding the highly anticipated upcoming addition to the Sidekick line. According to the memo, the new Sidekick LX will feature GPS-enabled Live Search, a 3.2 megapixel camera and more social networking integration than you can handle. The memo promises that additional information will be available on April 17th — and that’s tomorrow yall! Hit the jump for the full memo.

Get Ready for the New Sidekick LX

T-Mobile is preparing to launch the thinnest Sidekick ever, with blazing fast 3G connectivity for customers to connect with friends quickly and easily. The new Sidekick LX will come equipped with GPS enabled Live Search, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and free bundled social networking applications including Facebook, My Space, and Twitter. Customers will also be able to watch and download You Tube videos directly from the device. The new Sidekick LX comes equipped with the features that customers love including a full QWERTY keyboard and an enhanced swivel screen that is larger and sharper than any other Sidekick.

Additional information regarding launch dates, pricing and availablility will be available on the Retail Communication Home Page on April 17.

Action Steps
Check the Retail Communication Home Page on April 17 for additional information regarding the Sidekick LX launch

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Sidekick 2009, Blade, Sidekick LX 2009… Call it whatever you want. The bottom line is that a handset thought to be Danger’s upcoming Sidekick redux just made its way through the FCC approval process. And by “thought to be”, we mean it is. If the Sharp PV300 manufacturer/model number combo isn’t enough for you (Sharp Sidekick model numbers start with PV), the label clearly states “Powered by Danger” which can only mean one thing — Sidekick. With that in mind, the most important takeaway from the FCC documents is without a doubt the presence of AWS 3G, the 1700 MHz spectrum 3G used by… Come on, you know this… Yes sir, T-Mobile. Rumor confirmed. So what do you think, T-Mobile folks? Shiny new Sidekick, NetBSD, 3G — you know you want it.

[Via Engadget]

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Sidekick fans everywhere are drooling, and now there’s a real picture to back up all the rumors and rendered images from just a few weeks ago. If there was any doubt about the legitimacy of this new swivel phone it should certainly be squashed now (still, cross your fingers!). This sweet new device looks exactly like the images we showed you a while back with a darker theme and is a little more contoured than the current Sidekick 2008. Of course, this new Sidekick, currently codenamed “Blade,” is going to be the first to sport 3G connectivity – a major bonus for those who are sick and tired of surfing the Internet at GPRS/EDGE speeds. No official word on pricing or release yet, but we’re guessing it will be Fall 2009 and perhaps just a hair over the cost of a non-3G Sidekick. Of course, we’ll keep you updated as news comes our way.

Thanks, Ed!

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According to some sleuthing and inside information provided to the folks at Hiptop3.com, the upcoming rumored Sidekick LX 2009/Blade may run the open source NetBSD OS and not some funky Windows CE version with the Danger UI tacked on top. Rumors of the Sidekick getting some Windows CE love began circulating after Microsoft acquired Danger in early 2008. It is hard to perpetuate those rumors in the face of a late October 2008 job posting at Microsoft “seeking a talented NetBSD software developer interested in helping Danger (a subsidiary of Microsoft) ship the next generation of Danger’s Sidekick platform.” Mailing list posts from Danger employees dating as far back as September 2007 suggest that NetBSD may have been the chosen OS long before the Microsoft acquisition. Rather than scrap the pre-acquisition progress made by the Danger team, Microsoft apparently has decided to push forward with this open source OS. Does the leaked spec sheet from a few days ago and this new NetBSD information make you a little bit more excited for this much anticipated refresh of the Sidekick line?

Thanks, Ed!

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We can’t 100% verify the legitimacy of this bit of intel, but everything looks believable enough to warrant just a wee bit of excitement. The folks over at HipTop3 have uncovered what looks to be a spec sheet for an upcoming Sidekick model. The Sidekick LX 2009 sports a number of features that the Danger faithful have been clamouring after for years, including GPS for turn-by-turn directions and…wait for it…a 3G-capable radio. While the inclusion of a 3G radio isn’t exactly revolutionary in this day and age, it’s certainly a first for the Sidekick family, and it’s something that many have seen as a deal breaker as folks have been fleeing the Sidekick ship for more data-friendly waters over the past couple years. Other improvements include the conspicuous presence of Microsoft Outlook/Exchange support, which could signal the Sidekick’s first foray into the corporate workplace. Then again, imagining a legion of suits carrying Sidekicks is a bit hard to stomach, though we suppose anything is possible. If this document is correct, other features for the Sidekick LX 2009 will include:

Social Networking Suite of Apps
– Facebook
– MySpace w/ video upload
– Twitter
– YouTube Mobile Access via browser
Content Creation
– Blog publishing, editing, and management client
– Photobucket Upload and Management
– Video recorder and upload to MySpace/Photobucket
Hardware
– Large (3.2 inch WVGA) screen with sharp 854×480 resolution
– Thin design
– 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash and video recording
– Large QWERTY keyboard
– Expandable memory up to 8GB via MicroSD

Let’s hope T-Mobile and Danger manage to rush this thing out relatively quickly, as the aforementioned specs are enough to plant a small seed of hope in our Sidekick-deprived hearts.

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There’s nothing to get your week going like the adrenaline that results from the revelation that a “couple” new Sidekicks are headed to T-Mobile sometime this year. According reputable electronics broker PCD, the world should see an unspecified number of new Sidekick handsets introduced before the end of 2009. Very little (read: nothing) in the way of details, but we hope, hope, hope that someone up at Danger/T-Mobile/Microsoft has organized a company-wide conference call to illuminate employees on the virtues of modern inventions such as “3G”, “Wi-Fi”, and “GPS”. Not to beat a dead horse, but the previous “couple” Sidekicks haven’t been much to write home about, with little in the way of innovation on the design and functionality front. That said, we don’t want to write the new boys off before they arrive so we’ll maintain as much of an open mind as we can. Sorry Danger Microsoft, but we just haven’t felt the same warm, fuzzy feeling from any of your new Sidekicks in quite some time…feel like surprising us? Mmmmkay, thanks.

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There’s a whole list of questions waiting to be answered; If a BlackBerry is blue, is it a BlackBerry? Did Jennifer break up with John, or did John break up with Jennifer? Has Bobby Flay ever actually won a Throwdown? We’re not sure guys, but we will be able to give you the answer to who won the T-Mobile Sidekick and our custom BGR shell! The winner is Erik, “aka trujee”. Enjoy the ‘kick, and make us proud when you rock that BGR shell!

Probably the worst kept secret in recent Sidekick memory has been the new T-Mobile Sidekick, model 2008. From leaked codenames to screen shots, device slides, and even some live shots, if you’ve been paying attention, you’re certainly aware of the device. For some reason, if you’re not, here’s a quick rundown of the specs:

• $149.99 with a two-year agreement
• Video recording
• Spell check
• Quick find
• Improved browser
• Enhanced IM
• Bluetooth A2DP
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE

We haven’t took much time to play around with the Sidekick just yet, but from our early findings, the keyboard seems to be a mix of the Sidekick 3 and the Sidekick LX, but the buttons are a bit smaller. We’re a little disappointed with the build quality on this one. If this phone doesn’t scream “CHEAP!” to you…you’ve got a serious problem. The 4 buttons on the front of the device (menu, jump, back, cancel) are difficult to press, and that’s not even getting into the buttons on the side like the volume keys and the power key. The miniUSB connector is on the top of the phone this time instead of the side, which makes a whole lot of sense, and we actually were surprised by how loud the speaker was. Still though, you might as well spring for the extra $100 and get an LX. Or a Slide. Maybe not a Slide. Motorola’s not getting any more Sidekick contracts anytime soon.

Seriously, we love you T-Mo, but it’s time to get in gear. When the Sideline line-up encompasses your hottest exclusive devices, you’ve really got an issue. The model designation of the Sidekick is even 2008, yet we can’t understand how this is being released in this day and age, and we would have loved to see a $50 price point. Heck, you can get a friggin’ iPhone for $199. You might have to wait a couple weeks, but you still get an iPhone!

Since you can actually create your own shells for the new Sidekick online using a pretty cool configurator, T-Mobile was nice enough to hook us up with a customized BGR shell for the Sidekick. In typical BGR fashion, we’re giving it away. Yes, you can be that totally cool kid in school with the only BGR Sidekick in town. Just drop in a comment and you’re on your way! We’ll run this until Friday at 11:59PM. No, you don’t actually get to win the Sidekick. T-Mobile made us promise to send it back so they can trace our fingerprints and discover our identity.

UPDATE: Ok, screw it. T-Mobile hit us up to let us know that they’re sending us a brand new T-Mobile Sidekick to giveaway. So now you win the actual Sidekick and the BGR shell. How can you beat that?

Click on over to our T-Mobile Sidekick hands-on gallery!

We just got a hold of some internal T-Mobile snap shots, and any Sidekick will truly appreciate them. They detail the much-rumored Sidekick Gekko, from here on out known as the… wait for it… almost there… T-Mobile Sidekick 2008! That’s it, guys. Creative name right? In all seriousness, it looks like the word about customizing the shells on the device look to be true. It’s an “entry-level” device, and as such, we reckon it won’t break the bank. Here are the official specs on the T-Mobile Sidekick 2008:

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
• 2 megapixel camera
• 2.6″ WQVGA screen
• Video recording
• Stereo A2DP Bluetooth
• Standard Sidekick features

Couple more shots after the jump along with some more info!

Wednesday means that your week is just about half over, but here at BGR, our work is never done. Our ninjas know that that they can never rest, and hump day is no exception. So what do we have here: how about a little Best Buy info for your viewing pleasure? One of our anonymous buddies has uncovered some info that all you Danger and RIM fans might enjoy – like a few new handsets coming your way this month from Best Buy. First, the Sidekick Gecco and limited edition Sidekick LX Tony Hawk will both be making their way to the retail giant later this month, both on T-Mobile. Inventory will be received on Sunday July 27 to be exact. On the same day, Best Buy will also be receiving what is labeled as the BlackBerry Curve Sunset; a new color of Curve for those of you you like to be a bit different. The carrier for the new Curve isn’t clear but T-Mobile is likely a safe guess. Hit the jump for more pics and a clearer view of some more stock that Best Buy will be receiving at the end of the month.

“Stop hating and post my spy pictures of video mode haaaa.” Ok, Clue. Done. Next time just try not to send us grainy ass pictures. Thanks. One more shot after the break!

Doubt us? Never. That Sidekick LX update we told you about yesterday has just been made official. T-Mobile made the announcement today, promising a host of upgrades to existing LX users. The new OTA refresh will start making the rounds this week, with video recording, play and share capabilities, an alarm clock, stereo Bluetooth support and Bluetooth file transfer support all making the cut. As with all Sidekick updates, this will be a phased rollout, so don’t get too upset if this doesn’t hit your handset immediately. Patience, dear readers. Patience. 

If you’re like us, you’re not giving that Tony Hawk Sidekick LX the time of day. But, you don’t want to feel left out when all the other cool kids in school are taking videos of their gnarly sk8board tricks. What’s a Sidekick-toting fellow to do? Well, the much-awaited OTA update for the LX will hit on June 25th. It will be a rolling OTA as usual (they slowly spread it out across the devices which can sometimes take up to 4 weeks) and we’ve got the exact details on what it will contain. Below is an easy-to-read version of what we were able to translate. 

• Capture videos using the new video mode
• Playback from the SD card or email attachments using the media player
• Share videos via email, Picture messaging, and Bluetooth
• Listen to songs or videos using a stereo Bluetooth device
• Send and receive photos, videos, or music via Bluetooth
• 3 IM clients & enhancements to AIM® and Yahoo!® Messenger
• Create and join group chats
• See who is logged into IM from the address book or email and instantly start a conversation
• Set a custom status message then keep chatting
• Search for friends in a buddy list
• Got more buddies than you can keep track of? See who’s online right from the address book or email, and search for friends in your buddy lists
• Select how Web pages are displayed based on preference
• PC-like, full-size layout to pan & scan while reading o Standard Sidekick screen-size layout to simply scroll down the page to read · Mini Page to zoom out on an overview of an entire Web page 
• Save images from Web pages to the SD card Personalize the way you want to surf
• Device does not restart after a download. Just install an item, and it’s ready to use
• Capture videos and share them directly from the Camera app
• Video integration for playback, send, and save to gallery
• QuickFind: search for keywords across applications to find messages or information
• Spell Checker

So, you’re on the edge of seat waiting for this fabled Tony Hawk Sidekick LX to launch, huh? Good news for you then, because we just got the full scoop on it! The device will be “previewed” starting tomorrow but won’t go on sale until mid July. Beginning tomorrow, however, you’ll start to see it on Sidekick.com and “all over the news media.” The phone supposedly has a “skateboard look and feel with a grip-tape-texture and his well known hawk graphic.” Here’s where it gets interesting for all you Sidekick lovers, though — the device will ship with video recording capability, something called play and share (obviously sharing the recorded videos), stereo Bluetooth support, easier downloads and more themes and background personalization options. This summer, all Sidekick LX customers will get that OTA and be in video heaven.

As if we needed any more evidence of the impending arrival of the Sidekick Gekko, HipTop3.com got their hands on several pages from the handset’s product manual. The manual confirms a number of details about the Gekko, including the presence of a 2 megapixel camera, wide-screen LCD, replaceable bumpers and shells, and on-board video support. We’re still waiting on live shots of a breathing prototype, but the rumored launch date is close enough that we’re sure something will surface soon enough.

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There’s good news, and there’s bad news. First the positive side. A new Sidekick model has just cleared the FCC certification process. There are two rumored new devices on the way, and we’re honestly not sure if this is the new Sidekick Gekko or Aspen, as the FCC label identified it only as the Sharp PV210. FCC is a big step on the road towards official release, so this is a good sign for anyone eagerly awaiting the device’s arrival. The bad news, however, is that the FCC documents made no mention of any 3G radios, so unless Danger has a trick or two up their sleeves, high speed data might no-go.

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Just as we predicted, a special red version of the Sidekick Slide has hit the streets. The Sidekick Slide Crimson is functionally identical to its purple brother, sporting EDGE, 1.3 megapixel camera, slide out QWERTY keyboard, Danger’s stellar AIM client, and a bit more. It’s not going to win any awards for "Innovation of the Year", but for the Sidekick faithful, this should do the trick. Expect it to run you $199 on a two-year agreement, available immediately from all of T-Mobile’s retail channels.

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Not a whole lot to go on here, but we have confirmed that the Sidekick Gecko is in the wild, and that the browser is fully functional. The Sidekick Gecko, if you remember, is one of two new Sidekick models rumored to be coming out this July. The phone is supposed to be a replacement for the recently-deceased Sidekick iD, and should arrive with a Sharp Aquos-influenced screen, 2 MP camera with video, interchangeable bumpers, and more. We’re tentatively looking at a July 30th release, but we’ll hit you with more info as soon as we get it.

Thanks, SS-T!

UPDATE: Sorry for the false alarm here folks, but it looks like we may have jumped the gun. Several astute readers have pointed out that the screen shot above is a calling card of the Gecko web browser engine, used by Danger for all of their back-end web proxy duties. As such, there’s nothing in the shot itself that points to the new handset.

Remember that new Sidekick we told you about a couple of days ago? What was previously a faceless name has revealed itself. The new T-Mobile device appears to take direct cues from the Sidekick ID, sporting flamboyantly colorful bumpers accenting the outside of the handset. The phone is rumored to sport the same Sharp LCD screen that is currently installed on the Sidekick LX, which is a pretty good thing if you ask us. No further word on pricing, but if this one is looking to step in where the ID left off, it better have the bargain basement price tag to prove it.

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