Danger is dead. Kin is dead. Sidekick is dead. Right? No, T-Mobile has decided to resurrect the Sidekick brand with the introduction of the Sidekick 4G by Samsung this spring. While price and availability is still up in the air, we imagine it'll be one of the most competitive Sidekicks ever released, one that should appeal to a much broader crowd than the Danger experience did. Think of it as Danger 2.0, as the former Danger chief, Andy Rubin, is also the Android chief.
Messaging, Qik Video Chat (courtesy of a VGA front-facing camera) and Group Texting are at the center of the Sidekick 4G, coupled with high-speed 4G HSPA+ connectivity. The new texting smartphone doesn't skimp on media features either, as Samsung's Media Hub will come pre-loaded, offering movie and TV shows from CBS, Fox, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution.
Courtesy of Android 2.2 and a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, Web browsing shouldn't stand back from competitors either, while Android Market provides access to thousands of downloadable games, apps and widgets. The new Sidekick 4G also comes pre-loaded with Facebook and Twitter applications, and allows users to update their status from the notification pane and browse their feeds from the home screen. The Sidekick 4G also supports contact synchronization.
While the Sidekick 4G is the first Sidekick to feature a touchscreen (3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, to be exact), it retains the important slide-out QWERTY thumbboard for some heavy texting. The smartphone uses a "pop-tilt" hinge to reveal the five-row QWERTY thumbboard that made the Sidekick popular in the first place.
Android Market naturally offers a wide range of messaging apps, but the Sidekick 4G also comes pre-loaded with T-Mobile's Group Text feature, which is based on SMS, lets users create, name, manage and participate in reply-all group text conversations. Another one is Cloud Text, T-Mobile's instant messaging client for the Sidekick.
Like mentioned above, the Sidekick 4G is no stranger to multimedia, and the smartphone's Media Room features one place to enjoy music, videos, movies, YouTube, T-Mobile TV and Slacker Radio, and to search for content regardless of the source. The integrated media player, also accessible through the Media Room, spans across all media including music, video and Internet radio.
The Sidekick 4G is the first T-Mobile phone to come equipped with DriveSmart, that helps prevent distracted driving. When initiated, DriveSmart Basic provides automatic incoming call and message management while you're driving, sending a customizable note to callers and senders. DriveSmart Plus offers the same functionality, with the added capability to automatically activate when the handset is in a moving vehicle, as well as advanced parental controls.
Price and Release Date
The Sidekick 4G will be available later this spring in two stylish colors - matte black or pearl magenta. The price has yet to be announced.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.