OCTOBER 2002

The Beginning: The Black & White Sidekick from T-Mobile

Features:

• A monochrome 2.6-inch screen swivels up to showcase a full QWERTY keyboard specifically targeting frequent users of e-mail and instant messaging.
• Sidekick users can send and receive email and attachments from up to three POP3 email accounts, surf the Web with a full HTML An attachable camera is available as a separate purchase.

Milestones:

• The T-Mobile Sidekick, the first all-in-one wireless device for consumers, is awarded Best of Show winner in the Hand held and Mobile Wireless category at the 2002 Consumer Electronics Show.
• Customers use instant messaging more than any other application, including voice, on a T-Mobile device for the first time.
• The Sidekick's gains acceptance in the hip-hop community after appearing as a prop in some of hottest rap videos. The most notable being when Jay-Z featured it in his video "Excuse Me Miss":
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• At the time, the Motorola two-way pager, which allowed text messages to be sent back and forth, was big in the music community. The Sidekick improves on the pager by also providing phone and Internet service. In the video, Jay-Z raps: "He 2 ways her, so she writes back." On screen, the image is of a Sidekick. From there, word spread that the Sidekick is a two-way on steroids.
  
  

JUNE 2003

Adding a splash of color: The Color Sidekick

Feature improvements:

• A 65K color screen, more memory and a faster processor than the monochrome original.

Milestones:

• The Color Sidekick quickly becomes a favorite of celebrities, young adults and teens as one of the only color devices in the U.S.
• Without any direct marketing effort by T-Mobile, the Color Sidekick appears in dozens of music videos and talk shows including Late Night with David Letterman.
• T-Mobile is the first carrier to launch a true consumer-friendly unlimited data service plan allowing Sidekick customers to have unlimited usage of the device's e-mail, Web surfing and AOL instant messaging functions, with any T-Mobile rate plan.
• The T-Mobile Color Sidekick is recognized for product design, ease-of-use and performance including the CNET Editors' Choice award in May 2003 and PC World’s "Product of the Year" award in June 2003.
• At CES in 2004, Danger receives the “Best of Innovations” award from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) in the Wireless Communications category for products.

AUGUST 2004

The Next Generation: The T-Mobile Sidekick II

Feature improvements:

• The T-Mobile Sidekick II is 25 percent slimmer than the popular original model and now comes with a built-in camera with flash. The phone has been greatly improved and Yahoo! Messenger is also now available, joining AOL Instant Messenger.
• As one of the first truly fashionable all-in-one devices, the new T-Mobile Sidekick II also has interchangeable bumpers, in seven colors, so the consumer can customize their phone.

Milestones:

• Demand for the T-Mobile Sidekick II is fueled by a wave of recent celebrity enthusiasm for its unique look and feel and by the huge interest from the existing fan base of original Sidekick.
• A rare TV commercial in Fall 2004 features the T-Mobile Sidekick II being used to communicate in every-day, but humorous, situations by well known celebrities including: Paris Hilton, heiress and socialite; Busta Rhymes, rap artist; Snoop Dogg, rap artist; Burt Reynolds, actor; Drea de Matteo, actress; Wee Man, actor; Harvey Keitel, actor; and Wayne Newton, singer.
• The T-Mobile Sidekick II continues to be recognized with the Digital Man of the Year award from Esquire magazine, the Mobile Choice award for devices by Mobile PC and is named the best instant messaging device by Forbes.

OCTOBER 2005

Extending Brand Identity: T-Mobile Sidekick II Limited Editions

Feature improvements:

• T-Mobile partners with fashion house Juicy Couture and urban artist Mister Cartoon to release two limited-edition versions of the T-Mobile Sidekick II.
• Only 15,000 of each limited edition are made.
• Accessories for the limited editions, including charms, clips and clutches, are available online and at select T-Mobile retail outlets.

Milestones:

• T-Mobile Sidekick II Limited Editions emerge as a popular status symbol among trend setters making them not only an all-in-one device but a fashion statement as well.
• The Juicy Couture and Mister Cartoon Sidekick and matching accessories quickly sell out online and in stores.
• Owners of the T-Mobile Sidekick II have among the highest use of advanced features including instant messaging, picture messaging, etc.
• Average Revenue Per User on the Sidekick II is nearly 50% more than T-Mobile's average device or phone.

JULY 2006

A Social Lifeline: The T-Mobile Sidekick 3

Feature improvements:

• T-Mobile continues to boost functionality with Bluetooth connectivity, an MP3 player, a 1.3 megapixel camera and a trackball allowing for easier navigation and access to Web browsing, e-mail, text messaging, etc.
• With a 20% slimmer exterior, the Sidekick 3 can easily slide into a pocket or purse.
• The Sidekick 3 now offers AOL, Yahoo! and MSN instant messaging services.
• High-speed EDGE supports faster Web browsing.
• The operating system has a new look and feel, which includes multi-level menu structure.

OCTOBER 2006

T-Mobile announces two new limited edition Sidekick 3s. Black and pink Diane Von Furstenberg edition, and green Lifted Research Group edition.

FEBRUARY 2007

T-Mobile Released the Limited Edition, D-Wade, Gold and White Sidekick 3. With the number 3 colored gold, in acknowledgement to D-Wade's jersey number. The back cover of the phone, is gold and has the exact texture of a basketball.

APRIL 2007

T-Mobile releases the Sidekick iD in stores. It is a smaller version of the sidekick, same applications and application designs as the Sidekick 3, but missing a Camera, Music Player, and Bluetooth. It is fully customizable with the options to change the bumpers and back cover. Selling price with 2-Year Contract is $99. BUT FOR A LIMITED TIME IT IS $49.99. STARTING SEPTEMBER!
With the many features including the usual IM, Email, Text, and Internet Browser. But a few changes are the photo application is now called Photo Album and you can email and save photos from emails to it. And in the past generation, the game the phone came with was always Rock & Rocket, this device comes with its starter game, called Pumpjack.



October 2007



The rumour had been broken and finally, the most anticipated Sidekick named, LX has been released on October 24, 2007. The Sidekick LX is even slimmer then the Sidekick 3 and now has a High Definition Screen and a bigger keyboard. The LX comes in two colors: Midnight Blue and Espresso Brown.

Regular Sidekick Features included in the phone:

• Swivel Screen
• Bluetooth® wireless technology
• E-mail Support
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Text messaging
• Real web browsing
• 1.3 Megapixel camera
• Calendar
• External caller ID
• MegaTones®, Wallpaper, HiFi Ringers®, & Games
• Phone book
• Speakerphone
• Speed dial
• Music player
• MyFaves
• Micro SD memory slot

New features include:

• Picture messaging (citation)
• Personal Information Mgr
• HD LCD Screen
• Bigger Keyboard
• 128 MB
• New MySpace Application
• Mood Lights

July 2008
Limited Edition sidekick lx: Tony Hawk Edition





November 2007

This is the sidekick that SLIDES into action...

The Brand-New Sidekick Slide:


This is the first Sidekick with instead of the traditional Swivel Screen, it has a screen the slides up.

It's got the same basic features that the sidekick 3 and LX have, such as:

• The 1.3 Megapixel

• Trackball
• AIM, MSN, Yahoo
• Text Messaging
• Picture (MMS) Messaging (Sidekick LX only)
• High Resolution Screen
• Email
• MyFaves
• HTML Web browser
• MP3 Player with expandable memory
• And MySpace Application\
• Downloadable Games, Applications, and Ring-tones.

A few differences it has from the Sidekick 3 and LX are:

• The Sidekick LX has a massive 3" Sharp Aquos HD LCD Screen
• The trackball no longer lights up, the D-Pad does, similar to the Sidekick 2.
• It's much smaller with an opinionated "better feel"
• and of course...it slides!

It comes in a interesting mix of black and purple and this time, was manufactured by Motorola®, unlike previous sidekicks which were manufactured by sharp®.

July 2008






Sidekick 2008

Seasons change. Age changes(sometimes not for the better, if you get what I mean). People change. Life changes. Trends change. Now with the new Sidekick 2008(sometimes called the "Gekko"), you can change the look with interchangable shells to match your mood. This way you're not just a sidekick owner, you're also a sidekick designer..