Sharp Sidekick II Smartphone
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- Installed Memory: 32 MB
- Design: Mobile
- Style: Smartphone
- Network Type: GSM 900 GSM 1800 GSM 1900 GSM
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102
My Trusty Sidekick
Pros
Full keyboard, AIM, email, color screen
Cons
Bulky, phone isn't easy to use while driving
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The Sidekick II isn't right for everyone. It's great for someone who uses email and messaging. It's not right for someone who just wants to talk.
I purchased the Sidekick II from T-Mobile about 3 weeks ago. I had an old Siemens phone, which had basically no features and was starting to fall apart. I specifically switched to T-Mobile so that I could use the Sidekick, as they are the only provider supporting it. The Sidekick is full of features, most of which you would not be able to use in a traditional cell phone.
Phone Size
The phone is larger than your typical cell phone. It is about 5.1 inches long, 2.6 inches wide and 0.9 inches thick. This isn't a phone that you will be able to hide away in your pocket. If you have it in your pocket it is fairly obvious, and rather uncomfortable if you wear tight pants. The size of the unit is offset by the features you get with the phone.
Phone Design
When the phone is closed you are looking at a 2.25" x 1.5" color screen. On either side of the screen are buttons - four buttons in each of the corners, a third button on the left, and a scroll wheel on the right. There are also buttons on the top and bottom of the unit for volume, power, and the camera. The right hand side of the unit has two input jacks, one for the charger and the other for a headset. The back of the unit looks like a traditional camera, with the camera lens, flash, and a small mirror for taking self photos. The speaker for the speakerphone is also on the back of the unit.
When you are holding the phone in your right hand you can use your index finger to press on the top right corner of the screen and the LCD will pop open. Popping the screen open like this usually makes people who have never seen the phone "ooh" and "aah." Underneath the screen is a full QWERTY keyboard. The keyboard is small. I have average sized female fingers and I sometimes hit two keys or miss the keys when typing. Regardless, it is much easier to type on than a traditional cell phone with three letters to a button.
Durability
I am a bit concerned about the phone's durability. When I swing the screen open I am waiting for the screen to just pop off. The demo unit in the T-Mobile store actually had the screen broken off the unit. I also have already gotten a small scratch on the screen. Since the screen faces outward it seems like it will easily get scratched from things in your pocket/bag/etc. I think insurance is a must have on this item. T-Mobile offers insurance for $4/month.
Phone Functionality
The physical design of the phone is not the best. The phone is a bit bulky and the unlike a traditional phone where the ear and mouthpieces are angled in towards your face, they are angled a bit outward on the Sidekick. Personally, I don't spend very much time talking on my cell phone so it doesn't bother me, however I would imagine it would be annoying if you were trying to have long conversations. Fortunately, the speakerphone works well and the Sidekick comes with a small earbud and microphone that you can attach.
To make a phone call you can navigate through your phone book with a few easy clicks, scroll through the numbers on screen, or open the phone and dial on the keyboard. This is pretty easy when you are looking at the phone, but very difficult if you are driving. It would be almost impossible to dial from just touch, you really need to be looking at the unit. Given this you would think they would have included some kind of voice recognition dialing, but they did not.
Internet Applications
The internet features are the strongest part of the phone. By default the phone comes with AOL instant messenger (AIM) loaded. You can also install Yahoo Messenger at no additional cost. The AIM client works much like the PC version. When you first open the application you are asked to sign in, and you will then be presented with your full Buddy List. You can click on any of your buddies and strike up a conversation with them. You can easily have multiple conversations going. The AIM client will assign each one a number and you can just hit the menu button and the number to switch to that conversation. When one of your buddies says something it will also be displayed in a bubble at the top of the screen regardless of what application you are using.
The phone also comes with an e-mail client. T-Mobile provides you with a email account at tmail.com. You can also add up to three other POP accounts to the client. I was able to add my primary email address. The mail client has all of the basic features you would expect from email.
You can surf almost any page on the web using the web browser included on the phone. Of course, the screen is very small and the Sidekick doesn't have any of the fancy plug-ins like javascript, flash, etc. to display advanced pages. The transfer speed is also very slow. Living in the world of cable, DSL, and T1 lines I find it pretty frustrating to just surf the web. It is however very handy if you are out and need to check movie times, weather forecasts, driving directions, etc.
Text messaging is done much like sending email on the Sidekick. You have an Inbox, Outbox, and Trash. You can compose messages and send them just like an e-mail.
When you purchase the sidekick T-Mobile forces you to add unlimited data to your plan, which is $20/month on top of the normal plan price. With this you can send as many text messages, AIM messages, e-mails, photos, etc. as you want. With most other phones and plans you have to pay per message that you send.
Organizer Applications
The phone comes with some basic organizer applications. A Calendar, Notepad, To-Do List, and Address Book. They are all easy to use and intuitive. You can purchase a USB cable to sync the applications with your desktop.
Camera
The camera is nothing great. Pretty much on par with other camera phones on the market right now. The Sidekick's phone does come with a flash, which most others do not have. The camera software is very easy to use and you can email your photos with just a couple clicks. The Sidekick can hold 36 photos.
Ringtones
The Sidekick comes with a decent selection of ringtones pre-loaded or you can buy additional ones for 1.69 to 1.99. You can only load ringtones that you purchase from T-Mobile onto the Sidekick so you are limited to what they offer. A lot of their offerings are Pop, with a few older selections.
Conclusion
The Sidekick II isn't right for everyone. It is great for the person who always wants to be reachable by various mediums or relies heavily on e-mail and other electronic messages. The Sidekick is not the right match for someone that only uses their cell to talk on the phone or someone looking to replace their home computer.
Phone Size
The phone is larger than your typical cell phone. It is about 5.1 inches long, 2.6 inches wide and 0.9 inches thick. This isn't a phone that you will be able to hide away in your pocket. If you have it in your pocket it is fairly obvious, and rather uncomfortable if you wear tight pants. The size of the unit is offset by the features you get with the phone.
Phone Design
When the phone is closed you are looking at a 2.25" x 1.5" color screen. On either side of the screen are buttons - four buttons in each of the corners, a third button on the left, and a scroll wheel on the right. There are also buttons on the top and bottom of the unit for volume, power, and the camera. The right hand side of the unit has two input jacks, one for the charger and the other for a headset. The back of the unit looks like a traditional camera, with the camera lens, flash, and a small mirror for taking self photos. The speaker for the speakerphone is also on the back of the unit.
When you are holding the phone in your right hand you can use your index finger to press on the top right corner of the screen and the LCD will pop open. Popping the screen open like this usually makes people who have never seen the phone "ooh" and "aah." Underneath the screen is a full QWERTY keyboard. The keyboard is small. I have average sized female fingers and I sometimes hit two keys or miss the keys when typing. Regardless, it is much easier to type on than a traditional cell phone with three letters to a button.
Durability
I am a bit concerned about the phone's durability. When I swing the screen open I am waiting for the screen to just pop off. The demo unit in the T-Mobile store actually had the screen broken off the unit. I also have already gotten a small scratch on the screen. Since the screen faces outward it seems like it will easily get scratched from things in your pocket/bag/etc. I think insurance is a must have on this item. T-Mobile offers insurance for $4/month.
Phone Functionality
The physical design of the phone is not the best. The phone is a bit bulky and the unlike a traditional phone where the ear and mouthpieces are angled in towards your face, they are angled a bit outward on the Sidekick. Personally, I don't spend very much time talking on my cell phone so it doesn't bother me, however I would imagine it would be annoying if you were trying to have long conversations. Fortunately, the speakerphone works well and the Sidekick comes with a small earbud and microphone that you can attach.
To make a phone call you can navigate through your phone book with a few easy clicks, scroll through the numbers on screen, or open the phone and dial on the keyboard. This is pretty easy when you are looking at the phone, but very difficult if you are driving. It would be almost impossible to dial from just touch, you really need to be looking at the unit. Given this you would think they would have included some kind of voice recognition dialing, but they did not.
Internet Applications
The internet features are the strongest part of the phone. By default the phone comes with AOL instant messenger (AIM) loaded. You can also install Yahoo Messenger at no additional cost. The AIM client works much like the PC version. When you first open the application you are asked to sign in, and you will then be presented with your full Buddy List. You can click on any of your buddies and strike up a conversation with them. You can easily have multiple conversations going. The AIM client will assign each one a number and you can just hit the menu button and the number to switch to that conversation. When one of your buddies says something it will also be displayed in a bubble at the top of the screen regardless of what application you are using.
The phone also comes with an e-mail client. T-Mobile provides you with a email account at tmail.com. You can also add up to three other POP accounts to the client. I was able to add my primary email address. The mail client has all of the basic features you would expect from email.
You can surf almost any page on the web using the web browser included on the phone. Of course, the screen is very small and the Sidekick doesn't have any of the fancy plug-ins like javascript, flash, etc. to display advanced pages. The transfer speed is also very slow. Living in the world of cable, DSL, and T1 lines I find it pretty frustrating to just surf the web. It is however very handy if you are out and need to check movie times, weather forecasts, driving directions, etc.
Text messaging is done much like sending email on the Sidekick. You have an Inbox, Outbox, and Trash. You can compose messages and send them just like an e-mail.
When you purchase the sidekick T-Mobile forces you to add unlimited data to your plan, which is $20/month on top of the normal plan price. With this you can send as many text messages, AIM messages, e-mails, photos, etc. as you want. With most other phones and plans you have to pay per message that you send.
Organizer Applications
The phone comes with some basic organizer applications. A Calendar, Notepad, To-Do List, and Address Book. They are all easy to use and intuitive. You can purchase a USB cable to sync the applications with your desktop.
Camera
The camera is nothing great. Pretty much on par with other camera phones on the market right now. The Sidekick's phone does come with a flash, which most others do not have. The camera software is very easy to use and you can email your photos with just a couple clicks. The Sidekick can hold 36 photos.
Ringtones
The Sidekick comes with a decent selection of ringtones pre-loaded or you can buy additional ones for 1.69 to 1.99. You can only load ringtones that you purchase from T-Mobile onto the Sidekick so you are limited to what they offer. A lot of their offerings are Pop, with a few older selections.
Conclusion
The Sidekick II isn't right for everyone. It is great for the person who always wants to be reachable by various mediums or relies heavily on e-mail and other electronic messages. The Sidekick is not the right match for someone that only uses their cell to talk on the phone or someone looking to replace their home computer.
