Motorola's Sidekick Slide smartphone (otherwise known as the Motorola Zante) boggled the techies when it got pulled out of T-Mobile's product line. T-Mobile's official statement explains that some of the devices were confirmed to have faulty slide functions, making the phone to suddenly switch off every time the sliding panel were opened or closed.

The "not-so-fortunate" folks who are experiencing these glitches get their Slide replaced by a blue Sidekick LX with free shipping! Wohoo!

Still can't get enough of your MySpace experience even when you're on the go? Well, T-Mobile USA, MySpace and Danger. have some good news for T-Mobile Sidekick users looking to have complete control over their MySpace universe right from the palm of their hands.

The MySpace Mobile software will be available for download at the T-Mobile Sidekick website which integrates the mobile's hardware, user interface and applications and optimize them into all the features that MySpace users love on the PC.

Aside from the intuitive user interface the service provides through the T-Mobile Sidekick, it gives real-time updates that users can access as they stay signed in to their MySpace account on the go. Danger has provided an interconnection service to MySpace which makes such real-time access possible. Other features of the service also include:

• Profile editing, which allows users to edit their MySpace profile directly from the MySpace application, quickly and easily, wherever they are. Profile updates are immediately reflected on the MySpace Web site.
• Optimized photo management, which empowers users to — with the click of a button — upload photos with captions from their T-Mobile Sidekick photo galleries, directly to MySpace.
• Full-featured MySpace messaging, including push content and notifications powered by the Danger service. The service automatically pushes content, such as new friend requests or new messages, to the end user, meaning that users are notified of new MySpace activity even when they are using other T-Mobile Sidekick applications. This changes the interaction paradigm from request/ response (as it is via the browser today) to real-time, push messaging.
• The application will provide "Online Now" status for a user's friends who are online, further advancing the "always-on" model.
• Users can read, reply to or post comments to the profiles and photos of friends, as well as read and reply to comments on their own profiles.

Always looking for ways to personalize your gizmos and gadgets, most especially your Sidekick 3? You'll find this news a bit helpful then.

AcidAngel from the HipHop3 forums has managed to find a way to load custom themes to T-Mobile's Sidekick 3. In the downloadable file, he has provided themes that you may want to try on your device. All you have to do is to unzip the themes directory and place it in the Sidekick 3's miniSD. From there you can choose which one to use.

Here's a sample theme from AcidAngel:

If you think you'd like some other theme to use on your device, ncmacasl from the same forum has devised a way to allow you to use your own themes, sounds and even splash screens.

Here's how theme customization can be done:

• Plug in your USB cord from your Sidekick to your Computer
• Go to the drive where your Sidekick folders are
• Make a new folder called "Themes" (without the quoutes)
• Then inside that folder make a new folder with the theme name you want to appear on the sidekick
• Add the picture you want. make sure its a .pgn or .jpg file. also size 240X138
• Add the 2nd pic you want for the sub catagory
• Open Windows "Notepad" or any other Text Editing Program and create a new file to include the following:
  

# ThemeName #
string Name(en_US) ThemeName
bitmap ring-background FileNumberOne.png
bitmap ring-folder-background FileNumberTwo.png

• Save the file as "theme.txt" into the folder you created above inside the theme folder
• You then save the file as "theme.txt" in folder Themes/CrazyPic
• Unplug the usb cable from the sk3 after you upload them so the changes take effect

Here's a sample customized theme from ncmacasl:

There you go. Feel free to upload your own themes, but make sure you know what you're doing. After all, it would be really frustrating to mess up your Sidekick 3.

Download: [Custom Themes for T-Mobile's Sidekick]

So let's start with the not-so-good points about T-Mobile's Sidekick 3.

I know it should work primarily as a phone (selecting the Phone option when trying to make a call will be easy enough) but how come it's so difficult for the user to get signal? A better antenna on this phone would've made it easier to get reception.

Another unimpressive feature of Sidekick 3 is its 1.3-megapixel camera. I'm telling you now, you shouldn't expect much. Although it's an improvement from Sidekick II's camera, the quality of the images produced are not very good. But that's really not so important; after all, the screen of the Sidekick 3 is not that impressive for viewing photos either.

Now, on a more positive note: the Sidekick 3 doesn't feel like a toy any longer. It's more professional-looking with its sleek black design, plus it's thinner to boot.

The smaller keys are good for fast typing, and the trackball makes navigation easy. The Danger-based OS of the Sidekick 3 (the same one used with Sidekick II) is easy to use and navigate.

T-Mobile's Sidekick 3 also has a music player for MP3 files. It's also easy to transfer MP3 files onto this device via the USB cable. Unlike other cellphones/PDAs, you can carry around an extra battery in case you want to extend the time you can listen to music you've loaded onto Sidekick 3. The way this device was built allows one to change batteries and access both the mini-SD card slot and the SIM-card slot.

So is it worth grabbing or not? It seems to be - the reviewer's found that it's light-years ahead of its predecessor in every area save for the camera. Given how the unit did, the poor-quality camera doesn't seem a deal-breaker at all.

First, it was Nokia who is rumored to be coming up with the N95 - a dual slide cellular phone, now the U.S. Patent Office published Sony's application for a "Flipper Phone Configuration", which they could only hope be the next 'it' handheld device. This of course deviates from the usual design of a flip or clamshell phone like the Z520 or the W300i. So just what is the essence of this flipper phone configuration?

Apparently this patented configuration would have a housing that has two portions. According to the published patent, the "first portion of the housing has an opening, an inner surface and an opposed outer surface. A module has an inner major surface and an outer major surface.

The complicated stuff do not end there, apparently the phone is geared to be the ultimate sidekick for a busy-bee, "the module is movably disposed in the opening of the first portion of the housing for movement relative to the first portion of the housing between a first position, where the inner major surface of the module is substantially coincident with the inner surface of the first portion of the housing, and a second position, where the inner major surface of the module is substantially coincident with the outer surface of the first portion of the housing."

Ok, very complicated this one is (I got lost at the third sentence), but it's a work in progress, and maybe a prototype isn't far from the horizons. With that, we could only hope that the Sony guys would shed some light on this new patent. For now, we here will always keep you posted.

This is the news of all news for Sidekick owners. You can now upgrade your existing Sidekick to a leek and savvy Sidekick 3. Just head on to TMobile's website and login with your phone number and corresponding password. Then click on Phones and Accessories and then on the right side of the page click on Upgrade Your Phone. You would have to click on the Handhelds tab to find the Sidekick 3 option. If you don't want to go through this process you can call their Customer Care at 611 from your soon to be upgraded Sidekick. Too bad for the person who got it for $4050 on eBay.

You know a product is headed for icon status when it creates a frenzy even before hitting commercial production. Take T-Mobile's Sidekick 3, which has rapidly become a cult favorite among unknown trendsetters and celebrities alike. It is a handsome piece of cellular wireless handheld with a superior keyboard (than Sidekick 2), Bluetooth, ability to play music and supports vCard. Current customers would be able to upgrade to the device via the handset upgrade program starting June 28. But there's another way to get your hands on this magnificent piece of personal machinery.

You can bid on it on eBay in case another one pops up. One that did get on line sold for $4050. Yes, that's the privilege price of flaunting it before anyone else. The phone/communicator is expected to retail around $300 when it does come out commercially. For those of us who are neither die-hard trendies nor celebs, we just have to wait until July 10.

Much have been said about T-Mobile's Sidekick 3 when the smartphone's specs were revealed a week ago. While some are impressed with the upgrades, some people have expressed their disappointment in the Sidekick 3. One thing that has gotten more attention was the 1.3 megapixel camera and the missing Bluetooth. This is because some mobile companies are now switching to 2.0 megapixels or even higher, so a 1.3 megapixel isn't really much of an upgrade. But then these people have to be reminded that Sidekick 3's predecessor only came with a 0.3 megapixel camera.

But you know what? iLounge thinks that Danger and T-Mobile did the right thing with Sidekick 3 in terms of the camera features. Not only did it upgraded it to a much higher megapixel, it also made very substantial "detail gathering improvements".

Jeremy Horwitz of iLounge did some photo comparisons between the Sidekick 2 and Sidekick 3 cameras to prove this point. Based on the shots, you'll see considerable improvements in the Sidekick 3. The camera is able to capture more detail and more vibrant colors, not to mention more color accurate. Check out the photos.

After a series of leaked photos, sneak peeks and rumored specs, we can finally put the Sidekick saga to rest as details of the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 have been revealed. Digital Trends got loads of insider info about the smartphone.

If you've been following our reports about the Sidekick 3, you've probably marked June 26 as the big day. Sorry to burst your Sidekick bubble but it's now scheduled to hit stores on July 10, barring delays and unexpected turn of events.

Between the re-designed casing and sleeker look, the Sidekick 3 features tons of improvements over its highly successful predecessor the Sidekick 2. Here's a rundown:

• A removable battery
• Additional storage via a miniSD card slot. A card will be included with the product.
• USB Cable and syncing
• A hands free stereo headset
• A better designed carrying case
• Improved 1.3megapixel camera
• Bluetooth 1.2
• An improved display (65k color SXVGA)

Surprisingly the Sidekick 3 is missing Bluetooth 2.0 or even a Wi-Fi. Now, that's something you can mull over until July 10. The smartphone now comes with a trackball on the right-hand side for easier and more advanced browsing. A big improvement to Sidekick 2's track wheel.

   

No word on pricing yet, but expect to pay between $200 and $400 depending on your contract.

Complete specs for the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 await after the jump.

If you know these people, please be informed that they have apparently kept a phone that isn't theirs. And someone is on a "HUMANITY endeavor" to get his friend's phone back. EvanWasHere's friend left her Sidekick in the taxi and never got the phone back. She then had no choice but spend another $300 for a new phone. And when she put her SIM card in, imagine her surprise when she not only found that whoever found her phone signed in to AOL leaving their name and password in the phone, but their pictures as well.

See, the way a Sidekick works is that whatever information is kept on it gets uploaded automatically to the T-Mobile server. So the AOL names, password, and pictures that were saved in the 'stolen' Sidekick reflected in the friend's new phone.

EvanWasHere tried his best to contact these people via the AOL name Sashacristal8905 that was saved in the stolen phone. However, the reply that he got was a snappy "i got ball this is my address 108 20 37 av corona come n do it iam give u the sidekick so I can hit you wit it".

The full article awaits after the jump!