Sidekick LX - The Un-Technical Review

There are many reviews of the Sidekick LX out there, with their technical specs and all of that nonsense. I'm presenting this phone through words, not numbers and measurements. Enjoy!

Sleek and Stylish

If you were wondering, the image on the phone screen is just a reflection of my computer screen.

Older models of Sidekicks tend to be large and bulky, and I expected no different from the LX. However, not only is the LX slim and relatively lightweight, it is also sleek and much more professional looking than I would have expected for a phone targeting a young audience.

The menu buttons were easy to understand after a few moments of playing around with it, and the trackball is easy to use. The swivel screen snaps quickly into place but it isn't idiot-proof so watch those fingers (I pinched my fingers twice yesterday). The phone also features a directional pad to the left which helps you quickly scroll down a screen.

C U L8er, LOL

Don't try one handed texting at home. You'll be disappointed.

I am a texting fiend. It's convenient because you can say one or two short lines without having to worry about awkward silences over the phone. If you don't want to have a conversation and you just want to make one statement, text messaging enables that. The LX is every texter's dream. The rubber keyboard is no slip and there is ample space between keys, reducing the number of typing mistakes. Girls with acrylic nail tips: have no fear! As you can see, I have acrylics and I thought texting would be a nightmare (it always was when I used my Treo and I had acrylics). The textured grip on the back of the phone adds texting comfort.

The texting interface is nice, although so far I'm having trouble going straight to a new message from the home screen (I imagine I should read the owner's manual for that).

But If You Do Wish To Talk...

Rest assured: you don't have to look at the phone while having a conversation!

I was concerned that talking on the Sidekick would be, at best, uncomfortable and at worst downright exasperating. It is surprisingly easy to hold or even cradle on your shoulder and has a really nice speaker (although the first time I used it I held it upside down. It took a few seconds to realize my mistake :P). The speakerphone does leave a little to be desired, however; the sound quality was a little distorted but I'm guessing it sounds fine on the other end because my friend didn't realize I had put her on speakerphone.


Yeah, Yeah, The Basics Are Great, But What About the Fun?

Completely engrossed in...whatever it was I was doing.

The LX offers many fun applications such as games and a word search (which has already proven invaluable) and also organizational features such as a place to write notes, an alarm clock, and a calendar. Because I'm still in the middle of a billing cycle, however, I can't try out the web browser yet although it looks promising. It also features a camera with flash (the picture of me and Amardo in my last post came from the camera) and an MP3 player.

My Conclusion

The Sidekick LX is by far one of the most exciting phones I've ever owned and certainly the most exciting that I've ever purchased. It is the perfect mix of multimedia and business applications. If you're looking for something sleek and stylish with tons of fun features and an awesome screen resolution, the Sidekick LX is the way to go!

Note: Don't pop the battery out of the phone without shutting it off first. It's like yanking your iPod out of the computer when it says "Do Not Disconnect". It's just not a good idea.