I need some opinions... tmobile sidekick

[ravenz]

heres the thing, i like carrying a pager, so i figure a pager phone would be a good thing for me. wireless web is a plus too. i have a motorola t900 2 way pager right now, but i need something with a phone too and a nice orgainizer built in

there are two units i am looking at:
motorola accompli 009,, can be had pretty cheap on ebay for an unlocked one around 200 bucks
can use, tmobile, att wireless or cingular

tmobile sidekick color uses t mobile

which is better and what are the best plans out there for them?
i live in area code 44028 near strongsville ohio by the way

all help is appreciated!!
thanks

[Matt]

I haven't used either of the devices, but if you want a data only plan, for the sidekick it is 29.99 for unlimited data and SMS. Voice calls are 20 cents/minute. You can also add a sidekick to an existing voice plan and then get unlimited data for an additional 19.99.

[DaveyJ]

Well, I guess if you're a heavy user of the SideKick stay away. One of my co-workers has now gone through 3 of the greyscale models. He uses it quite a bit, but doesn't abuse it. First time the screen went dead, second time the scroll wheel stopped and now one of the push buttons doesn't work. He's going to try the color one in the next few weeks but if this one dies I think he's had enough. It's a great device, just needs to be slightly more ruggedized I guess!

[Matt]

Davey - sorry to hear about your friend's SK troubles. There are a number of people on howardforums that use them and no one has complained about quality issues. Bad luck for him I guess. I had some myself today - had to replace my antenna on my brand new satellite radio for my car [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

[ravenz]

thanks, i think i'm going to try it out since i am a huge data user and make minimal calls.

where is the best place to get one?
cheapest? should i go ebay route?

thanks

[Jack]

Ravenz,

Since you said that you are a heavy data user then I would consider going with T-mobiles unlimited Data Plan. This is $19.99 per month if you have a plan above $29.99 and $29.99 if you want JUST data, voice calls will be 20 Cents a minute.

Since you do Not talk on the phone alot you could go for one of these t-mobile plans.

$29.99 for 300 anytime minutes and unlimited weekend minuts
$39.99 for 600 anytime and Unlimited Night and weekends

Both of these plans you would add the 19.99 for unlimited internet. I personally would go for the 39 plan since for only $10 more a month you are doubling yor anytime minutes and getting unlimited night minutes.

If you dont know T-mobile uses sim card technology so if you are to buy a 2nd phone then you can use the sidekick for data and a more traditional cell for calls. All calls on the sidekick require you to use a headset.

Let me know if you have any more questions and what you think of the service since I live in Brunswick.

I would personally go into a t-mobile retail store, united wireless, or amazon. There is one in southpark mall, parmatown mall, in north olmsted near the mall.
The only benefit of united wireless is that they have all seven wireless carriers and you can choose from them but since you are doing your research here that cancels their benefit.

Jack

[ravenz]

thanks jack,

i've been doing some reading on the hiptop.com forums on the color sidekick. it definitely looks nice and shouldn't have the problems that the black and white unit had. i'm thinking of trying the 30/month plan, but i am going to wait until they offer a rebate on the color sidekick, hiptop.com seems to think they will offer a rebate real soon on it on amazon or compusa may have it in their circular one week, i'm gonna snag one then.

[Remission]

Can anyone that has the Sidekick, tell me how the phone part works? Is the sound and reception good, or does it stink? The wireless web portion looks great and the AIM on it, but i dont want to give up my phone and have 2 calling plans. They wont let me test the sidekick in the store eaither. Im not spending 300 bucks on somthing that im not sure I would like, ans they not be able to return it. I cracked the external caller id LCD screen on my Samsung s105, so i doubt id get much for it if i sold the phone. The sound quality on this phone is really low anyways. I need somthing much louder.

[ravenz]

i bought a color sidekick 1 week ago:
i like the unit alot, especially the AIM, the phone works nicely no headset needed. web browser is nice too. all this is nice except for one thing: i can never get service in my phone or at my work. i think i'll just go back to my motorola t900 2 way pager, at least with that i was able to get messages.
i just dont like tmobiles service

[LovinIt]

FWIW, there are comments which suggest that the major issue with the color sidekick (CSK) concerns coverage via T-Mobile's system. I've been using it up and down the East Coast, between the Yale area of CT and Philly, and have enjoyed great signal strength, and consistent service. Even while at the Garden State Parkway mega rest plaza, just outside of NY. But folks in some other regions complain bitterly. Best bet is to grab it from a T-Mobile local store, since they have a 14-day no-Qs-asked return policy. Time it so you'll have it to test, in the areas you're most likely to be in most frequently.
http://www.t-mobile.com/company/stores/

Can't tell ya anything regarding the phone component of the device, as I decided to get the data-only plan, keeping my Verizon cell for phone purposes. I'm growing to love the CSK, but the thing is just too darn clunky for me to take seriously as a phone.

Oh, another plus-- the manufacturer, Danger, does OTAs-- over the air upgrades. How profoundly refreshing NOT to have to install/tweak anything for an upgrade! So, I'm optimistic about more features to come. (The device now has infrared, and comes with a USB cord, both immaterial now. The only "syncing" is by way of a "Desktop Interface" at T-Mobile.com, which mirrors your device's contents. But you CAN export Outlook/Palm address book at the DI, then import, which then syncs to the CSK.)

LovinIt

[ravenz]

i returned it on the 13th day i owned it. i loved the device, but yes it was too clunky, and service was very bad where i lived (south of cleveland)

[Remission]

How is the speed of web pages and Aim? Is the AIM the same, with all the features, or is it like aim express? I have AIM on my phone but it really sucks. Sends me SMS messages like 20 times and i log on and no one has IM'ed me. I love the web surf part, like a little laptop, but I wonder how many webpages support it, or can you use it with any site? Even if the phone part works great I doubt I'd use the voice part, Tte minutes are lame.

[ravenz]

the sidekick supported tons of pages. and the cool thing is if you come across one that doesn't work, you email danger and they will get it working for you. a guy on a sidekick forum even asked danger to get thumbzilla (porn site) to work for him, and they did it. they have great support and the OTA updates. i believe java does not work on the sidekick. to me, the phone worked fine., a little awkward to use, but the other party can hear you just fine. i had the 30 dollar data plan and i used the phone on a 20cents per minute basis, not bad , basically like a prepaid rate. i hear the new treo coming out will support java, has the palm os, and a better phone. so that may be the device i'd look into if i were you.

[ravenz]

i will say this though, my sidekick worked excellent in parma ohio. perhaps if i lived closer to there more prominent coverage area, i wouldve kept it
but hey , i dont so i returned for a full refund, i even made 27 minutes of calls and they did not charge me! tmobile stores are very nice . oh yeah, if you are a AAA member they will waive the 35 dollar activation fee, and the tmobile stores are very easy to bargain with. i got the 100 dollar AOL communicator rebate just by wheeling and dealing with them

[Remission]

It sounds really slick, only porb is I heard the battery life on the Sidekick is very bad. One person said they got 1 1/2 hours off it while using it. Whats the point of being able to take it everywhere to use, if it doesnt last all day. And I wonder how fast it recharges the battery. You cant replace the battery or carry spares, the T-moble dealer told me it would void the warrenty if you took out the battery.

[ravenz]

oh yeah, battery life was the other reason i took it back, battery life sucks on it
1.5 hrs of straight use seriously drains the battery

[icec73]

i ve beeen looking 4 some type of software programs ,ect. to get for my kick 3.like ring tones,changing the background,turn volume up or something....anyone helps please....

[GopherWireless]

Have you looked at the BlackBerry Pearl? I have a couple friend who used the Sidekick data only package and switched to a Blackberry and love the difference. The Pearl has a camera like you want so that's why I mention that one.

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by GopherWireless

Have you looked at the BlackBerry Pearl? I have a couple friend who used the Sidekick data only package and switched to a Blackberry and love the difference. The Pearl has a camera like you want so that's why I mention that one.

This is an old dead thread from 2003, but for the record the Blackberry pearl is nice.

[iamthatdizzy]

Originally Posted by nKrypteD1

This is an old dead thread from 2003, but for the record the Blackberry pearl is nice.

Hehe, I like the mock up that I took from our T-Mobile booth in the mall. Its a large cardboard mock up of the pearl. I brought it to work and it proudly sits on top of my work area for everyone to laugh at.

I would have to agree though. I was playing around with it at the booth and its very sleek. Too bad the coverage in Southeast MN is atrocious.