Sidekick LX Cell Phone Review - Intro
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Alfredo Padilla Published on December 11, 2007 Comment on this |
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The Sidekick LX is the latest iteration of the iconic Sidekick line which brings many smart phone features to the younger set. We found ourselves liking the Sidekick LX's software interface and appreciated the native support for push email. Not so appreciated was the terrible camera and sub-par audio performance. Those who love ease of use and aren't feature hounds will appreciate the Sidekick LX, but we think that you can find a better value elsewhere. We did like the Sidekick LX's QWERTY keyboard, although those with small hands may find it difficult to use. The device was large in all respects, including its battery performance, which was excellent. The organizer features on the Sidekick LX were also good, although business users will find them a little limiting. Also limiting was the selection of third party applications. Although the LX is a "smart" phone by our definition, as native third party applications are available, the selection is extremely limited and you can't supplement them with Java applications. We also can't understand why the LX doesn't support basics like video capture or playback.
The Sidekick LX is available exclusively from T-Mobile for $299.99 with a two-year contract or $399.99 without.
Tour & Design - The Sidekick LX is a big device that won't fit neatly into most pockets.
Audio Quality - Audio quality was a mixed bag, we've seen much better from other phones.
Imaging - The Sidekick LX's camera is terrible and it doesn't record video.
Making/Receiving Calls - We found having to open up the phone to dial a number and then closing it again to talk an annoyance.
Messaging - We liked the built in email client with push email support, but wish there were a unified messaging client for SMS and MMS.
Organizer - The Sidekick LX's calendar, tasks and notes applications will be sufficient for all but business users.
Multimedia - Music playback was decent, but we can't understand why video playback is not supported given the Sidekick LX has a very nice display.
Software - The Sidekick OS is intuitive and the web browser provides solid, if unspectacular, functionality but we wish there were a larger library of third party applications.
Battery Life - The Sidekick LX is a battery powerhouse, it should last even the most intense users a couple of days.
Connectivity - We wish the Sidekick LX had Wi-Fi and found the lack of Bluetooth profiles to be disappointing.
Hardware - The QWERTY keyboard is easy to type on and we like the large display, but the custom button configurations will take awhile to figure out.
Other Features - We are disappointed that you can't use the Sidekick LX as a dial up modem and GPS would have been nice too.
Value & Comparisons - The Sidekick LX is a little pricey at $299 with a two-year contract, you can get more from other devices for the same price.
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