Good morning from CrunchGear. We have the new Sidekick 2008, a svelter, sexier version of everyone’s favorite messaging phone here in the office in a sexy shell from SidekickShells.com. The phone itself is $149 with a two year contract and shells are $14.99 for one and $20 for two. The shells are probably the coolest thing about the new phone, aside from the amazing size and weight. Compared to the LX, this thing is a feather-light.
UPDATE – Based on a random drawing the winner is Shaun. He intends to write “Hands off” on his Sidekick. We don’t blame him.
This new Sidekick has more of everything. A 2-megapixel camera takes some good snaps, the IM functions have been beefed up to support group chats, and the web surfing is considerably improved. It’s still Edge and there’s no Wi-Fi but you’re dealing with IM, email, and occasional browsing. Clearly, it’s a trade-off and if you’re under 20 it’s one you’ll make gladly.
Here are the specs:
T-Mobile myFaves-enabled
· Horizontal swivel screen and full QWERTY keyboard (manufactured by Sharp)
· WQVGA screen with high-definition LCD technology
· Personalized Web surfing: PC-like, full-size layout or standard Sidekick screen-size layout to scroll and read a page; use Mini Page to zoom out on an overview of an entire Web page; save images from Web pages to the microSD card
· Customized IM experience: create and join group chats, set custom status messages, search for friends in a buddy list and see who is logged into IM to immediately start a conversation
· Easy downloads: install and use downloads without the need to restart the device; set a theme as the device’s default instantly
· Store more information: Up to 25 ringtones, add up to five slides to multimedia messages, and up to 60-second voice messages
· Quick Find to search across all applications
· Dimensions: 4.7″ x 2.3″ x 0.7″, 5.3 oz.
· 2.6-inch display, 400×240 pixels
· 2.0 megapixel camera
· Quad-band world phone 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
· GSM,GPRS,EDGE
· 512mb microSD memory card
· 1030mAh Lion battery
· Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP supports stereo Bluetooth and Bluetooth file transfer to other Bluetooth devices including Bluetooth photo printers.
We’ll have a full review this week but right now we want to give away our CrunchGear-clad beauty to one lucky commenter. Tell us what you’d skin your Sidekick with – an image? a phrase? a picture of your grandmother’s tattoo? – and we’ll pick one respondent at random.
Best of all you get our custom CG skin created by our own Bryce Durbin. Be the first on your block to sport the squid on your SK. The contest closes at noon Eastern on Thursday, July 31.










Alternating florescent yellow stripes with black background, white lettering in “official” government font that proclaimes “HAZARDOUS MATERIAL – Contents may be harmful to your health”…a la X-Files!
I’d skin it with…. oh wait, EDGE, no wifi… umm, I wouldn’t skin b/c I wouldn’t buy it.
I’d have one atheism-themed skin (perhaps a quote from Richard Dawkins), and the other would be a ‘WWJD?’ skin for when I visit my Mom (who doesn’t know I’m a closet atheist)
I’d skin it with the AFI band logo–they all seem to use Sidekicks.
I’d skin it with a picture of a Sidekick. So when I’m using it, people think I’m holding it backwards.
I’d skin mine with shell commands. Linux for life! :P
I’d skin it with genuine leather for that classy look.
omg i would love it with the Linkin Park Sign (LP)..or the New Disturbed album cover…or if not the crunch gear shell..either of them would make a bad summer GREAT..hah
I hop i get it =)
I’d probably use a bunch of the shapes from the skinit shapes library that you can browse from inside the customizer – it makes it easy to make cool designs with premade line art
I would definately skin it with a batman type skin.
black and yellow logo in the back or something like that
should look pretty good.
i think i would put a batman type theme with the black and yellow logo in the back. that should look good.
i think i would put a batman type theme with the black and yellow logo in the back. that should look good.
sorry for the reposts/doubleposts, i think my laptop is messing up
Bright blues, oranges, yellows, purples to form a sort of Daft-Punk theme.
I’d skin that sucker in an image of diamond-plate steel! Yeah steel!
Oh god, I am so old…
Pretty sweet. I would personally skin it with the albanian flag.
Since I’m blogger… photo of my cat! :)
I think the CrunchGear logo would be entirely apropos. Plus I have no inspiration at the moment for anything else…
A snarling Sid Vicious
Cool gadget though:)
Id skin it with a photo of the side of my head, so it looks like I am just holding my face when im talking on my new sidekick!!!
I would skin it with a picture of me!
I want it. I would skin it with a whole bunch of mathematical equations and scientific chemical charts.
A picture of myself rocking my sweet new batsuit and riding on the batpod.
This was a sarcastic post right? Please tell me it is. Just look at the thing. Looks like a Newton.
A picture of Al Pacino as Tony Montana with his M16 and ofcourse this quote “Say Hello to My Little Friend.”
I would skin mine with Michael’s smiling face! Ya got any of those types of pics sitting around? : )
to respond to hannibalchew’s post, I’d skin it with a picture of Charles Barkley swinging a golf club. – That’s like betting 701 when someone just bet 700 on the price is right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFtoeQlO0Ho
I’d probably use a snapshot my son has taken of nature – he’s really good!
picture of a Green Question mark.
Superman’s crest, because every hero needs a sidekick.
a picture of the Brazlian National Women’s Beach Volleyball team
picture of me and knifes, because you can’t go anywhere without em.
The Mets Logo, because they’re the greatest team ever.
I’d skin it with a photo of Jame Gumb.
are they going to announce the winner soon? Its been two hours.. sheesh, thats like a lifetime in the internet age.
San Diego Chargers logo or LA Angels logo
Pick me pick me
Bruce Lee. Kicks ass. Enough said.
I’m going to put a picture of of naked chicks on mine
I would put a picture of me and my family on it.
I would put a picture of my favorite baseball team the newyork mets or my my beautiful little bro
I think I’ll skin it with Pringles… I’m hungry.
I’d skin it with a picture of my sidekick my bestfriend
I want to make a Blessthefall one..
The best band ever :)
Well they lost Craig so I don’t know
If they’re any good anymore.
i would make my shell a new york yankees one
I will put anything I want on it because I have my own & it’s awsome!Good luck ppl!
I have mine now and I skined it with all the premade shapes on the website. I used peace signs stars squares and I have a quote on it. I love it!
Blue jolly ranchers.
Hands down. :]
i wolud skin mines with a picture of little roaches all around it to make it look real.lol