To that end its functions include AOL instant messaging and an email address that is tied to the device. In the US, where the Sidekick is also known as the HipTop, it is the domain of celebs and cool types – indeed a lot of the marketing is achieved by putting the device into the hands of the rich and famous who then (hopefully for the marketers) say nice things about it and encourage young wannabes to buy it. Now, when it comes to discussing applications, is the time to come clean about who the Sidekick 3 is for, and that is most definitely ‘hip and cool’ youngsters. The screen does a very quick ‘180’ so that it is up the right way, and you are ready to choose applications using the side buttons and tap away using the keyboard. Prod gently at the top right or bottom left edge of the screen and it flips round a hinge at its top centre to reveal the keyboard. You get to the keyboard via what has to be one of the most eye-catching phone mechanisms ever. Two more buttons, Menu and Jump, again discretely marked, sit either side of the navigation pad. Meanwhile the left thumb lands on another navigation button, this time a square directional pad which also incorporates the speaker. This is flanked by Call and End buttons and outside of these by Cancel and Done buttons, which are marked so discretely as to just look like part of the black and silver colour scheme.

Hold the Sidekick 3 length ways in your hands and the right thumb lands naturally on a little mini trackball. Its 240 x 160 pixels are below par for a screen of this size, and the result is poor definition and clarity. Despite its relatively large size the screen is a disappointment. Occupying most of the front screen is a 2.6in, 65,000 colour display. When you extract it from your pocket or the protective pouch that comes with it, the Sidekick 3 looks rather like a handheld games console. The Sidekick 3 can be held like an ordinary phone when you are on a call, but for other non-voice phone purposes it is designed to be held length ways. It does though, manage to incorporate a screen and QWERTY keyboard both of which are larger than you’d usually find on a mobile. The Sidekick 3, like its predecessor, is a sizeable beast at 130mm x 59mm x 22mm, and it isn’t light at 182g. While things have moved on too far for it to be classed as a truly competent mobile phone, I have to admit to rather liking some aspects of it. This time round it’s much the same thing. When I wrote about the Sidekick II I admitted to being in two minds about it. A year ago I reviewed T-Mobile’s Sidekick II and now I have in my hands T-Mobile’s Sidekick 3 (yes, ‘II’ has become ‘3’ rather than ‘III’).

T mobile sidekick 3