The T-mobile Sidekick LX 2009 and Sidekick 2008 are susceptible to screen damage so be careful with them. I strongly recommend to get a screen protector to keep scratching to a minimum.  For the best screen protection, check out the invisibleshield from Zagg.  T-Mobile Sidekick 2008 Screen and the T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009 (Screen)

All of the sidekick family, be it a sidekick 3, Sidekick Slide, Sidekick LX,  Sidekick (2008)  or the New Sidekick LX (2009) don’t take abuse very well.

Accidents happen though, so it is a good idea to be prepared. The best way is to keep your T-mobile Sidekick in a case when you are not using it. That way if it drops, it has some protection around it. Another way to protect it is to put a skin on it. Most skins will protect the phone from being scratched but only the gel skins offer some impact protection.

The great thing about Sidekick skins is that you can get them in a wide range of styles and colors.  You can make your sidekick unique from everyone else.    Custom Sidekick LX 2009 Skins Custom Sidekick 2008 Shells Custom Sidekick LX 2007 Skins

For best protection, get a Sidekick skin and a case. Even if you have insurance, it is still 110 dollars to replace your phone so a 30 dollar investment in protecting your phone is well worth it.

Check out the following links below to see some Sidekick Skins and case:

Sidekick LX 2009 Skins for Sale Sidekick LX 2009 Cases

Sidekick 2008 Gel skins Sidekick 2008 Cases

Skins and cases for Older Sidekick Models are listed below:

Sidekick Covers Sidekick Cases Sidekick Skins Sidekick LX Gel Skins

Sidekick Slide Gel Skins Sidekick 3 Gel Skins

I hope you find ones that you like

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Keep in mind, by “training the battery,” I mean recalibrating the battery meter of your Sidekick:

1. The initial charge out of the box is crucial. The instructions state you should charge the device 6-8 hours upon initial start up. People get so excited by getting the sidekick that they yank it off the charger 3-4 hours later so they can go show their friends!  This is a BIG mistake. Despite every urge to do so, let it charge at least 6 hours out the box.

2. For the next couple of days try and let your sidekick drain it’s battery completely before you charge it again.  When you charge it, make sure it charges 4-5 hours minimum before you take it off the charger. Leaving it plugged in overnight is usually the best option.

After a few days, you’ll begin to notice an improvement in your battery life.  The Sidekick now had a baseline for a fully charged battery and an empty battery.

Do this for 4 or 5 days and you will be set.

Here are some other tips to help get better battery life from your Sidekick:

1. Turn your LCD brightness down as low as you can tolerate.
2. Try and avoid being on all 3 IM clients at the same time for any extended period.
3. The music player is the second biggest battery drainer next to making phone calls. If you use the music player more than a few hours a day, you might want to consider a separate MP3 player. 
4.  Make sure to close out of the photo application when done. If you just “Jump” out, the device still keeps the camera rolling, draining more of the battery.  Make sure you “Done” out of the camera app to be sure.
5. When charging, keep the phone on a surface that allows it to dissipate the heat. A desk top or table is good.  On a pillow or a bed is bad! The hotter the battery gets over time, the less use you will be able to get out of it.

What if your Sidekick is not new and you want to get better battery life and this doesn’t help.  You can get a new battery for your phone and do this procedure.  New Sidekick batteries are about 10 dollars on eBay.  Don’t pay 40-60 dollars for a new one from T-mobile

Here are some links to new Sidekick batteries:

Replacement Sidekick LX Battery  Replacement Sidekick 3 Battery    Replacement Sidekick Slide Battery  Replacement Sidekick ID Battery

Originally posted 2008-10-18 18:47:52.

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 how do i get my sidekick 2008 to vibrate when i get a text?

i just bought a sidekick 2008 and i cant get it to vibrate when i receive a text. all that happens is an icon shows up in the corner? and suggestions?
Thanks

Here is the  Answer I gave:

You need to have the data plan otherwise it doesn’t vibrate or ring when you first get a text. Try setting your pending message alert to 2 minutes under sound settings so 2 minutes after you get the text it vibrates or rings.

I didn’t know that but know I do.  I hope that it helps you out.

Originally posted 2008-11-22 11:28:40.

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The LCD screens on the t-mobile Sidekicks and Danger Hiptops are fragile. They have a thin ribbon cable(flex cable) that mounts to the LCD screen that transmits all of the data and power. If you drop your phone or are rough with it, the cable can wriggle loose. If it becomes even a bit loose, it can cause a white screen. 

How do you know if you have a white screen on your sidekick? Well, the phone works fine. It will make and receive calls, but it looks like the backlight is on to the fullest extent.  The screen will be completely white and you will not be able to see anything else.

The good news is that I wrote a how to guide to repair this problem.  The bad news is it only works 90% of the time.  Sorry, but it is free! =)

If your Sidekick 3, Sidekick ID, or Sidekick II (2) has a white LCD screen, I advise trying this repair guide first.  If it doesn’t work, you just need to replace the sidekick lcd screen. Problem solved.

The following guide may be able to help you.  I have used it successfully on a Sidekick ID, a Sidekick II and a Sidekick 3.  No guarantees, but it is worth a shot.

The following procedure uses a Sidekick 3 but the steps are the same for all 3 of the sidekick models mentioned above.

Items needed:

T6 Torx driver, size 0 phillips screwdriver, and a small flat tipped tool for prying.  I prefer plastic guitar picks but a small screw driver works too.  (if you do not have a t6 torx, you can buy a set of them from a Hardware store for about 5 dollars, or you can use the flat tipped screwdriver.)

Directions

1. Power down your Sidekick.

2. Remove the back cover and take out the battery.

3. Flip your sidekick screen halfway to access the two screws that need to be removed. One has already been removed in this picture. Remove the screws using the T6 torx driver. 4. While still holding the screen in the half flipped position, gently lift the screen up and out.

 Warning

Be careful not to touch the copper contacts of the connector. The pins on the connector of the base unit are very fragile.

5. Put the LCD screen assembly upside down on a soft surface (to avoid scratching). There are 4 screws that need to be removed before your can removed the old lcd screen cover. You will need a size 0 Phillips screwdriver for these.

6. Remove the two screws shown below.

7.Remove the other two screws shown below. You will need to rotate the flex cable/spring unit to access one of them. 8. Flip the screen back over and gently pry the two corners on the bottom of the side with the flex cable.

9. Now that both edges are loose, grab the edge and gently lift screen backwards.

10. Now that Sidekick lens is off, the removal of the LCD screen begins

11. Gently pry one of the corners shown in the picture below by the red arrow. Use a plastic pry device, my favorite is a guitar pick. The LCD is held down by a very sticky adhesive and will take slow, steady prying and lifting.  Do not move the screen to far away from the base. 12. When you get the LCD free from the adhesive, lay it down gently towards the flip assembly. See photo below for orientation. Be careful and do not pull LCD straight out from back housing as you may damage the flex cable.

13. Flip up the black clamp that holds the flex cable to the connector. See the red arrow below for location. 14. Now that the connector clamp is flipped up, gently reseat the flex cable into the connector.

15. Close the black clamp on the connector down to fasten the cable in place. Make sure that the cable is seated snugly in connector.

16. Once the cable is seated into the connector correctly, gently lay the LCD into the back housing as shown below. 17. Now install the Sidekick LCD screen cover in the reverse order. Put the screen back working from the top of the lcd.18. Once the cover is on, press down firmly on edges to make sure they are snapped into place.

19. Flip the LCD unit over and install the 4 screws you removed earlier. Be sure to rotate  swivel unit out of the way for the one screw. Once the screws are in, it is time to reassemble the your sidekick.

20. Prepare the Sidekick LCD screen assembly for installation. Make sure the spring unit is rotated as shown below. Fail to follow this step can cause the screen not to flip properly. If it is not aligned as shown, rotate spring assembly until it is. 21. Rotate the LCD assembly until in the half flipped position and install in base unit. See picture in step 4 for the proper angle to install. Once installed, slowly release the screen and allow to flip into position.

22. Rotate the LCD screen on the Sidekick to the half flipped position and install the two screws removed in step 3 and tighten them down.

23. Test the flip action of your phone. It if doesn’t work right, remove screen and go back to step

24. Once the flip action is working, it is time to reinstall the battery and back cover.

25. Power up your Sidekick and see if the screen is fixed.

Don’t be discouraged if it does not work the first time.  It took me a few times when I was trying out this procedure.

If it doesn’t work after a few times, then you should replace the LCD screen on your Sidekick .

They run about 30 to 40 dollars and are easy to replace.

Check the following links to see the availability of LCD screens for your Sidekick.

Sidekick 3 LCD Screens for Sale

Sidekick II (2) LCD Screens for Sale

Sidekick ID LCD screens for Sale (These are rarely available)

Remember steps 3 and 4, well that’s the procedure for replacing the Sidekick LCD Assembly on a Sidekick 3, Sidekick II, or a Sidekick ID.

Originally posted 2008-11-05 22:28:39.

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The codename for this is seems to be The blade.  I Think this is looking pretty good at the moment.  I am glad there is no mention about a touch screen.  The Sidekick Software is intuitive enough.

Some of the new key features are:

- Facebook

- Twitter

- YouTube Mobile Access via browser

- GPS Location Based Search

- Turn by Turn Navigation

- Microsoft Live Local Search and Maps

- Blog publishing, editing, and management client

- Microsoft Outlook/Exchange synchronization

- Large (3.2 inch WVGA) screen with sharp 854×480 resolution

- Thin design

- 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash and video recording

Finally, You Tube on your Sidekick!! It’s about time.  It is one the most requested thing people ask about.

No idea yet about when it is coming out.  I imagine early summer time.

Stay tuned!

Originally posted 2009-01-30 23:27:39.

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I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but more than likely the backlight on your sidekick has blown out.  Don’t panic! It’s not the end of the world or your sidekick.

Before going off and getting a new Sidekick, there are a few things you should try to do first.

Make sure the backlight settings are on.

To adjust the backlight settings for the Sidekick 2008 or the Sidekick LX:

1. From the Jump screen, press MENU  then select Settings > Battery & Display.
2. Highlight, then select the Brightness slider to open it for editing. Roll the TRACKBALL right to increase brightness; roll the TRACKBALL left to decrease brightness. After you’ve made the adjustment, press the TRACKBALL to exit edit mode.
3. Select the length of time you want backlighting to stay on from the Dim after pop-up menu.
4. To use the device’s light meter while the backlight is on, select the Use ambient light sensor check box.
5. Press JUMP  to return to the Jump screen and save your settings.

To adjust the backlight settings for the Sidekick Slide:

1. From the Jump screen, press MENU  then select Settings > Battery & Display.
2. Highlight, then select the Brightness slider to open it for editing. Roll the TRACKBALL right to increase brightness; roll the TRACKBALL left to decrease brightness. After you’ve made the adjustment, press the TRACKBALL to exit edit mode.
3. Select the length of time you want backlighting to stay on from the Dim after pop-up menu.
4. To use the device’s light meter while the backlight is on, select the Use ambient light sensor check box.
5. Press JUMP  to return to the Jump screen and save your settings.

To adjust the backlight settings for the Sidekick 3

1. From the Jump screen, press MENU  then select Settings > Battery & Display
2. In the second group box, select the Turn on backlight when using device check box.
3. Highlight, then select the Brightness slider to open it for editing. Roll the TRACKBALL right to increase brightness; roll the TRACKBALL left to decrease brightness. After you’ve made the adjustment, press the TRACKBALL to exit edit mode.
4. Select the length of time you want backlighting to stay on from the Turn off after pop-up menu.
5. To use the device’s light meter while the backlight is on, select the Use ambient light sensor check box.
6. Press JUMP  to return to the Jump screen and save your setting.

If you backlight settings are good, then the LCD backlight is burned out.

Follow these guides to replace them:

Sidekick LX LCD Replacement Guide

How to Replace a Sidekick 3 Screen  This guide also can be used for the Sidekick ID LCD Screen replacement or to put on a new Sidekick II LCD.

You can find replacement Sidekick screens at the following links:

Buy Sidekick LX LCD Screens

Buy Sidekick 3 LCD Screens

Buy Sidekick ID LCD Screens  Limited availability, check back often

Buy Sidekick II LCD Screens

I do not know of any good sources for Sidekick 2008 LCD Screens or Sidekick Slide screens.  I will update as I find a good source.

Originally posted 2008-10-19 20:59:56.

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Get The New Sidekick LX

Here are the Specs from the T-mobile website.  The pricing on these throught the website is 249.99 after 150 dollar instant rebate and 50 dollar mail in rebate.

As far as I can tell, there are no deals for a free Sidekick LX 2009. I will keep looking and keep you updated.

Top Phone Features

Originally posted 2009-05-18 09:28:39.

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Sidekick 3 stops booting with the 4 Danger icons on a white screen

This is a post for ChicaJessa05 that asked a question from the contact form

The procedure below will not always fix this issue.  It is the best solution that I have seen so far.

 1. Remove the battery from your device

2. Flip open the screen

3. With the battery removed, press and hold the “W” key on the keyboard. Press and hold it and don’t let go.

4. Put the battery in while holding the “W” key.  This is a little tricky but you can do it.

5. Keep holding the “W” key

6. The Sidekick 3 will boot to a screen that has a picture of a SK with Xs for eyes and stars spinning around it’s head. Kind of like it just got knocked out!

7. When you see this, you can let go of the “W” key.

8. After a few more seconds you’ll see a screen that says “Sorry! Please restart your device by selecting the Reboot button. If this screen appears again, contact Customer Care.”

9. Click the Reboot button on the screen, and hope for the best.

10.  Try one more time if it doens’t work.  It can’t hurt.

This is a fix not a workaround.  If your T-mobile Sidekick 3 boots properly after this then you should be fine.

I hope this helps the sidekick 3 owners out there.

photo credit: judy_breck

Originally posted 2008-10-07 23:58:19.

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Replacing the LCD assembly flip screen on your sidekick 3 is a fairly straight forward process.

There are only 2 screws you need to remove.

Removing and initialing the sidekick 3 LCD assembly will require a T6 torx driver. In a pinch, a small flat tip screwdriver can be used.

Buy a replacement Replacement Sidekick 3 LCD Screen .

1. Power down unit.
2. Remove back cover and take out battery.
3. Flip the sidekick screen halfway to access the two screws that need to be removed. One has already been removed in picture below. Remove the screws using the T6 torx driver.

4. While still holding the screen in the half flipped position, gently lift the screen up and out.

Warning

Be careful not to touch the copper contacts on the connector shown below. The pins on the connector of the base unit are very fragile.

5. Prepare the replacement screen for installation. Make sure the spring unit is aligned as shown. Fail to follow this step can cause the screen not to flip properly. If it is not aligned as shown, rotate spring assembly until it is.

6. Rotate the screen to the half flipped position and install in base unit. See picture in step 4 for the proper angle to install. Once installed, slowly release the screen and allow to flip into position.

7. Rotate screen to the half flipped position and install the two screws removed in step 3 and tighten them down.

8. Test the flip action of your phone. It if doesn’t work right, remove screen and go back to step 3.

9. Once the flip action is working, it is time to reinstall the battery and back cover.

10. Power up you phone and enjoy a newly installed lcd on the Sidekick 3.

Disclaimer: Disassembling your Sidekick 3 will void the warranty. Proceed with the preceding instructions at you own risk. www.fixmysidekick.com is not liable for any damage that may occur. This website is in no way related to or associated with T-mobile or Danger Inc.

Originally posted 2008-09-18 15:06:17.

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Frustrated?

Think you need a new trackball for your Sidekick Slide?

Well, more than likely you don’t.  You just need to clean the sidekicks trackball.  This will take care of most of track ball issues.

Follow the procedure below and it enjoy a shiny, almost new like trackball today.

1: Take a deep breath and blow on the trackball area, rotate and do it again.  This may blow any particles that are blocking the sensors. If you spit a lot, make sure you have a handy wipe nearby!

2: This requires a Q-tip and some alcohol.  Turn off your sidekick, wet the end of the q-tip, and gently clean the trackball while rotating.  Use the dry tip of the q-tip to dry off and clean again with another alchohol dipped  swab. Let dry for a minute and try it out.  If this doesn’t work then try again.

Here is a video showing the cleaning technique.

Originally posted 2008-09-16 00:22:22.

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