queer and loathing

Obligatory Sidekick Post

Here’s the obligatory photo of myself holding my new Sidekick LX in the mirror. I’m officially “that guy” now. You know, the one who is constantly flipping the screen open and texting to mysterious recipients on the metro, in the restaurant, at work, during the funeral, etc. It’s OK, I figure I’ll just embrace it.

Don’t get me wrong, I would never spend the $299 list price for this thing, I got a really good deal at the T-Mobile outlet since they didn’t have the Sidekick3 or Slide in stock. I actually sent in the rebate… perhaps my first one?

Despite it’s huge shortcomings, I actually really like it so far. Sure, it’s criminal that they list “Bluetooth 2.0″ in it’s list of features, but then completely cripple it. No phone-to-phone BT file transfers, no stereo BT headphones… really, what’s the point of even HAVING a mono, crippled BT connection on a phone whose primary use is for text messaging? I also admit that for all practical purposes it’s completely un-customizable. Just about all you can change is the wall paper and a couple small icons in the menu. There’s these ginormous, horrid icons that cover a quarter of the screen when you trackball around the main menu.

The one thing that really should bug me is the fact that although you can transfer MP3s to the phone to play through your wired headphones, you can’t use them as ringtones. In fact, you can’t transfer ANYTHING else via the USB connection; music and photos, that’s it. Unlike any other ’smart phone’ you cant download and install games or other applications on your own, with the Sidekick you’re locked into buying these from the ‘Catalog’ that’s on the phone itself. That’s how they getcha! This sucked until I remember how even with all the MP3s I had on my phone before, I usually just kept it on vibrate anyway. Jay-Z playing randomly out of your pocket on the Metro at 9am is completely obnoxious. No big loss.

So, if I think it sucks so bad, why do I like it so much?

That freaking keyboard… that’s all I have to say. The screen is pretty amazing as well. Very bright, very sharp. Very huge.

Since moving to DC I’ve been texting like crazy. There’s a few ’social networking’ sites, like Twitter, that revolve almost exclusively around text messaging. None were very popular in New Orleans, but I’ve met quite a few great people up here through them. Consequently, I’m sending/receiving over 50 messages a day. Without the cheap, unlimited data plan (thanks T-Mobile!) and the huge keyboard on the SK, I’d be too broke to go to the doctor for the cramped, mangled thumbs I’d have by now. :)

Anyway, if you’re a twitterer, you can stalk follow me at my twitter profile..

Yes, I made a Keith Olbermann theme for my phone. :)