Is the T-mobile MDA a good upgrade for Sidekick2 users?

April 14, 2006 7:41 AM

Help! I love my Sidekick2, but it's broken. They don't sell them anymore, but the Sidekick3 won't be available for months, and I need a phone with similar features NOW. Should I abandon the Sidekick and get a new T-Mobile MDA? Anyone have one, and if so, do you like it?

My sidekick2 - out of warranty and uninsured - has stopped working. I can answer calls, but I can't hear or be heard, so it's pretty useless and I'm reduced to using only text messaging at the moment. I've just gone freelance, and my phone is my lifeline at the moment.

I consider myself a Sidekick fanatic - I've had one since the first version came out, and I'd hate to leave the product, especially right before the new version comes out, but I really can't wait... my initial inclination, though, is to avoid Microsoft-y products - and this MDA thing works on Win Mobile. I'm skeptical. Thoughts?

posted by ab3 to technology (11 comments total)

I was just at the T-Mobile store a few days ago and I could swore I saw SideKick 2's there. The Sidekick 2 is listed on their website.
posted by mmascolino at 7:52 AM on April 14, 2006

eBay?
posted by splatta at 8:02 AM on April 14, 2006

eBay via hiptop.com?

Seriously, if you consider yourself an (ahem) hiptop fanatic, I can't imagine why you're even considering a WinCE device.
posted by trevyn at 8:18 AM on April 14, 2006

mmascolino - they still have sidekick2s on display, but all the stores (at least in my area) are sold out, and have been told they wouldn't be restocked until the sidekick3 comes out; t-mobile won't even sell them from their website or over the phone.

ebay i've considered, but the thing is, i need a phone immediately - today - and with the holiday, etc, noone will be able to get me one before mid-week next week.
posted by ab3 at 8:32 AM on April 14, 2006

Have you tried calling up T-Mobile directly and attempting to buy one? I know of someone who did this two days ago.

Otherwise, ebay.
posted by mikepop at 8:33 AM on April 14, 2006

I have the MDA, and it's not bad. Notes:

-The sound is a little hard to hear, and because the screen is large and gets smudged when you make calls because you put your ear to it, I invested in a bluetooth headset.

+No locks on what you can or can't install. There is a nice variety of programs availible for the phone. Note: J2ME support for the MDA is not enabled, so you can only run pocket pc software. I currently have an IRC client, an SSH client, a Z-machine interpreter

-Software can be a bit twitchy at times, especially if running five billion programs at once. It is also difficult to actually quite a program, requiring you to hunt through the settings.

-No keypad. Dialing a number not in your contacts requires you to get out the stylus, or smudge the screen with you fingers.

+Mini SD card expandable

From what I'm reading, the MDA does everything that your current phone does, but also a great deal of many other things. If all you do is browse the web, it seems a bit overkill. What are you going to use the phone for?
posted by zabuni at 9:01 AM on April 14, 2006

okay, i get the ebay suggestions. too slow, wouldn't have a phone till next week and it will cost just as much as getting an MDA today.

so does nobody have an informed opinion on the MDA?
posted by ab3 at 9:01 AM on April 14, 2006

zabuni ----

Thanks! - that's the kind of feedback i was looking for. I'd probably be doing some light website management, so a terminal/SSH client would be good (actually the sidekick has one of those too, though...)
posted by ab3 at 9:07 AM on April 14, 2006

Froogle "Sidekick II" it seems you can still get some people selling it. If that is what is working for you let it keep working. Ebay your Sidekick when the next one comes out in a couple months.
posted by skepticallypleased at 9:08 AM on April 14, 2006

Here is one close to the location in your profile
posted by vaportrail at 9:24 AM on April 14, 2006

For management, the MDA also has a windows terminal services client.

If you have a laptop a feature I use a great deal is that you can use it as a data modem with T-Mobile's data plan. Internet for you laptop just about anywhere.

What's the price comparison on the MDA/sidekick ii? The MDA will put you back around 400 bucks, or it at least did for me.
posted by zabuni at 10:57 AM on April 14, 2006