Sharp Hiptop 3 / Sidekick 3
Phone Scoop Review
Jun 19, 2006 by Eric Lin
In Depth review of the sleek new Sidekick 3 for T-Mobile, with Video Tour and side-by-side comparison with Sidekick II. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
Cool Phone
The tmobile sidekick 3 is a cool phone.Here are my pro's and cons:
Pro's:
*Mp3 player
*E-mail
*Games
*trackball
*instant messaging/texting
*address book
*web browser
*Organizer includes:Calendar,Notes,&to-do lists
*Camera
*Applications including:calculator& picture transfer
*Download catalog
Cons:
The trackball will get dirty at times unless you clean it.If this ever happens try cleaning it with windex and a napkin or a
Q-tip.My last con is the delicacy.sidekick phones are VERY delicate. if you drop it once,dont worry.but if you drop it constantly, pray that you have insurance.I hope this review helped.good luck & enjoy
IDEAL FOR ME !!!!
I was such a fool to exchange my Sidekick 3 for the Motorola RIZR. Now I'm off to T-Mobile, to exchange it the other way around. The Sidekick 3 is a great phone; I don't care about all the tech stuff people complain about, so for me, it's ideal.
PROS
* MP3 player -- and you can actually leave it and it continues to play
* AIM/Yahoo/etc. -- like the SKII
* Camera is nicer than the SKII (not as nice as the RIZR, but that's how it is)
* Trackball -- it takes some getting use to, but it's actually fun compared to the scrollwheel on the SKII
* Battery door has a nice feel
* Keypad is gorgeous and feels SO much better than the SKII's
* Bumper keys (I don't know their names --such as the on/off button, camera button, etc.) feel great
* Good speakerphone quality
CONS
* No bumpers -- no biggie, I just liked adding a little something extra to the SKII
* Screen feels a tad flimsy, but I KNOW it's just me because I'm a bit fussy when it comes to things like that
* A bit "blocky", so it's weird at first to use it as a phone
Overall, it's a great phone. I can't wait to do the exchange at T-Mobile. I'm STILL kicking myself!
Great Phone
I just got my sidekick 3 yesterday and I can already say that is the best phone that I have ever owned. It has plenty of positives but also some negatives. Pros: very easy to use, a lot easier than other phones. Keyboard may be the best part of it, its efficient and there is no delay on the keys. Very flashy looking overall. Internet is pretty quick...as a matter of fact, in on the sidekick typing this review right now. Cons: some of the websites do not always work at first. Ringer volume is not great. If your not gonna get the internet and messaging package...it is not the phone for you because that is what its for. It is not for the typical business person. Overall it is a great phone
THE BEST PHONE I HAVE EVER HAD
I bought the Sidekick 3 about 2 weeks ago and I love it. I used to have the sidekick 2 and this kicks the 2 in the butt.It is so much faster and it looks so much nicer. I don't like T-mobile that much because I have adverage reception on it but that is not the sidekick 3's fault. I love that it is so easy to use and I DO NOT regret getting it. The camera is not bad at all. It is perfect for quick use and also I think that its flash is great for a phone. It now runs JAVA script and Now I can access any website I want. With the sidekick2 I felt so limited because I couldn't go to my favorite websites. Now I am so happy. Personally I love the new keyboard because the old keyboard was all sticky and the letters faded away. I LOVE THE SIDEKICK 3. WITHOUT A DOUBT IT IS BY FAR THE BEST PHONE THAT I HAVE EVER HAD!!! Also one more thing, The MP3 player is so handy because now I don't need my iPod anymore!!!
Only good if . . .
I used this for 5 months and then wanted something else (got a RIZR Z3) but here's my experience with it.
Pros:
- Instant messaging program cannot be beat.
- Very good for multitasking.
- Not watered down web pages, though it's not exactly Windows Mobile either.
- Great keyboard for texting, email, IM.
- Customizable with themes
Cons:
- Camera SUCKS
- Too big and clunky
- Internet was slow
- Battery life was not good
- Music Player is not good from others I have used
- Connection always failed every few hours
- Have to BUY every program, game, ring tone, etc.
- Washed out screen, get with the times, I don't want to see pixels.
- No MMS, have to send pics by email.
This is only great for heavy texters and IMers. I text a lot, but I also like to share good pics with people, so I moved on to a better camera and capable of MMS like the SK3 should have been from the beginning. But I miss the IMing client. But that wasn't enough to keep me.
best
i have a sidekick 3, nokia 3300, samsung e-315, and a nokia 3220
And i love my phones but i jus love sidekick the best.
pros
camera
mp3
qwerty keyboard.
yahoo instant messengers
email
games
great phone
but the screen pops out alot
and do not drop or u will regret it
i have drop mine 3 times. each time i had to get a new one.
Good device, but you could do better
I've had this phone for about nine months now. It was a Christmas gift, and I've been pretty grateful, although I wish I hadn't gotten it after Apple announced the iPhone two weeks later.
PROs:
>good keyboard. Great for text addict.
>trackball is great for scrolling. I don't know why there's still a d-pad on the other side of the phone.
>UI is pretty good for the most part.
>IM client is great.
>Web browser is pretty fast.
>Music player is a plus.
CONs:
>It is bulky. While it isn't as bulky as I had expected it to be, I still don't like putting all that weight up to my ear or in my pocket.
>display is atrocious.
>camera is atrocious, but I don't really use cameras that much.
>No WiFi, but not too many smartphones have it to begin with.
>Not quad band, which most people probably won't care about this, but I do a considerable amount in international travel and I wish I had 900 MHz on it.
>The phone comes with an automatic "yuppie" branding on you.
It's a good phone, but you could do much better.
WRONG!
i had the dash and i had to replace it 3 times cuz it kept freezing on me. i lovedddd the dash to check my mial and do my budgeting. i replaced it with the sidekick and when i found out no calculator, i was bummed!
but....you just need to look around for the applications you need.
PROS:
-web browsing loads more pages that most phones ive owned, and ive owned many, better web than the dash.
-has calculator as a application you have to download FOR FREEE
-cute look, love the swivel screen, its not "flimsy" DONT GET CARRIED AWAY FLIPPING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. PPL FLIP IT FOR THINGS THAT THEY DONT NEED THE KEYBOARD FOR!!
-has great downloadable applications for budgeting, so it can be used as a business phone
-love love love the keyboard, BEST ONE OUT!
-dont use the mp3 player much, i have an ipod
-wallpapers and themes...really awesome themes can be made or downloaded for free which makes it all the more worth the money!
CONS:
-everyones right about the camera, horrible pictures, but i got over it cuz i use my DIGITAL CAMERA instead
-all the noises are annoying but THEY CAN BE TURNED OFF!
-and not having mms is a bummer, its only easy to send pics thru T-MAIL, otherwise...bummer
awesome, awesome phone! all these negtive reviews are from ppl that expect wayyyy too much from a PHONE~!! and others complain about things that you can fix, but you just need to learn the ways....
SIDEKICK 3
This phone to me was amazing! Even though there are some bad things about this phone I still find myself in love with it.
PROS:
*Black sleek look.
*MP3 (which is super easy to use!)
*Cool scroll ball.
*Screen is crystal clear.
*Removable Battery.
*To me, feels lighter than any of the other sidekicks.
*Skinnier than the other sidekicks.
*Different backgrounds.
*Keyboard is easier to use.
*Has bluetooth.
*Comes with memory card.
CONS:
*Ringers aren't that loud.
*There is a bad selection of ringtones given to you on the phone.
*Camera could be better.
*No video.
I Love My Sidekick 3
Well I got my SK3 about 3 weeks ago and I am in love with it. I have had quite a lot of phone and my sidekick is by far the best phone I have ever had. The SK3 has everything!
PROS:
Keyboard
Text Messaging
Instant Messaging
T-Mobile Email Address
Music Player
Memory Card
Real Web Browser
Pretty Good Camera
CONS:
T-Mobile could be better
Fragile
Expensive
Overall I think the SK3 is totally worth it I mean I'm on it 24/7.
