It's a Sidekick and a Running Mate

The new T-Mobile Sidekick Slide is a messaging addict's best friend. You might want to say it's your favorite "side kick." Since you can't stand to be out of the loop regardless of what you're doing, slip this in the pocket of your sweat pants and take off on your daily jog. If anything happens during that hour or so, you'll be connected. You might consider it your favorite "running mate."

I should mention that this mobile device is a cell phone, although that may not be its most heavily used application. The T-Mobile Sidekick Slide is a rapid access messaging machine. Rapid access because the slide feature presents a full QWERTY keyboard with just a flick of your thumb. Turn it sideways and you have something resembling a miniaturized computer. It has a large 320 x 240 pixel 16 bit full color display. Just below is the QWERTY keyboard with actual buttons, not virtualized pictures on a screen like that i-something-or-other.

The Sidekick Slide is what you might call messaging-intensive. SMS text messaging is just the start of it. There's also multimedia messaging so you can send and receive picture messages. A built-in instant messenger supports AOL, MSN and ICQ. You can also acess Web-based email accounts including Yahoo!, Gmail and others with a Sidekick plan.

What's a Sidekick plan? It's the messaging and Internet access service plan for your T-Mobile Sidekick Slide. It's different than a voice plan. The voice plan provides traditional cellular phone service with a basket of monthly minutes. The Sidekick plan gives you messaging and Web access. If you want both you can order both. But you do have the option of ordering just a Sidekick plan if you rarely make or receive telephone calls. In this case you can still use your Sidekick as a phone. You'll just pay by the minute for phone calls.

What else does this handy little gadget offer? How about a 1.3 Megapixel digital camera that takes photos good enough to print? You'll also get a MP3 player so you can listen to your favorite music while you're waiting for the next text message to arrive. There's 128 MB of internal memory available for user storage. You can add additional memory for more music and photos by adding a 4 GB microSD memory card.

What are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.

LG Xenon Exotic Messaging Phone

What exotic gas glows blue when excited by an electrical discharge? Why, it's Xenon of course. Hence, the name for this cool new cell phone from LG Electronics. While that explains the clever moniker for the LG Xenon phone in blue, how does the red Xenon get its name? Wait, I know! It's so hot from messaging that it's glowing red hot. So hot, in fact, that it's cool.

Enough about the name. What's really interesting about the LG Xenon is that it is designed to be messaging-centric. That is of, by, and for those who are all a-twitter about messaging. You'll be text-enabled to the max with the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, with keys spread out to run the full length of the phone body. No more hunting for teeny-weeny little push buttons. You should be able to type a blue streak with this keyboard. Blue streak? Xenon? Maybe that's how it got its name. Hmmm.

The LG Xenon is also a touchscreen candybar style phone that easily slips in your pocket or bag with the keyboard retracted. It works great as a telephone when you aren't messaging. In fact, this could be called a world phone because it operates on all 4 international GSM bands: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900.

It's also 3G capable for the AT&T wireless network for blazing fast multimedia messaging and streaming multimedia. Streaming? Yes, you can use it for AT&T Mobile Music, XM Radio, Cellular Video and more with the appropriate plan options. There's also an MP3 player that lets you create and manage playlists for your MP3, AAC, AAC+ and WMA music files. Use an A2DP wireless stereo headset to get the most from this music player.

Photography hasn't been forgotten. You'll enjoy a 2.0 Megapixel digital camera that takes pictures good enough to print as well as share through messaging. You can record video messages up to 32 seconds or take video clips up to an hour. Expandable memory supports up to a 16 GB microSD Card for lots of music and picture storage.

That 2.8 inch touchscreen has tactile feedback. You'll feel a slight vibration to tell you that your command has been accepted. The screen also supports GPS services such as AT&T Navigator for turn by turn driving directions.

HWhat are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.