2009 Sidekick LX to get 480p screen, GPS?
updated 04:30 pm EST, Wed January 28, 2009
Sidekick LX 2009 Leak
Danger and its hardware partners may be preparing a major update to the Sidekick LX that turns it into an advanced media and social networking device, a survey given to a Hiptop3 reader suggests. When asked about smartphones, the reader says she was reportedly presented with an image that shows an Sidekick LX 2009 that centers on an unusually sharp, 854x480 3.2-inch display. It would also have other hardware firsts for Sidekicks, including 3G data, GPS with turn-by-turn navigation and a 3.2-megapixel camera with both flash and video capture.
The LX would also incorporate a major refocusing of the software on modern social networking and would come with a Twitter component as well as built-in clients for Facebook, MySpace, Photobucket and YouTube with at least the MySpace and Photobucket apps allowing video uploads. Microsoft's buyout of Danger also appears visible with built-in support for Exchange sync as well as the option of using GPS with Windows Live's Local Search and Maps components.
It's unclear whether the 2009 LX portrayed in the image represents a specific production model or an investigative move that may lead to changes later on. However, Sidekick development has slowed and saw just one completely new model ship in 2008; any future model is likely headed to T-Mobile and would use the newer 1,700MHz UMTS or HSPA access if it makes the leap to 3G.
