sidekick 3

We're in the midst of the holiday season, which means that conversations have turned from "events" to "stuff." As in, stuff kids want from their parents (or Santa, or whatever). Over the past few years, cell phones have made their ways onto Christmas and Hanukkah lists. While before they were merely devices to talk and text with, they're turning into multipurpose devices. And as we see the increase in functionality, we see an increase in demand for these fancier phones. Atop this years list are phones like Verizon's LG Voyager and AT&T's Apple iPhone, but those aren't the only shiny objects that kids are clamoring for. Don't forget T-Mobile and their Sidekick series.

There's been much hoopla about T-Mobile's new Sidekick offerings, the Sidekick Slide and the Sidekick LX, both next-generation upgrades over the Sidekick iD. We can also lump the Sidekick 3 into this group, since it's T-Mobile's prepaid Sidekick option.

Common upgrades

A couple of new features really stick out on the Sidekicks Slide, LX, and 3. All of them are Bluetooh-compatible, a feature sorely lacking from the iD. But, perhaps the most heralded upgrade is the addition of a camera with video capabilities. It's one of the features that kids want most on a phone, so you can bet T-Mobile is going to sell a few of these puppies based on that feature alone.

Other than that, though, the only upgrade is the ability to roam internationally, a feature not exactly at the top of kids' wish lists. Unfortunately, WiFi was not added to any of the new Sidekicks, which would have brought the benefit of HotSpot @Home, T-Mobil's WiFi home calling service.

Sidekick 3

We'll start with the Sidekick 3, which is a featured phone for their To Go prepaid offering. Why do kids want this one? The simple QWERTY interface is certainly one of the main draws, as it has been since the inception of the Sidekick. But let's not forget something else kids covet: size.

What's a quick way to get razzed by your friends? Easy: Wear your phone on a belt clip. We even made fun of our friends in college who did this, so imagine what high schoolers are like. (And yes, we understand the belt clip in a professional setting; just not for kids.) Thankfully for them, the Sidekick 3 is just as small as many other popular phones. At 5.1 x 2.3 x .09 inches, it can fit into any size purse, and slides snugly into jeans pockets.

The only issue we see with size is the weight: seven ounces. While that might not seem much, it's actually up there as far as cell phones go. It's the price you pay, though, for having a full-QWERTY device with such small dimensions.

With an expandable microSD slot and a media player, kids can download and share their favorite music with ease. And if you have friends with a Sidekick — or really any other phone that uses microSD — you can swap cards and share even more. You can share pictures, too, as the Sidekick 3 comes with an on-board 1.3 megapixel camera.

Kids nowadays (and adults, too) want to keep connected. This is a major draw of the Sidekick, since it offers full-range Internet access along with real-time email capabilities. Another big thing among youths, instant messaging, is also made easy with the Sidekick. It comes with easy access to Yahoo, MSN, and AOL messengers. And, of course, for an additional fee you can download games, ringtones, wallpaper, and all that fun stuff.

For the more age-advanced Sidekick users, there is the Personal Information Manager, which provides access to your address book, contacts, calendar, which you can sync with your PC.

The only thing holding this back from being a completely ideal phone for youngsters is the price tag: $399.99. Why so expensive? After all, you can get an iPhone for that. Unfortunately, as we see far too often, there is no subsidy on this phone, because you're not signing a two-year agreement. It does come with $10 of airtime, which amounts to little more than a pittance, considering service rates.

On that front, it will cost you $1 per day for the Web and email access, plus prepaid airtime. This isn't T-Mobile's normal prepaid program, where you can buy a $100 card and get calls for 10 cents per minute. When you sign up for the Sidekick plan, your calls are locked in at 15 cents per minute. So it's not terrible, but if you're using 500 minutes per month plus data, it's going to run you north of $100.

Sidekick Slide

Once a recall item because of a faulty battery, the Sidekick Slide is back on the market, and all is well. The only problem with this and the other new Sidekick offering, the LX, is that neither is available with a prepaid plan. Tried as we may, we couldn't get T-Mobile's website to do this for us. Even if they could, we're not sure it's such a hot idea, considering the two-year contract prices for each phone — $199 for the Slide, $299 for the LX.

On the size front, it's smaller and lighter than the Sidekick 3: 4.6 x 2.4 x 0.7 inches, and 5.3 ounces. The other differentiating factor is, as the name implies, that it's a slider phone. Rather than the screen flipping around, as with other Sidekick models, the Sidekick Slide's screen shifts up and down, like any other slider phone.

There are a few other marginal upgrades, like picture caller ID and a currency converter. But really, it matches up with the Sidekick 3 with all other features beyond size and slide function. It's still Bluetooth-compatible, and has the same 1.3 megapixel camera. Games, ringtones, wallpapers, and more are also available. And yes, it has an expandable microSD slot, along with a media player.

Sidekick LX

Surely, the Sidekick LX must be loaded if it costs $100 more than the Slide, right? At first glance, it might not seem so. It's got basically the same features as the 3 and the Slide: Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD, and all that jazz. Heck, it's bigger than the Slide: 5.2 x 2.4 x 0.7 inches, and 5.8 ounces. So what makes this Sidekick stand out?

It's all in the screen. Instead of boasting the VGA-quality of the previous models, the Sidekick LX offers high-definition LCD technology, making pictures clearer and videos crisper.

Upon review…

If you're on a T-Mobile postpaid plan, both the Slide and the LX make strong cases. At $199, the Slide is a good value, and with the LCD screen, the LX makes for an ideal viewing experience. However, we're a bit disappointed that they're relegating these to postpaid, while making only the Sidekick 3 available on prepaid.

Not that we have a problem with the Sidekick 3. Yeah, at $399 it's a bit expensive, and it isn't rife with all of the new features of the LX and Slide. But it's still a strong offering. Once you get past the exterior — the dimensions, weight, and screen — the three phones are remarkably similar. Definitely similar enough to warrant taking a look at this if you're with T-Mobile To Go.


INDIANAPOLIS -- Having averaged 78.5 catches, 1,103.3 yards and 8.3 touchdowns in the past four seasons as a starter, wide receiver Reggie Wayne wasn't quite sure how much more he could do to further establish himself as one of the NFL's premier playmakers.

And then eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Marvin Harrison suffered a debilitating knee injury in the Colts' victory over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 30, and everyone found out.


That's because when Harrison went down, Wayne's production went up. And the player considered by many to be the best No. 2 wideout in the league demonstrated that he is more than just a complementary component in the Indianapolis passing attack. He's no longer the "other" guy for quarterback Peyton Manning.


He's the go-to guy.

INSIDE TIP SHEET
Here's some of what you will find in this week's Tip Sheet notes.

• Details on Henry appeal
• Ware ahead of the pack
• Smith mulling options
• Pair of costly QB injuries
• Still waiting for classic Seymour
• Surprising demotion for Forney
• Petrino remains in rumor mill
• Colts adjusting to loss of Freeney
• Reliant on rookies
• End of eras in Miami?
• Texans' Williams emerging
• Karmelowicz a name to consider
• Martz on shaky ground?
• Harrison, Glenn share recovery track
• Tucker, Morris' profiles on rise
• Jones-Drew was a Colts' favorite
• The List
• Stat of the Week
• Stat of the Weak
• Punts
• The Last Word


"He became the absolute biggest piece of our passing offense," tight end Dallas Clark said. "Right now, everything revolves around him. I mean, Marvin, with everything that he's done and accomplished, and probably going into the Hall of Fame some day, he casts a big shadow.



"But the past six or seven games, or whatever it's been, Reggie has shown that he doesn't have to play in anyone's shadow."



In every NFL season, there are players who step up to compensate for the loss of injured or departed teammates, or who simply seize the opportunity for quality playing time and then emerge as standouts in their own right. This year is no different.



The 2007 season has produced potential stars, such as running backs Justin Fargas (Oakland), LenDale White (Tennessee) and Ryan Grant (Green Bay), safety O.J. Atogwe (St. Louis), defensive end Trent Cole (Philadelphia), weakside linebacker James Harrison (Pittsburgh) and wide receiver Brandon Marshall (Denver), among others.



Wayne, though, was already well-known. He was a first-round draft choice in 2001 (from the University of Miami), and he posted three straight 1,000-yard seasons and went to his first Pro Bowl in 2006. So based on his résumé alone, Wayne was expected to have a good season. But no one expected such a big season, especially without Harrison lining up across the formation from him.



For the season, Wayne, 29, has 76 catches for 1,169 yards and eight touchdowns. At his current pace, he would finish with 101 receptions, 1,559 yards and 11 scores. That would be 15 more catches and 200-plus more yards than his career bests.



And if he indeed reaches those numbers? Consider it remarkable, simply because there is basically no other viable wide receiver in the lineup to draw the coverage away from him.



Clark has enjoyed a career season, too, and his versatility creates matchup problems for every Colts' opponent, because he can align in the slot or as a traditional in-line tight end. But with Harrison out of the lineup, and rookie first-rounder Anthony Gonzalez just now getting up to speed after rehabilitating from a broken finger, secondaries have focused their efforts on stopping Wayne.



And, for the most part, have failed.



"No doubt about it, he has stepped up his game, gone to another level with [Harrison] out of there," said Jacksonville cornerback Brian Williams, who was torched for a 48-yard touchdown catch by Wayne on Sunday. "He's taken [it] on himself to get better, and he has. He just keeps getting open. It's kind of frustrating not being able to stop him, because you know on the big downs that Manning is looking his way."





Stepping It Up

Besides Reggie Wayne, here are five other veterans who, given more playing time and responsibility, have dramatically increased their production and raised their profiles in 2007:

Trent Cole, DE, Philadelphia: Always an effective situational rusher, the three-year veteran (in photo above) moved into the starting lineup this season when the coaches decided that Darren Howard and Jevon Kearse were in decline. Cole has 9-1/2 sacks.

Justin Fargas, RB, Oakland: Pretty much an afterthought when the season began, he was buried behind LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes on the depth chart -- Fargas has rushed 181 times for 863 yards and three touchdowns, and has four 100-yard outings.

James Harrison, LB, Pittsburgh: Took over the weakside vacancy created by the offseason release of Joey Porter and has been a monster in the Steelers' 3-4 front, with 75 tackles, 8-1/2 sacks and seven forced fumbles.

Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver: With star wideout Javon Walker sidelined much of the year by a knee injury, the second-year speedster from Central Florida has flourished, and has 65 catches for 914 yards and four touchdowns.

LenDale White, RB, Tennessee: Out of shape, overweight and frequently injured as a rookie in 2006, the former Reggie Bush running mate at Southern Cal started the year on the bench, and no better than No. 3 on the depth chart. But when starter Chris Brown was injured, White became the Titans' power back, and he's rushed for 754 yards and six scores.

-- Len Pasquarelli


In the eight games since Harrison was injured, Wayne has 55 catches for 862 yards and five touchdowns. In the seven games that Indianapolis has played without Harrison -- the Colts' star played a limited number of snaps in the Oct. 22 contest at Jacksonville, but mostly as a decoy, catching only three passes for 16 yards -- Wayne has 46 receptions for 731 yards and five touchdowns.



"I think I've always been a hard worker," Wayne said. "But, if possible, I've forced myself to work even harder the past month or two. We're the defending Super Bowl champions, and we want to repeat.



"Sure, it's a little harder with Marvin not out there, but we've got guys who can make plays. You don't want to let guys down. I'm just trying to play my part, that's all."




In terms of production from the Indianapolis wide receivers, though, Wayne is virtually playing all the parts.




He has registered three 100-yard outings in the seven games in which Harrison has not played. In fact, three of the six career games in which Wayne has more than 140 receiving yards have come in the past six weeks with Harrison out of the lineup. In that same stretch, all the other Indianapolis wide receivers have totaled just 34 catches and 350 yards -- and no touchdowns.



Wayne is blessed with deceptive speed and has matured as a technically solid route runner. Manning loves to throw the ball to spots and counts on his receivers to get there, and Wayne has become increasingly polished at finding the open spaces. He isn't quite as precise as Harrison but is adept at double-move routes, and he works well off the sleight-of-hand play fakes at which Manning is so adroit. Oh, and Wayne has excellent burst to the ball when it's in the air.



On his 48-yard touchdown reception Sunday, which came one snap after Manning had absorbed a sack and faced a third-and-16, the Colts' quarterback was just trying to get some yardage back so that Adam Vinatieri would have a makeable field goal. But then he spotted Wayne streaking past the Jacksonville secondary. For a second or so, it appeared Manning's pass might be a stride two long, but Wayne accelerated and caught it on his finger tips.




It was, Manning acknowledged, the kind of play the Colts have come to expect from Wayne on a regular basis. And have come to increasingly rely on, since Harrison remains out of the lineup while rehabilitating for what the Colts hope will be a late-season return.




Time was when Wayne was viewed as the sidekick part of the Indianapolis wide receiver equation. Now he's the one kicking the butts of opposition cornerbacks when the Colts need a big, vertical play.



"He's definitely a playmaker," Manning said. "You can see how much he wants the ball and how much confidence he has. There's a big element of trust involved
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