![]() ![]() ![]() This layout works fine when you’re typing with the screen kicked open, but if you’re using your phone with the screen retracted (vertically), this layout is a hassle because it puts the home button, a necessary one, on the top of the phone, well out of reach. Fans of the Sidekick brand will be familiar with the touch wheel (not really a wheel anymore) and the layout of the face buttons, which are curiously placed to surround the keyboard in a landscape orientation, with the home, jump key and settings buttons on the left and the menu and back buttons on the right, along with the touch pad. The navigation button layout is as strange as the screen. The Sidekick always led the pack in terms of screen size. We do wish Samsung had opted for a larger screen, as 3.5 inches is a bit small now that 4.3-inch Android phones have taken over. It doesn’t jolt open so fast that you drop the phone, and you can flick it open while holding the phone vertically or horizontally. We initially had our doubts on the gimmicky kick to the screen, as it’s a bit difficult to get the hang of, but it works well. T-Mobile still has the fastest 5G, but its rivals are catching upīest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals: Save big on the foldable The best prepaid cell phone plans in 2023: the 7 best ones In the race to make phones thinner, the quality of the keyboard has often taken a backseat. Keys have a healthy amount of space between them and a deep, satisfying click when you press them. The QWERTY keyboard has a full number row and is one of the better keyboards we’ve used. Image used with permission by copyright holder It’s a strange process, but it works pretty well, allowing a lot more space for the keyboard than a simple sliding design would. With enough pressure, it “kicks” out, revealing a spacious five-row keyboard underneath. Instead of simply sliding the screen forward like most keyboarded smartphones these days, you open the Sidekick 4G by putting pressure on the left bottom side of the screen. ![]() No, the screen doesn’t kick to the side like the original “smart” phone did so many years ago, but it does still have kick. The first thing you’ll notice about the Sidekick, aside from the fact that it runs Android, is the strange way it reveals its keyboard. The question is, does the Sidekick 4G fit the bill? Design and feel Today, texting isn’t our number one concern, but there’s still a place for a good QWERTY smartphone. Before all these Android phones and all this touchscreen nonsense, the Sidekick helped usher a class of phone that was sold not because it made good calls, but because it made texting easier. The original Sidekick was a revolutionary phone when it debuted back in 2002. The first two generations of Surface Duo were interesting concepts - to say the least - and reviews were mixed around how well executed they were as usable device, but they certainly served as reminders that there's more than one way to do a folding smartphone.Custom user interface doesn't enhance Android Any rumours and leaks surrounding the phone itself seem to be stuck somewhere between 'it's not happening' to 'it is happening, but probably not until late 2024.' The sad part of this particular device is that very little has been said about it since an initial flurry of rumours, and with Panos Panay leaving to join Amazon, it could be that this folding phone doesn't see the light of day. If so, it could see the Microsoft Surface foldable work more like a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, and not a two-screened smartphone with a hinge. Having tried two generations of Surface Duo - with two screens that fold shut - it's been said that Microsoft has shelved plans for a third generation and is, instead, working on a phone with one large foldable screen instead. ![]()
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