The Sidekick works wonderfully in this capacity. It's AIM integration is so good that I will frequently continue to use it while I sit at the computer.
Your AIM useage isn't like SMS where each message costs you $$ either.
Oh, btw, it also does an admirable job at email. Again, sometimes it's easy enough to use the Sidekick even though you're sitting at the computer.
Oh, btw, it's a darn good web browser too.
In fact, I'm using it right now to post this reply.
Oh, btw, it's also got all the usual PIM functions of a PDA.
Oh, btw, it's also an okay cell phone. Seriously, the fact that it's a phone is an afterthought to me. It's not that great as a phone.
They've just begun letting people play with a development kit too so I have high hopes of making it fill other needs too. It really rocks. I do have some complaints but this a damn fine tool.
It's incredibly light. The screen looks cool.
The joystick is a fun interface.
Bluetooth is neat. I successfully transferred
a bunch of palm pilot contacts to it over infrared.
Other than those features, it sucked.
I took mine back just inside the 30 day satisfaction guarantee period.
There were many times that I nearly threw
it across the room in frustration and I don't even
have a temper. The UI is that bad.
I turned it off on accident many times because
logging off of the internet and turning the phone off are the same action in different places. The
auto keylock only works if you return to the first screen. If you get a page while the keys are locked, it says "read now?", then when you press "yes" it says "keys are locked", and this is before it even shows you a hint as to the contents.
Oh and we ended up in a conversation with the
police one day because the keylock doesn't stop
the emergency dialing of 911. Also, the web browser was worse than the CDPD mitsubishi that it was replacing. There were many other
quirks too, these are the ones I remember.
I took mine back without a second thought and
got a HipTop
a.k.a. a T-Mobile
SideKick instead. Ah.. Such a pleasure to use.
Oh, BTW, I'm typing this on a SideKick now.
Try that with your favorite phone.
Slashdot Mirror
Oh, btw, it also does an admirable job at email. Again, sometimes it's easy enough to use the Sidekick even though you're sitting at the computer.
Oh, btw, it's a darn good web browser too. In fact, I'm using it right now to post this reply.
Oh, btw, it's also got all the usual PIM functions of a PDA.
Oh, btw, it's also an okay cell phone. Seriously, the fact that it's a phone is an afterthought to me. It's not that great as a phone.
They've just begun letting people play with a development kit too so I have high hopes of making it fill other needs too. It really rocks. I do have some complaints but this a damn fine tool.
Other than those features, it sucked. I took mine back just inside the 30 day satisfaction guarantee period. There were many times that I nearly threw it across the room in frustration and I don't even have a temper. The UI is that bad.
I turned it off on accident many times because logging off of the internet and turning the phone off are the same action in different places. The auto keylock only works if you return to the first screen. If you get a page while the keys are locked, it says "read now?", then when you press "yes" it says "keys are locked", and this is before it even shows you a hint as to the contents. Oh and we ended up in a conversation with the police one day because the keylock doesn't stop the emergency dialing of 911. Also, the web browser was worse than the CDPD mitsubishi that it was replacing. There were many other quirks too, these are the ones I remember.
I took mine back without a second thought and got a HipTop a.k.a. a T-Mobile SideKick instead. Ah.. Such a pleasure to use.
Oh, BTW, I'm typing this on a SideKick now. Try that with your favorite phone.
--tif