Does Exchange support make the Sidekick LX business-ready? Not a chance

Computerworld - The new Sidekick LX from T-Mobile USA, which goes on sale May 13, blurs the lines between wireless devices used by consumers and those most widely used in businesses.

The original swivel-design Sidekick dates back to 2002, when it gained a reputation for hipness among teenage and young adult users. However, the new version will also have some respectable features for business users, including support for Exchange e-mail through Microsoft's ActiveSync. That feature is due shortly after launch, T-Mobile said.

The new Sidekick LX would seem, then, to have something for everybody.

But make no mistake, analysts warned. The device's proprietary Danger operating system, while owned by Microsoft Corp., puts it mostly off-limits for IT shops that don't want to work through a carrier to add applications. Microsoft bought Danger last year, and the device was originally called "Danger."

Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner Inc., said the Sidekick LX doesn't deserve to be called a smartphone nor is it a device that IT shops will widely support. "No way" is the Sidekick LX for enterprises, he said in an e-mail. "The name was formerly Danger for a good reason."

IDC analyst Sean Ryan agreed. "IDC does not consider the Sidekick a smartphone. We consider it a feature phone." Ryan said he knows of no companies developing business applications, device management support or mobile security software for the Sidekick, limiting its use in enterprises.

There is already an expanding list of devices and operating systems that will get business support. They include the BlackBerry, devices using Windows Mobile, the iPhone, Nokia Symbian S60 devices (E-series, N-series), the Palm OS operating system, the Android operating system and Linux alternatives, including Palm's upcoming WebOS.

The Sidekick LX, which will be on store shelves May 13, will include Exchange e-mail support, but that doesn't make it a device for enterprise users.

Sidekick's support for Exchange is interesting, Ryan admitted. While he would not expect a large corporation to pay for and support Sidekicks, he acknowledged that Exchange support would allow users to connect to corporate e-mail through personally owned Sidekicks.

A T-Mobile spokeswoman said Exchange support will be added because many customers requested it. She said the majority of Sidekick customers don't access corporate e-mail on their phones.

Google announced in February that it was tapping ActiveSync for its new Google Sync service, which allows offline access to Google Calendar and contact lists on Apple's iPhone and Windows Mobile devices.

Many of the other new features in the Sidekick LX will appeal to a broad range of users. Those features include a social networking bundle that supports Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, GPS support, a 3.2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0 and support from T-Mobile of faster 3G data speeds. The device is 5.1 by 2.4 by 0.6 inches in size, and it weighs 5.7 ounces. It will sell for $199 after a rebate, plus a two-year contract.

While some business users might not care that the Sidekick LX will come in two colors, carbon and orchid, analysts and industry officials noticed a large positive user response to the availability of more colors and other fashion features -- and those responding favorably include conventional business users.