If you’re a T-Mobile Sidekick user, your days are numbered – or at least the days you’ll be able to use your current device as a phone and mobile web device.
On May 31st, 2011, Microsoft will shut down its “Danger” servers, which manage content for existing Sidekicks.
T-Mobile will continue to sell Sidekick handsets after current support ends, transitioning to Android-powered models. The first will be the Sidekick 4G, which runs Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ and is compatible with T-Mobile’s HSPA+ high-speed wireless network. No further information has been made available, but the hardware is reportedly being built by Samsung.
We don’t have a release date for the Sidekick 4G, but given the May 31st cut-off date for the current generation’s servers, it would make sense for its release to come before that time.
Current users don’t have to switch to a new Sidekick – if you’ve been eying another T-Mobile smartphone, the carrier is providing solutions for getting your data moved over, including a web tool for exporting contacts, media, calendar entries, etc. There’s also an app “in the Sidekick Catalog to make it easy to export personal data to the Sidekick’s memory card,” according to the carrier.
You can read the official T-Mobile announcement after the jump.
After May 31, 2011, the Danger Service (a subsidiary of Microsoft) used by T-Mobile Sidekick customers for data services will no longer be available on Sidekick devices.
T-Mobile will provide offers for our Sidekick customers before May 31, 2011, to help make an easy transition from their existing Sidekick device to a new device. We will have more information to share about these offers with our customers in the weeks ahead.
To ensure the best possible transition for our loyal Sidekick customers, an enhanced Web tool is available on myT-Mobile.com to easily export their personal data, including contacts, photos, calendar, notes, to-do lists, and bookmarks, from the Danger service to a new device, computer, or a designated e-mail account. An application is also available in the Sidekick Catalog to make it easy to export personal data to the Sidekick’s memory card. Many T-Mobile stores can transfer data from that card to a new T-Mobile device if the customer brings in the memory card and Sidekick.