It’s been a long time coming, but the day is finally here. At the end of tonight, the servers that made your Sidekick devices so great — that insanely addictive push email, one of the best AIM experiences, one of the first app stores, and more — will be shut down for good. Since the Danger Sidekick devices were tied directly to the cloud, the devices had limited memory. What this means is that since there will no longer be data on the server, the data on your Sidekick will erase if your phone loses it’s charge. T-Mobile has recommended that Sidekick users go into T-Mobile locations to help get their data backed up, but if you’ve missed the boat, you can hit up your online T-Mobile account at the link below to access and export your data for free.

Note: the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, the company’s latest Sidekick (Android, not Danger) is not at risk of losing data or service.

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Remember your first Sidekick? That black and white screen… but oh, the AOL Instant Messanger. T-Mobile is back at it with a brand new Sidekick, though quite a few things have noticeably changed. For starters, this isn’t your younger cousins’ Sidekick Slide — Microsoft-owned Danger is nowhere to be found on here — Google’s Android OS powers the Samsung-manufactured device, and it’s pretty feature packed. The new Sidekick 4G rocks a 3.5″ display, support for T-Mobile’s 21Mbps 4G HSPA + network, a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird CPU, front-facing video camera, signature Sidekick QWERTY keyboard with “pop-tilt” hinge, and is preloaded Twitter and Facebook applications. Two color choices, matte black and pearl magenta will be available from T-Mobile when the device launches “later this spring”. Pricing has not yet been announced. Full press release after the jump!

T-Mobile Sidekick Is Reborn

New Sidekick 4G is a Lightning-Fast and Stylish Communication Hub, Delivering Evolved Messaging and Entertainment at 4G Speeds

BELLEVUE, Wash., and DALLAS — March 15, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.,1 today unveiled the new T-Mobile Sidekick® 4GTM by Samsung. The new AndroidTM-powered smartphone pays tribute to its heritage with its stylish good looks and a killer keyboard while redefining messaging and upgrading to 4G speeds. One of T-Mobile’s fastest smartphones running on America’s Largest 4G NetworkTM, the new Sidekick 4G is capable of delivering theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps.

The T-Mobile Sidekick has long been known for its innovative and distinctive design, and the Sidekick 4G does not disappoint. The 3.5-inch display marks the first Sidekick to feature a touch screen and its sturdy “pop-tilt” hinge reveals the previously acclaimed, five-row QWERTY keyboard that has long been a Sidekick hallmark and the reason behind its status as an exceptional messaging device.

The new Sidekick 4G leverages its quality keyboard along with Sidekick Group TextTM and Cloud TextTM to redefine messaging. Sidekick’s Group Text feature lets customers create, name, manage and participate in reply-all group text conversations, enabling them to lead their network in conversation and social planning. Group Text breathes new life into one of the most popular forms of messaging allowing Sidekick 4G customers to initiate and share the benefit of the application with SMS-capable devices from flip phones to smartphones. In addition, Cloud Text provides the option to text with friends or groups across platforms, whether from the comfort of their PC’s large screen and keyboard, or from their new Sidekick 4G.

“Backed by the faster speeds on T-Mobile’s 4G network, the new Sidekick 4G offers customers both speed and style,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “We’ve reinvented the messaging experience that made the Sidekick such an iconic device, and supercharged it with communication and entertainment experiences that take full advantage of our 4G network.”

Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile, said, “We are proud that T-Mobile selected Samsung to help create the next-generation Sidekick and carry the iconic Sidekick brand and device to the next level. Samsung redesigned the new Sidekick 4G with our best-in-class hardware, combined with T-Mobile’s 4G network speeds, the Android operating system, and unique messaging and entertainment features, to make this a perfect match for both loyal Sidekick fans and new Sidekick owners.

The new Sidekick 4G also comes preloaded with Facebook® and TwitterTM applications, and provides easy interaction with customers’ social networks by allowing them to update their status from the notification pane and browse their feeds from the home screen. They have the ability to sync their social network contacts to the phone’s address book, which lets them post to their friends’ walls or comment on their status. And multitasking is easier than ever with the Sidekick 4G’s jump key, an easy-to-access physical button that enables customers to quickly switch between active applications, even during a phone call, or assign keyboard shortcuts to their favorite functions or applications.

In addition to a communication hub, the new Sidekick 4G is now an entertainment hub. With speeds as fast as home broadband, enjoying a favorite TV show or surfing the Web on the go is a breeze. Sidekick’s Media Room features one place to enjoy music, videos, movies, YouTube®, T-Mobile TV® and Slacker Radio, and to search for content regardless of the source. The integrated media player, also accessible through the Media Room, spans across all media including music, video and Internet radio. Customers also have the option to rent or purchase their favorite movies and TV programs directly from the Samsung Media Hub, which offers a robust collection of movie and next-day TV show titles from CBS, Fox, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. Customers now have the option to place Media Hub charges directly to their monthly T-Mobile service bill.

Complementing the messaging communication features, the new Sidekick 4G is equipped with a VGA front-facing camera and pre-installed T-Mobile Video Chat powered by QikTM, to ensure you are always present with your social circle. Powered by Android 2.2 (Froyo) and a speedy 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, so consumers can keep up with their favorite blogs while on the move, search for the must-try dinner spots and map the way to their next destination — all at blazing fast speeds. The new smartphone will also offer dynamic media features and integrated GoogleTM services, including GmailTM, Google MapsTM and access to thousands of applications on Android MarketTM.

The new Sidekick 4G also comes equipped with DriveSmartTM from T-Mobile, a first-of-its kind service from a U.S. carrier, that helps prevent distracted driving. When initiated, DriveSmart Basic provides automatic incoming call and message management, sending a customizable note to callers and senders, letting them know that the recipient is driving and will respond when it’s safe. DriveSmart Plus offers the same functionality, with the added capability to automatically activate when the handset is in a moving vehicle, as well as advanced parental controls for enhanced peace of mind when teen drivers are behind the wheel.

Offered exclusively to T-Mobile customers, the new T-Mobile Sidekick 4G is expected to be available later this spring in two stylish colors — matte black or pearl magenta. Customers can visit http://sidekick.t-mobile.com/ for more information.

T-Mobile has begun sending letters to remaining Sidekick users in order to notify them that the Danger Services powering Sidekick phones will no longer be operational as of May 31st. T-Mobile first announced the imminent shut down on Tuesday. What can current Sidekick users expect in return for being forced to part with their beloved Danger phones? Half off a select Samsung phone between now and May 31st, or a waived ETF should they choose to take their business elsewhere. Oh, and users will have to sign a new two-year contract should they opt for the discount Samsung phone. Hit the break for the full letter T-Mobile sent affected subscribers.

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In a statement released at 12:00AM ET this morning, T-Mobile announced that Microsoft’s Danger Services — the service that powers T-Mobile’s Sidekick — will be shutdown on May 31, 2011. The announcement was brief, and noted that T-Mo will be providing offers to Sidekick customers, incentivizing them to transition to a new device before the end of May. A web tool has been created that will allow users to export their personal data from the Danger service — including contacts, photos, calendar, notes, to-do lists, and bookmarks — for importation onto a new device. The full statement from T-Mobile is waiting for you after the break.

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.

T-Mobile USA’s new CEO Phillip Humm confirmed at an event on Thursday that the carrier will soon launch a pair of new “4G” HSPA+ phones. Humm noted that T-Mobile will soon announce a 4G version of Samsung’s Galaxy S smartphone as well as a 4G addition to the popular Sidekick line that will run Android. “We will launch as new the Samsung Galaxy S 4G … and coming soon, will also be a Sidekick 4G. Everybody knows the Sidekick, and we’re going to relaunch the Sidekick and bring it as a 4G device, Android based, into the market,” Humm said at the event. While he didn’t refer to the Vibrant 4G by name — instead, he called it a “Galaxy S 4G” — Humm’s confirmation certainly firms up our exclusive report from earlier this week. We can likely expect both handsets to be announced next month at Mobile World Congress, and Humm confirmed that both devices will launch in the first half of this year. T-Mobile also said at the even that its current Vibrant smartphone will finally receive a software update “very soon,” and that the carrier will not offer Apple’s iPhone in the near future due to the device’s incompatibility with its AWS 3G network.

UPDATE: Check that. It looks like T-Mobile went with the “Galaxy S 4G” moniker instead of “Vibrant 4G.” Since it’s basically the same phone with the addition of newer HSPA+ compatibility from the looks of things, the carrier likely wanted to distinguish it from its predecessor as much as possible.

Read [4G phones] Read [Vibrant update, no iPhone]

We don’t think there will be too many tears shed over this news, but T-Mobile today announced that it will be halting sales of both the Sidekick LX and Sidekick 2008 as of tomorrow, July 2nd (we called it.) There’s no bug, defect or data loss SNAFU to blame; just the cold realization that there’s no room for such a product in a smartphone obsessed nation. Here’s how T-Mobile is spinning it.

As T-Mobile looks to further innovate and raise the bar for the next iteration of the T-Mobile Sidekick, as of July 2, the Sidekick LX and Sidekick 2008 will no longer be available through T-Mobile, including retail stores, care, telesales and online. While we work on the next chapter of our storied Sidekick franchise, T-Mobile will continue to provide our loyal Sidekick customers with product service and support. Stay tuned for exciting updates in the months ahead, which we expect will provide customers with a new and fresh experience.

Two Microsoft feature phones killed off in two days? Not looking too good for the Redmond Boys, now is it? Let’s hope Windows Phone 7 will step up to the plate and knock one out of the park.

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Out of the depths of Microsoft’s Redmond campus comes two blurry photos of the Project Pink side slider known as the Pure. The Pure was spotted running a not-yet-seen before operating system that has the look and feel of Windows Phone 7 but it not Windows Phone 7. Described as a Zune-ified Sidekick that is “better than Android,” the Pure has a tiled interface with links to email, music, RSS feeds, and more. That mysterious application store once again rears its ugly head as the OS reportedly has a download screen which, unfortunately, is not yet populated with apps. Similar to the Turtle, the Pure is rumored to be headed to Verizon Wireless but is not mentioned in the marketing material that showcases the Turtle. Previous rumors suggest a Spring 2010 launch for the Project Pink phones so look for the Turtle and perhaps the Pure to get the official nod very soon.

Read [Turtle] Read [Pure]

The Wall Street Journal has chimed in and offered their inside information on the Windows Mobile and Project Pink rumors that have been circulating recently. Though it lacks the details of the earlier leaks, the Wall Street Journal confirms that Microsoft will publicly announce Windows Mobile 7 at MWC 2010 and are flying out Steve Ballmer to head up the show. As rumored, the latest generation of Microsoft’s mobile platform is expected to radically change the look and feel of Windows Mobile bringing a whole new Zune-like UI to this currently lackluster OS. Project pink was also confirmed by the WSJ and, as rumored, is a new series of handsets based upon Danger’s Sidekick line of mobile phones. The Project Pink phones are said to be social networking powerhouses which will appeal to a teen-aged audience. Though not expected to be announced at MWC 2010, the “Pink” handsets are slated for a spring launch on both Verizon Wireless and Vodafone.

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In one fell swoop, CNET’s Ina Fried has apparently put an end to all the rumors regarding Windows Mobile 7 and those Project Pink phones. According to Fried, Mobile World Congress 2010 may herald a new beginning for Microsoft as it attempts to win back the smartphone market with the unveiling of Windows Mobile 7. Shortly after Windows Mobile 7′s official debut, Microsoft is expected to provide developers who attend the at the Mix10 Conference in March with information necessary to begin development for Windows Mobile 7. Though an official launch date has not been determined, Microsoft is aiming to finalize the code for Windows Mobile 7 by Summer 2010 with the intent of launching devices in the latter half of the year. As a side project separate from Windows Mobile 7, Microsoft will leverage the technology and talent of Microsoft-owned Danger by developing a new line of consumer phones that will form the foundation for the next generation Sidekick. These new “Sidekicks” will be powered by Windows Mobile and will integrate with Zune and other Microsoft services. They have already been pictured and will most likely not be a mobile phone version of the Zune HD that everyone was gossiping about last year. These Project Pink devices are expected to debut later this year ahead of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 7 offerings. So it might make sense T-Mobile is looking to can the existing device line…

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The information comes from a new tipster so we haven’t independently confirmed it. With that said, we have been told that with the rumored T-Mobile myTouch Slide coming up, T-Mobile will slowly be phasing out all Sidekick sales. Whether this means the Sidekick line will permanently disappear remains to be seen, but we wouldn’t put past Danger/Microsoft to replace them with the infamous ”Project Pink” devices.

These past two weeks have been one hell of an emotional roller coaster for Sidekick users, but it looks as if all isn’t lost as Roz Ho, Corporate Vice President of Premium Mobile Experiences for Microsoft posted this message on T-Mobile’s Sidekick forum:

We are pleased to report that we have recovered most, if not all, customer data for those  Sidekick customers whose data was affected by the recent outage.  We plan to begin restoring users’ personal data as soon as possible, starting with personal contacts, after we have validated the data and our restoration plan. We will then continue to work around the clock to restore data to all affected users, including calendar, notes, tasks, photographs and high scores, as quickly as possible.

We now believe that data loss affected a minority of Sidekick users.  If your Sidekick account was among those affected, please continue to log into these forums for the latest updates about when data restoration will begin, and any steps you may need to take. We will work with T-Mobile to post the next update on data restoration timing no later than Saturday.

So just what was the cause of this who debacle? Oh you know, just another one of those “system failures” caused by a mischievous data gnome that triggered a “data loss in the core database and the back-up.” Oh well, it happens. At least you’re likely to get getting your data, one months free service and a $100 gift card for the inconvenience. Or maybe not the last two parts?

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There’s not too much to say so we’ll let T-Mobile do the talking…

Dear valued T-Mobile Sidekick customers:

We are thankful for your continued patience as Microsoft/Danger continues to work on preserving platform stability and restoring all services for our Sidekick customers.  We have made significant progress this past weekend, restoring services to virtually every customer.  Microsoft/Danger has teams of experts in place who are working around-the-clock to ensure this stability is maintained.
Regarding those of you who have lost personal content, T-Mobile and Microsoft/Danger continue to do all we can to recover and return any lost information.  Recent efforts indicate the prospects of recovering some lost content may now be possible.  We will continue to keep you updated on this front; we know how important this is to you.

In the event certain customers have experienced a significant and permanent loss of personal content, T-Mobile will be sending these customers a $100 customer appreciation card.  This will be in addition to the free month of data service that already went to Sidekick data customers.  This card can be used towards T-Mobile products and services, or a customer’s T-Mobile bill.  For those who fall into this category, details will be sent out in the next 14 days – there is no action needed on the part of these customers.  We however remain hopeful that for the majority of our customers, personal content can be recovered.

Sidekick customers can continue to visit T-Mobile Sidekick Forums (http://www.t-mobile.com/sidekick) on a regular basis to access the latest updates, as well as FAQs regarding this service disruption.  The Forums also offers tips and suggestions for rebuilding content on your device.

If you make your way onto T-Mobile’s website, you might end up shedding a single tear for what you find in the Sidekick section — they’re all labeled temporarily out of stock. T-Mobile is reportedly stopping the sales of Sidekick online and in some retail stores. We really can’t blame them after the massive outage that the Danger servers had followed by permanent loss of user data. We’re not sure if or when the Sidekick will be available again, but drastic times call for drastic measures. The last thing T-Mobile needs is more customers demanding refunds or trying to terminate contracts after losing valuable info on their phones. Is anyone shattered by this news, or are you feeling indifferent?

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Sorry to be the bearers of bad news for T-Mobile Sidekick customers that are still without data after nearly two weeks, but it appears that you’ve got little to no chance of ever getting any information you had stored on Danger’s servers back. Said T-Mobile today:

“Regrettably, based on Microsoft/Danger’s latest recovery assessment of their systems, we must now inform you that personal information stored on your device – such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists or photos – that is no longer on your Sidekick almost certainly has been lost as a result of a server failure at Microsoft/Danger.”

Ouch. Can someone please check that Perez Hilton hasn’t had a heart attack? Just to clarify, there is a difference between no data access, which is now restored, and device data on handset. Because of this, T-Mobile urges you not to turn off your Sidekick or let its battery die.

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In case you’ve not heard by now, T-Mobile Sidekick users have been trying to live a normal life this weekend while suffering from the ill effects of what surely has to be the be all and end of all of mobile data outages. As it stands, it appears that every single Sidekick user across the country is unable to use any services that pass through Danger’s servers meaning the only thing they’re currently able to do is make calls and send text. Everything from email, IM and, perhaps worst of all, contacts are unavailable. Yesterday T-Mobile promised that it would have services up and running by late evening, but this obviously did not happen which is why our inboxes are being flooded by the suffering. We’re still waiting on an update from T-Mobile on this matter, but rest assured that we’ll let you know what’s going on just as soon as we hear.

Thanks to everyone that sent this in!