[Help] Phone comparison, do I need a new one?

MiracleShot · 09-08-2011, 09:06 PM

Okay, so I bought the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G around the time it came out,
because it was exactly the kind of phone I was looking for, and my current phone at the time was actually a Sidekick LX 2009. Android smartphone with 4g, touch screen as well as a physical keyboard. However I've been having some problems that are really starting to irk me. Alot of force closing, random shut downs, battery life (even with killing tasks) not receiving text messages (and I know it's not the carrier because no one else in my house is having the problem, and that's usually where it occurs for me), and downright lagginess and slowness. On the other hand, I REALLY like the keyboard because it's wide and spaced out, and I message ALOT. The only other phone I'd consider buying from T-Mobile is the MyTouch 4G slide. When it comes to smartphones, I can hardly tell the difference :/ Can someone help me out and tell me which is the better of the two phones, and if it's the MyTouch is it so much better that it is worth me extending my contract as well as paying another 200 dollars? The help would be much appreciated, thanks(:

RedNation · 09-08-2011, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiracleShot

Okay, so I bought the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G around the time it came out,
because it was exactly the kind of phone I was looking for, and my current phone at the time was actually a Sidekick LX 2009. Android smartphone with 4g, touch screen as well as a physical keyboard. However I've been having some problems that are really starting to irk me. Alot of force closing, random shut downs, battery life (even with killing tasks) not receiving text messages (and I know it's not the carrier because no one else in my house is having the problem, and that's usually where it occurs for me), and downright lagginess and slowness. On the other hand, I REALLY like the keyboard because it's wide and spaced out, and I message ALOT. The only other phone I'd consider buying from T-Mobile is the MyTouch 4G slide. When it comes to smartphones, I can hardly tell the difference :/ Can someone help me out and tell me which is the better of the two phones, and if it's the MyTouch is it so much better that it is worth me extending my contract as well as paying another 200 dollars? The help would be much appreciated, thanks(:

Well the mytouch phones tend to have a very short battery life. I used to have th 3g slide and some of my family has the 4g. The battery life is horrible. It runs pretty smoothly though. Another great phone that I am personally using is the G2. The keyboard is great and the battery life is very solid as well. If you were just choosing between those two phones, I would get the 4g but not extend the contract because better phones are coming out and the b attery life will haunt you if you extend your contract with it.

MiracleShot · 09-08-2011, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedNation

Well the mytouch phones tend to have a very short battery life. I used to have th 3g slide and some of my family has the 4g. The battery life is horrible. It runs pretty smoothly though. Another great phone that I am personally using is the G2. The keyboard is great and the battery life is very solid as well. If you were just choosing between those two phones, I would get the 4g but not extend the contract because better phones are coming out and the b attery life will haunt you if you extend your contract with it.

Actually, I would prefer the G2 over the MyTouch but T-Mobile discontinued it, is it trustable to buy off of craigslist? and if i do, how do i get my data plan onto that phone?

huypham · 09-08-2011, 10:17 PM

have you rooted it and put a ROM on it?

MiracleShot · 09-08-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huypham

have you rooted it and put a ROM on it?

nope. Like I aid earlier I'm basically a smartphone noob (other than using it "normally")

MiracleShot · 09-08-2011, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiracleShot

nope. Like I aid earlier I'm basically a smartphone noob (other than using it "normally")

Said* actually typing this from my phone right now.

Hydhypedplaya · 09-09-2011, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiracleShot

Actually, I would prefer the G2 over the MyTouch but T-Mobile discontinued it, is it trustable to buy off of craigslist? and if i do, how do i get my data plan onto that phone?

I have bought dozens of phones of craigslist and never had a problem. Once in a while you will get someone who is trying to sell you a piece of crap scratched up phone. You just have to analyze the phone before giving them the money. Most people on craigslist are nice people, just talk to them on the phone and make sure nothing seems sketchy.

You data plan will be linked to your SIM CARD. Just take it out of the back of the phone and stick it in your new phone and voila your data plan will work.

I do feel the need to tell you though that you Sidekick 4g can be salvaged. All the problems you mentioned are software related and if you were to root your phone and flash a custom rom on there all those problems should go away. There are many good step by step tutorials out there that will make rooting and flashing a custom rom on your phone really easy. If you do decide to do it just make sure you do your research before hand.

Hope this helped.

Scionxa · 09-09-2011, 09:25 AM

Yeah, i recommend the G2. If you ever gain more knowledge on phones or become interested, there's a very stable version of CM7 on that phone.

I hate T-mobile.

AstroRocket · 09-09-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hydhypedplaya

I do feel the need to tell you though that you Sidekick 4g can be salvaged. All the problems you mentioned are software related and if you were to root your phone and flash a custom rom on there all those problems should go away. There are many good step by step tutorials out there that will make rooting and flashing a custom rom on your phone really easy. If you do decide to do it just make sure you do your research before hand.

This. Also, a hard reset to factory settings on the phone should clear the issues as well. Because all of the issues you cited were definitely s/w related, there's nothing really warranting you having to get a new phone.

MiracleShot · 09-09-2011, 03:34 PM

Thanks guys, the help is much appreciated. I will read up and root my phone but what is a custom rom? And where can I find one? If I do as you suggest and for some reason the problem doesn't stop, I'll look into getting a g2 from craigslist. This is also kind of appealing cause I don't have to extend my contract, and my brother has this phone and he absolutely loves it.