Danger moves to ape UIQ rather than RIM

CONFIRMING THAT it is more of a software and services provider than a hardware vendor, Danger has just revealed a new version of the Sidekick produced in partnership with Motorola.

According to Matt Flegal, a Danger spokesperson, co-operating with Motorola doesn't mean that its relationship with Sharp (the previous manufacturer) is over.

The move has merely highlighted the fact that Danger's key skills lie with its UI and online services. By contrast, RIM (Blackberry's maker) offers mobile Internet services but has kept control of hardware itself.

Flegal admitted that if Nokia, for example, wanted to licence Danger's software, there was nothing to stop it doing so.

The software is Java based with Danger's own tweaks which enable the handset to multi-task.

The new handset, the Sidekick Slide, was launched in the UK last night by T-Mobile. In territories where the mobile phone is supplied by T-Mobile, it is known as the Sidekick but in other markets it will still be known as the Hiptop.

The main innovation with this latest handset is that the screen slides up to reveal a full Qwerty keypad.

The browser has also been optimised for the net's most popular sites - such as Facebook.

We are somewhat surprised to discover, however, that despite being promoted as an IM-ready device, the only service it supports in the UK at present is Yahoo Messenger. Support for Windows Live Messenger, for instance, is still waiting in the wings.

Naturally, the Sidekick makes an ideal tool for promoting T-Mobile's web'n'walk service which offers a true Internet connexion over a 3G network.

Pick the right tariff and you can even have the new Sidekick Slide for free. µ

L'INQS
www.t-mobile.co.uk
www.poweredbydanger.com