The Sidekick 4G is an Android-powered smartphone with a good keyboard and which connnects at 4G speeds. The 3.5-inch display marks the first Sidekick to feature a touch screen and its sturdy pop-tilt hinge reveals a five-row QWERTY keyboard that makes it a good messaging device.
On April 20, 2011, T-Mobile USA celebrated the national launch of the new T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung with a VIP event that transformed a private lot in Beverly Hills, California into a progressive party complete with interactive stations that showcased the Sidekick 4G's best-in-class social media capabilities and super-fast 4G speeds. Event elements included: Sidekick Recording Studio, which allowed guests to lay down music tracks; 4G Challenge Race Track, where mini-games showcased the Sidekick's lightning-fast 4G speed; and Sidekick Sushi Social, where group texting came to life.
Music by DJ Ravidrums kicked-off the celebration attended by celebrities including Whitney Port, John Stamos, Chris Zylka, Amber Lancaster and Emile Hirsch. Near the end of the evening, more than one thousand fans rocked out to a special musical performance by The Strokes. After the performance, DJ Spider took over the turntables so guests could continue dancing into the night.
Guests, including the celebrity attendees, reveled in the party's merriment and interactive event stations. Paula Abdul jumped into the booth with DJ Ravidrums to try on his headphones. Chelsie Hightower and Romeo two-stepped their way through the T-Mobile gift shop. Shaun White shared stories about Coachella with Tony Hawk while waiting for The Strokes performance to start.
Guests could use pre-programmed RFID bracelets to automatically share their experiences with their friends online. A scan of their RFID bracelet at various points throughout the party instantly updated personal Facebook pages and Twitter handles with a brief message about what they had just experienced. Fans at home were then able to follow the celebration through a variety of social media channels, including real time updates via the Twitter hashtag #SK4G and T-Mobile's Facebook page. Celebrity guests and media also connected fans to the event by sending tweets, photos and videos from the new Sidekick 4G.