Why Your Motorola Sidekick Slide Lost Power

Motorola tested a fix that it will implement in existing and future Sidekick Slide phones. T-Mobile expects to begin offering the handset again next week.

Elena Malykhina, Technology Journalist

November 21, 2007

1 Min Read
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Motorola on Wednesday revealed additional details about a defect that caused its Sidekick Slide phones, sold by T-Mobile, to power off.

Earlier this month, T-Mobile and Motorola received complaints from customers about their Sidekick Slide phones powering off when the slide door on the front side of the phones is opened or closed.

Then last week, T-Mobile suspended sales of the Sidekick Slide, issuing a statement that encouraged customers with malfunctioning Sidekick Slides to contact T-Mobile Customer Care or to visit a T-Mobile retail store for assistance.

Motorola, which manufactures the phones, has been working to identify the cause of the power cycle problem. A Motorola spokeswoman told InformationWeek that the phone maker has determined the power cycling was caused by an issue relating to the battery contacts. It wasn't a software issue, she said.

Motorola tested a fix that it will implement in existing and future Sidekick Slide phones. T-Mobile expects to begin offering the Sidekick Slide again next week.

While Motorola said it's taking steps to ensure that the problem doesn't happen again, T-Mobile hopes to take some attention away from the defective Sidekick Slide phones by launching a new promotion this week that gives away free flights to eligible new customers.

"It's T-Mobile's holiday thank you to our customers, and another way we're helping to bring people together in 2008," said Jeff Hopper, T-Mobile's VP of marketing, in a statement.

Beginning November 23 and running through November 25, T-Mobile will issue a free flight to each eligible customer who activates a myFaves service plan for two years with T-Mobile. Those that qualify will receive a booking request form for a free roundtrip flight.

About the Author

Elena Malykhina

Technology Journalist

Elena Malykhina began her career at The Wall Street Journal, and her writing has appeared in various news media outlets, including Scientific American, Newsday, and the Associated Press. For several years, she was the online editor at Brandweek and later Adweek, where she followed the world of advertising. Having earned the nickname of "gadget girl," she is excited to be writing about technology again for InformationWeek, where she worked in the past as an associate editor covering the mobile and wireless space. She now writes about the federal government and NASA’s space missions on occasion.

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