had a vision to make data from the Internet accessible to the average person on the go. In fact, the first iteration of what became Danger’s first device was nicknamed “Peanut.” The Sidekick didn’t always have its signature swivel screen, and it didn’t always radiate coolness, especially at its inception. The device’s decade of existence saw it make its way into music videos, commercials, awards shows, a hacking scandal, and on every athlete and A- to B-list celebrity in Tinseltown. The Sidekick Story is a wild one, and if the answer to its success could be split in halves, it would be made up of one half guts and design, and another half expertly executed marketing. The Sidekick became the go-to choice of celebrities and the urban community-and was until physical keyboards went the way of the dinosaurs. It launched an era where technology converged with style, Internet meshed with portability, and carved out a place for portable devices to become a sleek status symbol for youth culture, not just for the suits on Wall Street. It wasn’t the first smartphone, but the Sidekick helped draw a distinct line between what it was (and wanted to be), and what other devices on the market were. ![]() While it wasn’t perfect-later versions of the phone came with a low-end camera, and Internet connections could be excruciatingly slow-this was power in your pocket. Today, this type of convenience is standard. Can’t wait to hit up that girl on AIM after school? Now you didn’t have to, because AIM was in your pocket equipped with a QWERTY keyboard you could “kick” out. Sidekick debuted under carrier T-Mobile and popularized the concept of mobile Internet, which became a key selling point for tech companies in the coming decade. After securing $11 million in funding near the end of 2000, it was revealed: The company created what was essentially a miniature computer that fit on your hip. The Danger founders, Andy Rubin, Matt Hershenson, and Joe Britt, wanted to create an “end-to-end wireless Internet solution focused on affordability and great user experience.” How they were going to do that was a mystery then, because they weren’t sure how they were going to do it. Things changed when three former Apple employees formed Danger Research Inc. Palm Pilots, Nokias, Blackberrys, Motorola two-way pagers, and Razrs were the rage then-but the companies behind them weren’t concerned with marketing to young people, the ones who’d surf Yahoo! and AIM chat rooms on a dial-up connected desktop before thinking of saving up their lunch money for a device geared toward the business-centric. The cell phone was still more corporate than it was cool. If it's actually important, they'll leave a voicemail.At the turn of the millennium, we communicated with friends and high school crushes after class by way of desktops and house phones. ![]() Read more about that HERE.īetter to be safe than sorry, right? Don't pick up any numbers you don't know. Usually, this is accomplished by the "one-ring" scam. Picking up phone calls from any of these area codes could result in higher fees on your bill. 473 (Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique) The Federal Trade Commission warns you to ignore calls from these 17 area codes: They're not from New Jersey, so any NJ resident would already be a little suspicious, but it's worth having this information. There are 5 area codes in particular that you should NEVER take a call from. That's why it's so important that you don't fall for it. They know that you're more likely to pick up an unknown number that looks like it's calling from a town or area you're familiar with. Phone scammers get smarter and smarter with each passing year. Scammers are hip to that strategy, though. Most people that I associate with on a daily basis are from the Jersey coast, South Jersey, and Philly &/or Bucks County in Pennsylvania. ![]() For example, I know that I'd be a lot more apt to pick up a call from a number with (856), (609), (215), or (267). It's a lot more tempting to pick up a phone call, however, from an area code that you're familiar with.
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