T-Mobile USA kills Danger service for Sidekick users

T-Mobile USA said it will discontinue support for Danger's software on its Sidekick devices this spring, indicating T-Mobile's affinity for Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android platform.

In a statement, T-Mobile said that it will decommission Danger's services before May 31, and will provide Sidekick customers with several alternative devices to help ensure a smooth transition. The carrier said it will release more details about the alternatives in the weeks ahead. T-Mobile also pointed to web tools and applications to help Sidekick customers preserve their personal data as they transition to a new device.

T-Mobile said in June that it would halt sales of new Sidekick devices as it sought a new path forward for the products. The Sidekick, with its Qwerty keyboard and use of cloud-based services, was a pioneer when it first appeared in 2002, but was eclipsed by new smartphones. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) acquired Danger in 2008, but did not do much with the software company. Danger software powered Microsoft's failed Kin social networking phones.

T-Mobile said in January that it was planning a refresh of its Sidekick device running on Android for its HSPA+ network, and Samsung has been rumored as a possible hardware partner. 

For more:
- see this T-Mobile statement
- see this GigaOM post
- see this T-Mobile site
- see this Engadget post

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