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Your computer isn't the only way of getting into IM. You can do it with your mobile phone, too, so the Duo consider the benefits SMS (Short Message Service) text messaging. Texting took off big in Europe and Asia, but though tens of billions of text messages are sent yearly in the U.S., few mobile phones sold here make a big deal of their SMS prowess--odd, notes Angela, in an era when phone manufacturers delight in piling on as many functions as possible. (To distract users from poor sound quality, perhaps?)

The few phones in America that push non-SMS IM capabilities tend to share a few traits: friendly QWERTY-style keypads, larger screens and form factors, and a Web connection via the wireless phone networks. The Duo look at the most well-known of these, T-Mobile's Sidekick II, which became notorious after Paris Hilton's information (and risque photos) were hijacked from one. T-Mobile has been pushing the Sidekick II for about $300 bucks, though there are plenty of rebates available.

Angela finds the Sidekick's keyboard very comfortable and its interface clean and clear. AIM and Yahoo Instant Messenger are available over the Sidekick, and she says that both behaved quite a bit like their big-screen versions. She also likes the variety of alerts available with the phone and feels it would make a dandy "extra" mobile communications device.

But it's not an ideal phone, since (as Steve has pointed out previously) it looks mighty silly next to one's head. Fortunately, T-Mobile offers an all-you-can-eat data-only plan, which includes IM, Web, and e-mail for $30 a month--with voice service available in a pinch for 20 cents per minute. Angela liked the thing so much she went out and bought one.

Save/Delete

Steve: DELETE

Angela: SAVE