SideKick
Encyclopedia
Personal information manager
A personal information manager is a type of application software that functions as a personal organizer. The acronym PIM is now, more commonly, used in reference to Personal information management as a field of study...
(PIM) software application
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
by Borland
Borland
Borland Software Corporation is a software company first headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, Cupertino, California and finally Austin, Texas. It is now a Micro Focus subsidiary. It was founded in 1983 by Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, Mogens Glad and Philippe Kahn.-The 1980s:...
launched in 1983 under Philippe Kahn
Philippe Kahn
Philippe Kahn is a technology innovator and entrepreneur, who is credited with creating the first camera phone solution sharing pictures instantly on public networks. Kahn's first publicly shared picture is unique in that no other teams making the claim have any pictures. Kahn shot the first camera...
's leadership. It was notable for being a Terminate and Stay Resident
Terminate and Stay Resident
Terminate and Stay Resident is a computer system call in DOS computer operating systems that returns control to the system as if the program has quit, but keeps the program in memory...
(TSR) program, which enabled it to load into memory
Ram
-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
then return the computer to the DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
command prompt
Command Prompt
Command Prompt is the Microsoft-supplied command-line interpreter on OS/2, Windows CE and on Windows NT-based operating systems...
, allowing the user to load another application, but still activate SideKick using a hot key combination (by default: Ctrl
CTRL
CTRL may refer to several things:*Channel Tunnel Rail Link, a high-speed railway line opened in the 2000s in Britain*Control key, an input button present on most computer keyboards*Ctrl, an American comedy web series from NBC...
-Alt
Alt key
The Alt key on a computer keyboard is used to change the function of other pressed keys. Thus, the Alt key is a modifier key, used in a similar fashion to the Shift key. For example, simply pressing "A" will type the letter a, but if you hold down either Alt key while pressing A, the computer...
). This approach allowed instantaneous task switching in the otherwise-single-tasking DOS operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
. Although a text mode
Text mode
Text mode is a kind of computer display mode in which the content of the screen is internally represented in terms of characters rather than individual pixels. Typically, the screen consists of a uniform rectangular grid of character cells, each of which contains one of the characters of a...
program, its window-based interface echoed that of the Apple Macintosh, and anticipated the eventual look of Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows 2.0
Windows 2.0
Windows 2.0 is a 16-bit Microsoft Windows GUI-based operating environment that was released on December 9, 1987 and is the successor to Windows 1.0. With Windows 2.1x in 1988, Windows 2.0 was supplemented by Windows/286 and Windows/386...
. It featured a personal calendar, text editor (with WordStar
WordStar
WordStar is a word processor application, published by MicroPro International, originally written for the CP/M operating system but later ported to DOS, that enjoyed a dominant market share during the early to mid-1980s. Although Seymour I...
-like command interface), calculator, ASCII chart, and address book/phone dialer. According to the Borland IPO prospectus
Prospectus (finance)
In finance, a prospectus is a document that describes a financial security for potential buyers. A prospectus commonly provides investors with material information about mutual funds, stocks, bonds and other investments, such as a description of the company's business, financial statements,...
, SideKick sold more than one million copies in its first three years.
1.0
1.0 Plus
Sidekick 1.0 Plus included a broader selection of calculators (Business, Scientific, Programmer, Formula), a 9-file Notepad text editor, Appointment Book and Scheduler, a terminal communication tool and ASCII Table. In addition to variants on and enhancements to the 1.0 features, Plus included a 9-file Outliner, q file and directory manager, ClipboardClipboard (software)
The clipboard is a software facility that can be used for short-term data storage and/or data transfer between documents or applications, via copy and paste operations...
, and supported Expanded Memory
Expanded memory
In DOS memory management, expanded memory is a system of bank switching introduced April 24, 1985 that provided additional memory to DOS programs beyond the limit of conventional memory. Expanded memory uses parts of the address space normally dedicated to communication with peripherals for program...
and a RAM disk
RAM disk
A RAM disk or RAM drive is a block of RAM that a computer's software is treating as if the memory were a disk drive...
.
Control+Alt is the default shortcut to open sidekick 1.0 plus
Traveling Sidekick
Traveling Sidekick included a 3-ring binderRing binder
Ring binders are folders in which punched pieces of paper may be held by means of clamps running through the holes in the paper...
notebook with solar powered pocket calculator, and Sidekick software.
Sidekick for Windows
When Philippe KahnPhilippe Kahn
Philippe Kahn is a technology innovator and entrepreneur, who is credited with creating the first camera phone solution sharing pictures instantly on public networks. Kahn's first publicly shared picture is unique in that no other teams making the claim have any pictures. Kahn shot the first camera...
left Borland in 1994 to found Starfish Software
Starfish Software
Starfish was founded in 1994 by Philippe Kahn. The founding vision of Starfish was global synchronization and integration of wireless and wireline devices, which translated with the TrueSync platform to: "Enter or edit information anywhere, synchronization is automatic everywhere." Starfish...
, he acquired all rights to Sidekick from Borland. Starfish's co-founder Sonia Lee Kahn
Sonia Lee Kahn
Sonia Lee is a Korean-born entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and president of Fullpower Technologies.. Sonia Lee also co-founded LightSurf and Starfish Software....
designed the look and feel of Sidekick 95, which was launched simultaneously with Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
with great success. In 1998 Philippe Kahn and Sonia Lee Kahn
Sonia Lee Kahn
Sonia Lee is a Korean-born entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and president of Fullpower Technologies.. Sonia Lee also co-founded LightSurf and Starfish Software....
sold Starfish to Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
for $325 Million in a private transaction. Software and trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
were sold to become a division of Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
. Motorola licensed to T-Mobile the rights to use the Sidekick trademark on the Danger Organizer. Starfish was later bought by Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
who discontinued the product, with SideKick 99 being the last version.
Later versions of the program were made available for Windows, and were more along the lines of Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available both as a separate application as well as a part of the Microsoft Office suite...
, with the last versions of it supporting such features as a phone dialer, and support for syncing
Data synchronization
Data synchronization is the process of establishing consistency among data from a source to a target data storage and vice versa and the continuous harmonization of the data over time. It is fundamental to a wide variety of applications, including file synchronization and mobile device...
with Palm
Palm OS
Palm OS is a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal digital assistants in 1996. Palm OS is designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is provided with a suite of basic applications for personal information management...
, Windows CE
Windows CE
Microsoft Windows CE is an operating system developed by Microsoft for embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows...
, and EPOC devices. These versions were less popular than the DOS versions, largely because the Windows environment itself provided most of the original version's key features: task switching and a collection of small utilities. It did however, include a monthly/yearly calendar and a world time map showing which parts of the world are currently in daylight or darkness. Up to eight different world cities (which could be edited) were displayed above and below the map.
1.0
Sidekick for Windows 1.0 was developed and released by Borland before Kahn left the company. It was designed for Windows 3.1 and included Calendar, To Do List, Contacts, a communication tool and a calculator. However, most of the design and file system came from the YourWay PIM software, purchased by Borland from Prisma Software in 1993. As the November 7, 1994 Info World noted, "Despite its name, the only connection between Sidekick for Windows 1.0 and the venerable Sidekick for DOS is that Borland International owns both programs. Sidekick for Windows is a combination of the calendaring code from Prisma Software Corp.'s Windows PIM YourWay (purchased by Borland last year) and a completely new interface developed by Borland."2.0
Sidekick 2.0 was also developed and initially released by Borland before the move to Starfish.New/modified features included:
- overlapping appointments in the Scheduler,
- multiple contact files in the Address Book,
- print layouts that enabled users to print to commercial day planner pages,
- View-in-View,
- Backup & Restore of user's files,
- password protection.
Sidekick Deluxe added more than 40 content files for access to online information, Dashboard 3.0 for Windows, and the "Organized for Success" video. It was distributed in CD format.
Sidekick 95
Sidekick 95 was a Windows 95 version. Sidekick 95 Deluxe was announced in on October 17, 1995. A 10-user version was announced in February, 1996.It included Write (a word processor with a spell check feature), EarthTime (a clock), Expense (record keeping tools), Reminder (scheduler), Phone Dialer (communication), Contact Manager and Calendar (with an added daily Almanac).
Sidekick 95 Deluxe added Dashboard 95, America Online
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
software, 2 interactive organizational videos, over 40 useful content files called Sidekick Companions and electronic versions of the product manuals in Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is a family of application software developed by Adobe Systems to view, create, manipulate, print and manage files in Portable Document Format . All members of the family, except Adobe Reader , are commercial software, while the latter is available as freeware and can be downloaded...
format.
Starfish Internet Sidekick
Calendar tools added Activity view, daylight savings time support, web link support for contact files, Contact file synchronization over Sidekick 95.Communications tool adds caller ID
Caller ID
Caller ID , also called calling line identification or calling number identification or Calling Line Identification Presentation , is a telephone service, available in analog and digital phone systems and most Voice over Internet Protocol applications, that transmits a caller's number to...
, phone dialer, integration with mail software. Spell check adds auto spell check option.
Calculator supports unit conversion.
New tools include Internet Scheduler, Expense reporter. Expense reporter includes date reporting, tax calculation, drag and drop receipts between folders.
Sidekick 97
Calendar tools added ability to create web pages from Sidekick Calendar (via WP add-on).Address tools added drag and drop, ability to create web pages from Sidekick Cardfiles (via WP add-on).
PDA sync is supported for Palm Pilot, via separate add-on.
World Clock supports European Daylight Savings time.
Sidekick Web Publisher compatibility is added via separate add-on.
Sidekick 98
Calendar supports vCalendar, Outlook calendars.Address tools support Outlook calendars.
Additional supported PDA sync include Franklin REX. Sync tool can now synchronize To do, Calls, Special Days, Appointments, and Contacts.
World clock added world map, Analog or Digital clock format.
In addition, features requiring separate add-ons in Sidekick 97 are now standard.
Long time users of Sidekick 98 report no difficulties continuing to use the program through subsequent iterations of Windows, up to and including Windows 7.
Sidekick 99 (9.x)
Various tools found in Sidekick 98 are removed in this release, including dialer, back up & restore, calculator (including conversion tools, expense reporter), spell checker, web page generator, Internet scheduler. Address and calendar file format support were reduced, with Outlook support is now import-only.Synchronization tools now support multi-point synchronization, Franklin REX PRO, PALM III
Palm III
The Palm III was a personal digital assistant made by the Palm Computing division of 3Com. It went on sale in 1998 as a replacement for the PalmPilot handheld. It was the first Palm handheld to support infrared file transfer and a Flash ROM-capable operating system...
PDAs.
OS/2 version
Borland SideKick 2.0 for Presentation ManagerPresentation Manager
Presentation Manager is the graphical user interface that IBM and Microsoft introduced in version 1.1 of their operating system OS/2 in late 1988.-History:...
was based on Sidekick 2.0 for Windows.