SideKick
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SideKick was an early Personal Information Manager (PIM) software application by Borland. It was notable for being a Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) program, which enabled it to load into memory then return the computer to the DOS command prompt, allowing the user to load another application program, but still activate SideKick using a hot key combination (by default: Ctrl-Alt). This approach allowed instantaneous task switching in the otherwise-single-tasking DOS operating system, and its window-based interface echoed (in text format) that of the Apple Macintosh, and anticipated the eventual look of Microsoft Windows 2.0. It featured a personal calendar, text editor (with WordStar-like command interface), calculator, ASCII chart, and address book/phone dialer.
A version was also available for the early models of the Apple Macintosh.
The software and tradename were sold to Starfish Software, a division of Motorola.
Later versions of the program were made available for Windows, and were more along the lines of Microsoft Outlook, with the last versions of it supporting such features as a phone dialer, and support for syncing with Palm, Windows CE, 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.
Starfish were later bought by PumaTech (now Intellisync), who discontinued the product, with SideKick 99 being the last version.
The T-Mobile Sidekick is a brand of electronic communication device. The device obtained a dubious fame when a cracker disclosed the contents of Paris Hilton's SideKick on the web. It competes with the BlackBerry and Palm's Treo.
SideKick is also an alcoholic shot drink available in Europe.