First impressions of my Founder's Edition Sidephone...
Good weight, solid build feel.
Silicone case - fits on well! Would love to see a smooth-backed case come out as an option as the silicone doesn't slide easily into pockets.
Operating system - nice and familiar as a longtime Android user.
Keypads - changed to the QWERTY keypad pretty much right away - getting used to navigating it as I've been T9-ing for a bit now, but it's coming. I like the solid click of the keys.
Camera - works fine, I prefer the Open Camera option though as it has more custom options, plus QR reader capability. Decent 'retro style' pics.
Some bugaboos...
I've heard the complaints about the lack of a backlit screen, and I understand why that's a complicated ask - but the lack of contrast between the black keys and the dark grey symbols on them is definitely an issue. The keys are hard to read in medium to dim light, even - not just the dark. It really seems like throwing white or lighter colour on there is an easy half-measure to full visibility (and accessibility), and imo it's something the developers should consider.
Maps app - powered by Mapbox, not HERE, as Sidephone's website advertised (grrr). It's middling, in terms of performance. Not much for options in terms of navigating within the app, and it will often not do anything when you search an address. No option to find your location with the touch of a button, either. Organic Maps is definitely the better choice.
These are all early impressions, but I'm pretty happy over all! Looking forward to playing around with my new phone over the next few days.