The Berwyn, Pa.-based carrier, which provides wireless services in 37 cities in the southeastern United States under the brand SunCom, said the device is available initially in Norfolk, Richmond and Fredericksburg, Va. The company said it expects to roll out the device to locations in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia in June, and to additional markets in Virginia by early summer.

The hiptop device, which was first introduced by T-Mobile under the name Sidekick, combines a mobile phone with a Web browser, e-mail, AOL Instant Messenger, a personal information manager, games and an optional digital camera accessory. It features a monochrome screen that swivels open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. It runs on Triton's GSM/GPRS network.

Startup Danger has also demonstrated a color version of its hiptop design. T-Mobile is expected to start selling the upgraded model this summer.