Totally Sidetalkin' Nokia N-Gage Style
[ www.sidetalkin.com ]

This website all started with the October, 2003 release of the Nokia N-Gage: an all-in-one game deck, mp3 player, web browser, and phone that retailed for approximatly $300 US. The networked gaming, supposedly superior graphics, and software licensing deals such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider made the N-Gage seem at least mildly appealing. However, the difficulty in changing cartridges, hacked versions of games playing in Seimens phones, and monthly fees made the N-Gage appear not quite worth the $300, resulting in an almost immediate price drop of $100 to be on par with the Game Boy Advance. Even with all of these flaws, it was soon clear what feature of the N-Gage would receive the most critical mockery: the phone! In order to talk on the Nokia N-Gage, one would be forced to hold the device sideways to their head, resulting in unimaginable humiliation and a base for a documented gallery of photographs of users N-gaging in this rediculous form of talkin' ....... sidetalkin'! Enter "Totally Sidetalkin' Nokia N-Gage Style."

Most original submissions to the site were just of N-Gage users holding the phones to their head with goofy looks on their faces, but a revolution was about to begin. People started submitting images of themselves in a variety of different ways to facilitate sidetalkin'. Images ranged from using gaming consoles (young and old), household furniture, computer peripherals, family pets, and my personal favorite, console/pet combos. The site allowed for at least an hour of fun scrolling through their galleries of die-hard sidetalkin' fans.

Unfortunatly, as of this week, Nokia has introduced the latest addition to its product line: the Nokia N-Gage QD. Although this new game deck/mp3 player/web browser/phone has more features than the original and is smaller & cheaper, it is sadly lacking the ground-breaking and embaressingly unique feature that is, sidetalkin'. This latest innovation has regretfully resulted in the enevitable death of sidetalkin' and greif and misery to its fans. Although there is an online petition to bring back sidetalkin' that scolds Nokia for their introduction of a phone that is totally un-embaressing to use, it seems that there will be no further additions of zany sidetalkin' pictures to the "Totally Sidetalkin'" site after the current tribute of the final 500 new pics. As a result I think it is only fitting that the first installment to The Snowy Driveway's Best of The Web be the site that turned the world on with its total mockery of Nokia N-Gage sidetalkin'. So without further adue, I give you the site that loves to talk on the side, globally, for all mankind: