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6 celebrated T-Mobile phones (pictures)

T-Mobile broke ground this week by ditching contract-based service plans completely. Yet, this isn't the first time the carrier has made history. Here are a few phones that made waves of their own.

Kent German
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Kent German
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On March 26, T-Mobile will host a media event in New York where it will remake itself as the new "uncarrier." Exactly what T-Mobile will reveal is a mystery -- it's already revealed its new contract-free service plans -- but details on its LTE rollout and a T-Mobile iPhone (at long last) are distinct possibilities.

Whatever happens, CNET will be there to bring you the news. Yet, it's worth noting that T-Mobile has had a long history of shaking up the wireless world. It supported Android early, it gave HTC a boost when the struggling carrier needed it, and it didn't shy away from cutting-edge features. So as we wait for what T-Mobile will bring us, let's take a look back at some of its past successes.

2 of 7 CNET

T-Mobile Sidekick 3

The third child of a popular family that combined messaging features, media, and a keyboard. Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg, Lindsay Lohan, and Tony Hawk were all fans. T-Mobile finally put the Sidekick series to rest in 2011 with the Sidekick 4G.

Released: June 2006

CNET review bottom line: The T-Mobile Sidekick 3 brings some notable additions, such as Bluetooth and an MP3 player, and continues to be a solid messaging device for the younger crowd; we just wish it had a better screen.

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3 of 7 CNET

T-Mobile Dash

T-Mobile's answer to the ultrahyped Motorola Q, the Dash delivered on design, features, and performance. It also marked the start of a long and fruitful relationship between T-Mobile and then-minor player HTC.

Released: July 2006

CNET review bottom line: With a sleek design, good performance, and a robust set of productivity and wireless options, the T-Mobile Dash is an all-in-one hit and earns its reputation as a Motorola Q killer.

4 of 7 Corinne Schulze/CNET

T-Mobile G1

T-Mobile snagged the very first Android phone of them all. It wasn't great, even by the standards of the day, but it started a revolution.

Release date: October 2008

CNET Review bottom line: While we're not in love with the design and would have liked some additional features, the real beauty of the T-Mobile G1 is the Google Android platform, as it has the potential to make smartphones more personal and powerful. That said, it's not quite there yet, so for now, the G1 is best suited for early adopters and gadget hounds, rather than consumers and business users.

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5 of 7 Kent German/CNET

T-Mobile MyTouch 3G

The second Android phone (aka the HTC Magic) also came first to the little carrier that could. Armed with an upgraded OS, a better design, and Exchange support, it proved that Android was here to stay.

Release date: July 2009

CNET Review bottom line: With the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G, the Google Android OS gets a much-needed boost. A few complaints remain, and some users may bemoan the lack of a physical keyboard, but we approve of its eye-catching design and interface, improved features, and satisfying performance.

6 of 7 James Martin/CNET

HTC Nexus One

The very first Nexus device made its first home at T-Mobile. The second Nexus device, the Samsung Nexus S, also landed at T-Mobile first.

Release date: January 2010

CNET Review bottom line: It doesn't have all the features we'd like, but the Nexus One greatly enhances the Google Android family with a fast processor, good call quality, and improved voice control features. What's more, we love that all versions of the phone will be unlocked.

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7 of 7 Josh Miller/CNET

T-Mobile G2X

The U.S. version of the Optimus 2X, the G2X was the first smartphone with a a dual-core Tegra 2 processor. Besides being blazingly fast (for its day), it also had a sharp design, plenty of multimedia features, and HSPA+ speeds.

Release date: April 2011

CNET Review bottom line: The T-Mobile G2x's simple Android interface, blazingly fast speeds, and polished look make it the phone to beat in T-Mobile's lineup.

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