Motorola BACKFLIP

“It's about time Motorola did something crazy. The Cliq was predictably sleek. The Droid was pragmatically chunky. But AT&T's new Backflip is just ... odd. At first glance the touchscreen channels the Cliq, but flipping it over reveals an exposed QWERTY keyboard. The phone opens like a reverse clamshell, and once you swing the keyboard around through 180 degrees, it's facing you, resting beneath the screen. And, get this — hidden away on the back of the touchscreen is a small navigational touchpad (called the Backtrack) used for scrolling and selecting menu items.”

“Unlike Verizon’s plunge into Android, AT&T has decided to go with a less than magnificent entourage with their dive. It’s not to say that the Motorola BACKFLIP might not be garnered as the flagship Android device we would’ve envisioned, but it’s uniqueness in various aspects meticulously elevates it to a higher platform for AT&T customers that have been Android-less. Although the Motorola BACKFLIP provides customers a glimpse into the power of Android, the experience is somewhat less tasteful as there are still some decisions that hinder it from truly becoming triumphant in making Android’s presence known on AT&T. In the end, it kind of plays to the same level we’ve seen with the T-Mobile G1 – it brings Android to the game, but leaves users wondering if this is all that’s out there.”

“For me, the Motorola BACKFLIP is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The good doctor, which represents the top half of the device, offers a good touchscreen experience and a nice user interface that is heavily focused on social networking and messaging. I love it. Mr. Hyde's temperamental keyboard design and oddball BACKTRACK directional controller, however, leave me totally underwhelmed. If you are set on being an AT&T customer and want to get yourself some Android love, the BACKFLIP is certainly a solid choice. You'll get used to the keyboard with time, and will probably adapt to or disable the BACKTRACK. The rest of the device is mostly good, with the exception of some AT&T bloatware and draconian software restrictions. But if you are not tied to a particular network, there are 3 other carriers that all offer better Android smartphone choices. The BACKFLIP still gets a Recommended rating. Given freedom to choose, though, there are an easy half-dozen better Android phones available elsewhere - many of which are still made by Motorola. You'll find a gallery of sample photos shot with the Motorola BACKFLIP's 5 megapixel camera on the following page.”

“The form factor is odd for no good reason at all, though the larger keyboard and solid design help a little bit. Only time will tell whether or not people take to the backwards clamshell design. The keyboard is strong, large, and the keys have good travel and feedback. The lack of any shape to the keys, however, means typing is a mixed bag. It's neat to have a rear touch pad on a phone, but this one takes getting used to. For the careless, it can spell trouble. Neither Motoblur nor the media experience of the Backflip have been updated in any way compared to the Cliq. This is not good news. Motoblur needs better power management and better control over Twitter. The music player and imaging experience offered on the Backflip don't match the competition.”