Samsung Alias II

“Samsung's Alias 2 is aptly named, it leads a double life. On one hand, it's slick and cool, with a vibrant swivel screen and an E Ink keyboard that would make even a Kindle user slightly jealous.But its alternate personality comes straight from a Judy Bloom novel, with desktop themes suitable for tweens, impossibly cheesy ringtones and, ahem, rainbows. The resulting phone is a device that seems to be in constant conflict with itself, equally at home at a board meeting or being waved in the air at a Jonas Brothers concert. Put the Alias 2 in a lineup and its best feature sticks out like a face tat: the unique keyboard. All the keys are clear plastic with E Ink behind them -- the same tech that forms text on the screen of the Amazon Kindle. But unlike the Kindle, these keys are backlit. (Hear that Amazon? Backlighting can be done.)The coolest trick the Alias 2 can pull off is changing from a number pad to a text keyboard as you flip it open. It's a cool trick and makes the Alias 2 somewhat like the Optimus Maximus of phones. This keyboard beats a touchscreen any day of the week, the little mounds offer tactile feedback not found in any iDevice.”