Set to be AT&T’s first Android handset, Motorola’s new Backflip gets its name from its contortionist abilities to fold out the QWERTY keyboard back against its screen section, leaving the keys exposed.
The unique reverse flip design lets users switch between a regular slider phone and a table top media player, and the handset comes with Motorola’s all-singing MOTOBLUR interface, running on top of the Android 1.5 OS (not the latest version 2.1, sadly).
We’re not entirely sold on all these flippin’ and swivellin’ capers – it just looks like one more thing to break to us – but if you like a bit of mobile origami and prefer to put your phone on a stand to watch movies, it’ll at least spare you having to find a book to lean it on.
The Backflip certainly delivers in the specifications department, coming with a 5-megapixel camera plus LED flash, a 3.1-inch HVGA display, together with AGPS, WiFi b/g, and Bluetooth 2.0., plus a microSD slot and 3.5mm headphone jack.
There’s also a touch-sensitive navigation pad on the back of the screen section – “BACKTRACK” – which lets users navigate webpages and lists without touching the main screen (much like the Palm Pre’s gesture area).
There’s no word on pricing yet, but Motorola say that the Backflip will be enjoying a global launch this quarter.
Specs:
BATTERY TYPE – 1400 mAh Li Ion
STANDBY TIME – up to 315 hrs. / 13.5 days
DISPLAY TYPE – 256k TFT
COLOURS – Platinum Silver
DISPLAY SIZE – 3.1-in.; HVGA (320 x 480 pixels)
WEIGHT – 4.7 oz.; 133 grams
SIZE (H X W X D) – 53.00 x 108.00 x 15.30 mm
