Motorola Backflip / Enzo bringing Android contortions to AT&T

Just when we though this decade had run short on phone form factors, Motorola comes along to blow our minds with this new Backflip / Enzo / Motus device. Amazingly, the most interesting part of this device might not even be the reverse hinge design, which flips the keyboard back behind the screen and faces out when not in use, but the fact that there's a clear-as-day AT&T logo on it -- something we'd heard rumored, but dared not believe until we saw it with our own eyes. The rest of the leaked photos go on to corroborate earlier rumors: there's a touchpad on the back of the keyboard to aid in no-look scrolling, it's running Blur on top of Android 1.5 (with a few AT&T apps, Yahoo search and no Gmail), and it runs the same 528MHz processor as the CLIQ. Hard to believe this very same company builds the Droid.

[Thanks, Jeff B.]

[skyblaze Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:35PM]

so um... a toast... to the first at&t droid?

[skyblaze Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:37PM]

...but damn, no gmail? i dont like where this is headed.

[Jay2theDee Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:41PM]

@skyblaze
Couldn't agree more.

[TheCodexAlera Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:56PM]

@skyblaze

Uhh you have to start somewhere...

So much for all the angry verizon fanboys and their hatred of AT&T's love affair with the iPhone.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if AT&T has more and more different phones while maintaining iPhone exclusivity.

That to me would make AT&T still number 1

[Jay2theDee Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:13PM]

@TheCodexAlera

"Uhh you have to start somewhere..."

So, AT&T is starting by crippling Android of some of it's key features?

[TheCodexAlera Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:27PM]

@skyblaze

Okay you're point? That's AT&T's decision. If you don't like it move on....

Even if it wasn't the gmail you'd still find something to bitch about like all verizon fanboys and anti apple club members....

That's just your MO.

Eventually AT&T will get it right. However this phone sounds perfect for my little brother (who wants a physical keyboard for texting).

[Taylor Yes Taylor Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:50PM]

@TheCodexAlera
What? If verizon isn't so in love with the iPhone, why are they coming out with the LOWEST spec'd android phone on the market? To make sure that android on their network still doesn't overshadow the iphone. I KNEW when they finally came out with an android device it would be crappy, and this is proof. With HD2's and Droids hitting the market, this thing is just pathetic.

And about not having gmail - "that's just their decision"? Of course it is, everything that everyone does is "their decision", but that doesn't make it a good idea. AT&T releasing an android phone without gmail is completely rediculous, and as an AT&T user who has been waiting for an android device I don't have to use unlocked, I REALLY want them to get a good android phone, and as a paying customer it upsets me that they keep ignoring android.

I have every right to complain.
-Taylor

[Jay2theDee Posted Dec 16th 2009 8:15PM]

@TheCodexAlera

I'm on T-Mobile using a G1 and typing this from a MacBook...so, if you're done trying to make accusations about me being a "fanboy", maybe you can present a real argument.

[cursive Posted Dec 16th 2009 8:24PM]

@skyblaze i'm not sure but is there a way to put gmail app on it?

[Maddy Posted Dec 16th 2009 8:52PM]

@skyblaze
LOL. Android phone without Gmail is like iPhone without the iPod app.

[MathiasTCK Posted Dec 16th 2009 9:47PM]

@Maddy I'd gladly uninstall the ipod app. Pandora rocks.

[StanMe Posted Dec 16th 2009 9:56PM]

@Maddy Wouldn't that be more like an iPhone without the Mail app?

[kjsin1994 Posted Dec 17th 2009 12:15AM]

@Jay2theDee they cripple their customers with bad coverage too

[liftedngifted1 Posted Dec 17th 2009 2:48AM]

@skyblaze AT&T is late to the Android party and they brought the ugliest 8itch there

[beatsandmelody Posted Dec 30th 2009 6:56PM]

@liftedngifted1

Ha! + 1 !

[jennyobladi Posted Jan 9th 2010 5:21PM]

@TheCodexAlera One of the things that interests us MOST is that physical QWERTY keyboard on the back. Our tipster says its always revealed and flips from the back as you can see in the picture. When the keyboard is open a touchpad on the back of the phone is revealed which allows you to easily scroll through webpages and apparently it works very well slightly thinner, slightly shorter both length and width, and lighter than the G1. Hmm, that's more like it. backflip Details: http://bit.ly/moto-backlip-details-best-worst

[Chuuchdizzle Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:36PM]

this would be hot if it was 2.0 running on snapdragon, but as it is, yea good luck att

[Butler Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:59PM]

@Chuuchdizzle
I don't like how Motorola makes a beautiful, classy device for Verizon, and T-Mobile and AT&T get second class phones that look as though they could be sold in the gift store at Disneyland.

[silversun Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:36PM]

the back of this phone is covered in keys...seems like something most people wouldnt want

[ndrwme Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:21PM]

@silversun
Actually it'd be pretty cool if they enabled text entry with the screen closed. Most people can touch type on Qwerty phones nowadays.

[silversun Posted Dec 16th 2009 9:07PM]

@ndrwme
i'm trying to figure out what your comment means

i understand that people can touch type on qwerty i myself can do this. however if this phone was closed i dont get how you would go about touch typing on it, seeing as the keyboard is on the opposite side of the screen

[YpoCaramel Posted Dec 16th 2009 9:47PM]

@silversun I don't get the point of it either. Since it back flips instead of sliding, shouldn't they take advantage of it somehow? Make sure keys that out more maybe?

Also you have to flip the keyboard back to use the cameras unless you're really going to be taking pictures of yourself and a friend or two all night...

[ndrwme Posted Dec 16th 2009 10:27PM]

@ndrwme
I wasn't too serious, but my point was that you would have the screen flipped back so that the only thing in your hand would be a mini keyboard. And hey now I have an actual use case for it. With the screen flipped back, it could connect via Bluetooth as an keyboard to an HTPC or PS3 like a diNovo Mini. But on second thought, you might as well as the screen flipped open to use as a touchpad.

[silversun Posted Dec 16th 2009 11:18PM]

@ndrwme
hahaha, sorry guess sarcasm doesnt flow through internet too well now does it?

although, i do like the bluetooth keyboard/touchpad idea. although it might have no use, it could be cool. maybe use on a ps3

[Phoenix Posted Dec 17th 2009 4:18AM]

@silversun

One potential thing is that front facing camera when it's flipped out.

[MastaQ Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:36PM]

Is this ATT's first Android device?
Meh.

[glenskey Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:37PM]

'tis the year of crazy hinges

[teapower Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:37PM]

If this can come in at compelling price point like under 50 bucks this could be a seller.

[nak Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:37PM]

I demand MORE phone form factors. 15 day left in the year, no reason we can have at least 15 more

[AndroidRokz Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:45PM]

@nak yeah! +1

[El Daddy Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:38PM]

Yuck! Looks like it's make by Playskool. NexusOne please!

[Eraser Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:12PM]

@El Daddy
Motorola outsourced their manufacturing to Fischer Price.

[trevinlovett Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:42PM]

@El Daddy
HELL YEAH [phone]! I'm all for the nexus ONE

[bill cant fart Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:38PM]

I know I'm gonna get down-ranked for even mentioning anything made by a certain fruit-based company...

But at first I thought this was an i*cough*phone*cough* with a hacked on keyboard. Note that I'm extremely tired and was scrolling down when I saw it, so it was kinda blurry. Please don't shoot me...

[JONNNathannn Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:40PM]

@bill cant fart There will be people who say "APPLE DIDNT INVENT A BLACK PHONE WITH A SCREEN!" but you're right, this looks a lot like an iPhone.

[ocentertainment Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:57PM]

@bill cant fart Naw, I gotta give that one to you. Yeah, there's differences, and obviously the iPhone doesn't have a keyboard, but yes, it's more than a little similar. Especially compared to all of the other phones out there.

It's no clone, but it's close.

[The Two Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:47PM]

@bill cant fart To me, this looks like they copied the iPhone design completely. They copied the chrome bezel, the speaker is the same exact type of slit, and even the home button is in the same spot.

[Millah Posted Dec 16th 2009 8:16PM]

@bill cant fart

I know right? it looks exactly like the front of the iPhones design, they just added in their different buttons in replacement of iPhones home button. Yes fanboys will probably immediately say "Apple didn't invent a black screen blah blah," but its not even the black screen, its the actual DESIGN that looks the same (Most iHaters don't seem to understand the concept of "design").

Kind of ironic too that this would be ATTs first Android device.

[Hawkeye21 Posted Dec 16th 2009 8:35PM]

@(Unverified) I know. I can't believe anyone would dare put the main button in the middle at the bottom of the phone. That makes no sense what so ever.

[coolbho3000 Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:38PM]

Starting out nice and slow with Android, AT&T, just like your network is.

Full disclosure: I run an unlocked T-Mobile G1 (and occasionally HTC Tattoo) on AT&T.

[Jay2theDee Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:38PM]

Well...it was a good try.

[helfrez Posted Dec 16th 2009 9:48PM]

@Jay2theDee No it wasn't it is a piss poor try lol.

[Jay2theDee Posted Dec 16th 2009 9:49PM]

@helfrez

Yeah...haha, trying to be nice was a waste of time. It was a worthless attempt.

[JONNNathannn Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:38PM]

That's a cool idea...kind of. It's going to feel weird, that the back of your phone is all buttons. Having a touchpad on the back of the keyboard is pretty damn awesome though.

I don't know, it's different, but so was the Versa. Props for trying.

[iHakr Posted Dec 16th 2009 7:46PM]

@JONNNathannn the versa would have been better if it was running android

[troy polamalu Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:40PM]

Droid is clearly better.

[AndroidRokz Posted Dec 16th 2009 6:47PM]

@troy polamalu DROID* and @Paul Miller it's DROID not Droid or droid.

[JXCGunrunna Posted Dec 16th 2009 8:49PM]

@AndroidRokz

I have a Droid and nowhere on it does it say DROID. In fact the model number says "Droid".

Also, when I talk about my Droid, I do not scream every time I say Droid.

[Ezye1313 Posted Dec 16th 2009 9:26PM]

@AndroidRokz
No it's roid.....

[troy polamalu Posted Dec 16th 2009 10:17PM]

@AndroidRokz
i own one so i can type it how i wish.