Motorola Backflip promo spot reminds us what rock and roll is all about
Remember when men were men and guitar riffs were boring and mindless? Moto does. The company has thrown together a little animated spot demonstrating its new Backflip handset. If you're the sort of person who has trouble conceptualizing objects in 3D space -- particularly objects that run Moto Blur and have an oddly oriented keyboard that flips backwards to face out from the back of the device -- this video should work wonders for you. If you're the sort of person who burned your Big Muff fuzzbox in effigy on New Year's Eve, you might want to rip your computer speakers out right about now. Video is after the break, and don't forget to check out our hands-on with the phone for a deeper, more staid look.























Another I-phone clone !!
@streetsmart
They still make you? *Sigh*
@streetsmart yeah, especially they keyboard and flip-mechanism is a total iPhone ripoff!
@streetsmart Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you.
@streetsmart :
the iPhone is a LG Prada clone.
@Argot
Yeah, right. The iPhone outsells the LG Prada about a gazillion to one. When you clone something it comes out the same. The iPhone is a thousand times more useful than the Prada, so it's more than just a clone.
The LG Prada... there's like, ONE app for that.
@streetsmart
After leaving Motorola for a few years, Motorola actually makes some really solid performing phones. In terms of call quality, a phones primary use, Motorola is excellent and destroys the iphone; which tends to sound muffled and distorted. Well on AT&T anyway. LG is the only other manufacturer that seems to get this.
@AppleRoxTheHouse Correct, the LG Prada like the cult following and the social mental engineering factor.
I don't hate the iPhone, but I do hate when people lose judgment and impartiality by jumping into a compulsive obsessive fanboyism marked by heavy pride and untolerance to admit another product can be as useful as their own when given the chance to actually try it.
Like they say, don't knock it till you try it.
@hq I must be missing it how and the hell is the "KEYBOARD" and the "Flip" mechanism a rip-off. I have never seen a keyboard like this on an apple product and I guess Apple created products that, um...open. That's the dumbest comment I have ever heard.
@1ofdakoolkidz
Hate to break it to ya - yup, you missed something...
Definition of sarcasm stolen from Wikipedia: Sarcasm is the rhetorical device of using a characterization of something or someone in order to express contempt.[1] It is closely connected with irony, in that the two are often combined in the same statement.
Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm for more information.
;)
@Chaosdivine Maybe to get your point across, instead of coming out of left field you may want to use proper accentuation, root word accent. Also stolen from Wikipedia Accent (v.Accentuate)- A higher or stronger articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to emphasize it.(http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/accent)
Thank you for all of your help though
@streetsmart Not it isn't.. 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
@Argot
DOOM is a Wolfenstein-3D clone.
@1ofdakoolkidz
Nah, I think it got my point across just fine now didn't it? Oh and you're most welcome...
sick riff bro
@andthemaniam *fist bump*
Yay, it's the stock music ripoff of American Idiot!
@DustinM
American Idiot...not a good song
@Streetfights
Because why would they use a good song when they can use GreenDay?
@Streetfights
Wait, what?
Greenday is cool, and "American Idiot" is alright.
@Glodokboy
Greenday is so 1994.
what a horrible way of constructing a phone, the keyboard is facing the wrong way and there is multitouch on the back? WTF?
@bigdonny
Not sure about the keyboard myself, but on just picking up my Nokia and iPod touch I realised it would be cool if I could control things with my fingers behind the phone...that's where they usually are and it gets me out of the way and reduces smudge.
@Tes
On Giz there is an article about an Apple patent for a multi touch bezel for a mobile phone. I had no idea how that would work until I read your comment. Now I'm grinning ear to ear. Zoom, rotate and all of the other multitouch goodness without obstructing your view. Brilliant.
@bigdonny
I'm watching a video of it hands on. Its better than you think
The camera can face out or towards you since it flips with the keyboard. The keyboard completely shuts off when you flip back to touchscreen only so there is nothing being pressed what so ever. The keyboard also acts like a stand for it to be placed down on the table. Good for pics or watching videos and movies.
I thought it would be bad, but I'm convinced this will be good and plan to get it when it releases
what the fuck is Moto Blur?
@(Unverified)
Motorola's custom skin for Android, like HTC and Sense UI
@(Unverified)
It's like The SideKick in the way it keeps your information on your MotoBlur account and pushes your social networking/email/contacts to the MotoBlur front end on the phone. Unlike the sidekick I don't think it will wipe out your data on the phone if the server loses the data.
@(Unverified) Do you know what the fuck is Google?
@ArhcAngel
And unlike the sidekick it doesn't have a 100 message limit. God sidekicks need to get out of the year 2000.
What is the real point in having the keyboard on the outside? So more grime can stick to it?
@ibopm That's so there can be contests to see who is the best text messager without looking at the keyboard.
I like the trackpad on the back.
SSDD - same shit, different design
@pointdexler
Well no shit, that can be said about any phone, they are all created to make calls.
@pointdexler Isn't the iPhone = Same shit, same design.? ^^
No offense.
People still say 'rock and roll'?
@airmikee Yep , then they say: Cowabunga !!!
@airmikee
I say "Rock 'n Roll." I call CD's "records" and "albums" and still believe in tech with real buttons on it.
@airmikee Yes. And I still see re-runs of Bewitched, M*A*S*H and I sing "Be Bop A Lula" while I am on the shower.
I have a rotary dial app on my touch screen. Converse are own any other sneakers.
Retro FTW. ! !
Nothing about Andriod. Interesting.
@dorbolo
Can you not see the screen throughout the video.
@kris120890
yes, but how many people (outside of engadget) will know that is android just by seeing the screen. I think what he meant was its interesting that the ad never actually says "android" or anything along those lines. and after the way the droid was marketed and the current demand for android, I'm surprised they didn't as well
People will bitch and moan no matter what. You're all complaining the keyboard is on the "wrong" side...but see the comments from the recent Lenovo LePhone article:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/11/lenovo-lephone-seen-again-os-cues-taken-from-skylight/
With people wondering how you would receive calls when the keyboard is attached...have the whole thing keyboard and all against your face, or have to remove the keyboard EVERYTIME you want to talk, not type.
Everyone is a critic...everyone wants their personal taste catered to. Some will say "why not get rid of the keyboard altogether" while other will say "why not have a keyboard?!"
@Tes
Exactly. And that's why it's so refreshing to see a new design. One that will excite people who have found all the other options a little too formulaic and bland.
@Tes You sire are wise. Shifting the paradigm got us TVs, vaccines, condoms, and satellites.
Everyone is a critic, yet not everyone has the guts to pull a product like that.
Thick iphone with keys that is not an iphone?
@DeviantmacG Your logic is so null.... It is like you expect every human being to be totally different. Does a woman has to pull out a baby with the head on the butt and antlers and flippers instead of feet to be different?
Of course products will somehow resemble each other as they serve the same purpose: talk, and now surf the web and text.
I am sure the iPhone looked like some other phone before it.... It is not like the iPhone invented mobile telephony, even less touchscreens.... GEEZ!
What a strange quasi-rip off of 'American Idiot' by: GREEN DAY.
Did they think no one would notice?
Quit trashing the design and give them props for trying something different. Its not for me (especially Blur) but I appreciate the new ideas. I hope to see that rear of phone navigation on more devices, I wish it was on my Droid
@sacguy I am glad too someone has the guts to come with a diffrent idea. To tell you the truth, if it was Apple doing it, you will see many comments like "Gotta be Apple, so genius!" "Apple owns with innovation".... but because it is Motorola... it is "Meh." "WTF... what is that so ugly"...