Motorola Backflip for AT&T unboxing and hands-on
By Chris Ziegler 
posted March 1st 2010 2:59PM
posted March 1st 2010 2:59PM
- It feels solidly-built -- probably a notch better than the CLIQ. There's no wiggle or weirdness in the hinge whatsoever. Of course, we know from personal experience that "feels solidly-built" doesn't necessarily mean it is solidly-built, so the jury's still out on how it'll hold up with regular use, especially with the keyboard exposed full-time.
- Opening and closing the phone isn't a natural one-handed operation, unless you're comfortable putting it at extreme risk of an unfortunate tumble.
- It's laggy right out of the box, which doesn't bode well for usability once you load it up with your own apps. Of course, it uses exactly the same processor as the CLIQ, so that doesn't come as a surprise.
- It's filled to the brim with pre-loaded AT&T stuff: AllSport GPS, AT&T Maps, AT&T Music (which takes the place of the standard Music app), AT&T Navigator, AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, Mobile Banking, MobiTV, MusicID, Where, and YPmobile. We strongly prefer the approach of offering a special branded Android Market portal where you can download your carrier's recommended apps.
- Blur looks and feels the same as it does on the CLIQ, though the main Blur widgets -- Social Status, Messages, and Happenings -- have been moved one home screen left of the main one (we prefer this configuration anyhow).
- Yahoo has replaced Google as the default search provider throughout the phone. It's crazy: the home screen widget, the browser, everything's been programmed to use Yahoo. We love us some irony, but golly, we'd prefer Google searches most of the time.
- Despite the low tactility brought about by the membrane design, we found the keyboard to be quite usable, possibly because each individual key is so big. Having the camera down there in the corner is odd, but it didn't get in our way -- and it's great for self-portraits.
- Speaking of the camera, our initial impression is that it's better than the Droid and on par with the CLIQ (noticing a trend here?). There's no macro mode, but we didn't really need it for close-ups. You can see a sample below.
- The screen is way too small; seeing a solid three-quarters of an inch of black space above it is a source of constant anger for us every time we look at it. That said, it feels exactly the same as the unit on the CLIQ -- not bad.
- In our quick use, we didn't feel that the rear touchpad was adding any value -- we never felt like it was making anything "easier." Over time, though, we could see getting used to it and even growing fond of it.
FAIL ATT
@elijahblake revolutionary feature: yahoo by default on an android device!
@elijahblake
Is "FAIL" now the new "FIRST" ??
... seems to be getting old quickly to me.
@elijahblake no iactually think the phone is fail. you know its an exact replica of the sidekick that came out a few years ago. i mean this is just rediculous. im appauled.
@elijahblake
I agree. I knew AT&T would screw this up! They've been soo afraid to come out with anything android, I had a feeling they'd make it crappy when they finally did.
Give me a desire AT&T!
-Taylor
@Meekermoloko
I haven't actually noticed that Fail is the New first, and i've never typed First..
I just think that AT&T's first Android device is this POS is an ABSOLUTE FAIL!!
I mean for what it is or who the market for this phone is, it actually could've been somehow ok (teen texters) but then AT&T has to go and fk up the OS by removing the GOOGLE functionality.
SO YES THIS GETS A FAIL!!!!
@elijahblake
This phone is for majority of humans aka normal people, not for nerds like you?
@elijahblake Notice this is the MOTOROLA Backflip, not the AT&T Backflip. AT&T didn't design the phone. Yes, changing out Google for Yahoo on an Android phone is a bit odd. No, I never liked the design of the phone in the first place. But how does this translate from a Motorola fail to an AT&T fail?
BTW, if you don't like AT&T's first Android device, wait. There are four more coming out.
@elijahblake
It's not a fail it's a awesome phone and all their future phones are gonna rule like always if you don't like it don't buy the damm thing.
@aschettler Actually, it looks...well...cool. I actually thought that backward folding was a stupid idea...but Motorola's design team is killer. ALL of their recent devices hae made a STATEMENT, whether or not everyone particulary enjoyed Motorola's specific implementation of it.
More: http://bit.ly/moto-backflip-viewed-again
@aschettler
It's ATT's failure because they took a decent budget smartphone and turned it into a discombobulated mess. Who the hell uses all the bullshit ATT sticks on there? Nobody, that's who. People either instantly remove as much of the crapware as they can, or learn to live with it as a constant source of annoyance.
They're basically calling hoping their customers are just stupid enough to buy this thing on frenzy and hype, since that's been their experience with the iPhone for the past few years. Except this isn't the iPhone - there isn't a huge buzz around this device and nobody is going to bother if it obviously stinks.
@elijahblake
I agree, this is a fail for the first android phone. But I'll also say that perhaps, like the cliq, it will have its place (just not in my pocket). It's just that there are so many people waiting for that "win" phone from AT&T, especially considering every other carrier has two or three of the best smartphones either out there now, or coming soon, while we are all stuck with the dumbest of the dumbphones. Personally, I think we're going to be stuck with lame phones like this until the first of the winpho7 series phones come out by years end.
@elijahblake
ATT didn't' remove Google, Motorola did!
@Paullll
Because the majority of humans use a keyboard that's on the back of their phone, right? Oh yeah, I forgot that Yahoo is also the biggest and most widely used search engine by all the normal people too.. You're so right!
@Mr iPhone They certainly didn't remove Google from my Droid... and I doubt they did with the Cliq (haven't seen one). I imagine AT&T put them up to it.
In other news, AT&T likely screwed over their chances of getting another Android device what with getting rid of Google on an Android device. I'm sure Google doesn't mind a carrier throwing bloatware onto their phones, but like Hell Google will stand for removing its own search engine from something it helped create.
@emopoops What sidekick looks like the back flip? Just cause it has a keyboard doesn't make it a sidekick?
@elijahblake
No, this guy is right, They need to keep ATT off the android system...
let them keep their iphone.
@emopoops
shows your a fanboy of something and just like to talk .. the sidekick was pretty dam big.. so big in fact you know what one is .. so while u sit at home and bitch about things the people created that u say suck so bad , they sit at home in there mansions cause there rich as shit from what they made.. and ur saying its
a fail means nothing cause u work at burger king
@elijahblake Wonder how much influence Apple had in this?
@aschettler I agree. and the reason AT&T replaced google default search w/ yahoo was because they have a partnership with yahoo.It would be stupid of the company to help its PARTNER's competeters out.
Nexus or Desire, or Nice to know ya!!!
@elijahblake
ps. And don't put your ATT BS on it..
Haha, summary of Engadgets summary: this thing sucks
I just realized: You have both a camera and a front-facing camera. =O
Doesn't the screen, ear speaker and vessel scream iPhone?? Maybe it's the new iPhone 4.0 prototype that never was and motorola dug it out from apple's trash can lol
This thing would start to piss me off with that form factor
I really don't see a reason for it other than being unique
meh...this just seems like a gimmicky cash in by Motorola. Knowing AT&T, they wanted the CLIQ but they didn't want the same form factor as T-Mobile's so they asked for this new "unique" form factor. I'll admit that the back/keyboard/stand concept seems pretty cool but will probably grow old pretty quickly.
Oh well, can't blame them for trying.
@MrHashbrown
It will probably get ridiculously dirty and unusable before it gets old.
I highly doubt that phone would last 1 month with me, my droid has a bunch of scratches already.
@jjrudey How on earth did you scratch a Droid's screen?
@AndrewNeo
I scratched it within the first 2 days, I don't know how.
@jjrudey are you carrying diamonds in your pocket?
How disappointing. I wonder how easy/hard it would be to remove all the ATT and Yahoo crapware.
@R It's as easy as getting root on the phone, and I'll be willing to bet you the CLIQ's firmware will work on this.
@AndrewNeo
I think he meant how easy it would be to remove that garbage without voiding your warranty. I'm more curious about how hard it would be to remove the crapware and restore all the default widgets and whatnot that stock android builds come with. Are there default google widget packs available for download?
@R Actually, I'd rather see what the AT&T music app is like since the default Android music app sucks. I doubt it's much better, it's probably just skinned, but maybe it's better. Maybe the Engadget guys can let us know.
I don't want this phone, but I'll probably get the Desire and coming from an iPhone I'd like a MUCH better music app.
Why the lack of cool phones, ATT? Don't want people buying anything other than the iPhone?
@dannylewis I'd say probably, yes. And in the video Chris says that the Yahoo search bar might signify a rift between Google and Moto. I don't know if he was being serious or not, but to me it'd be more of a rift between AT&T and Google. Or maybe just that this is just how AT&T wants it to be so that Android phones don't cannibalize iPhone sales (although any sale should be a good one for them, no?).
@NYNY
Did anyone know that AT&T owns Yahoo?
They also own Yellowbook, Flicker, de.li.cios, etc
@dannylewis
Don't worry, Dell Mini 5 is coming...I predict AT&T charging out the wazoo to prevent sales.
@Drybones5 Er.... No.
"We strongly prefer the approach of offering a special branded Android Market portal where you can download your carrier's recommended apps."
Does Engadget really advocate for a separate Android Marketplace for each carrier, or did I parse that sentence incorrectly? Maybe it was sarcasm that I missed.
Whenever I see a branded version of an app, it reeks to me of vendor-enforced control of my handset. It's like AT&T telling me something like, "no, you can't use Google Maps Navigation, but here, use our version, it's better, trust us," when they're really giving you a very limited feature-set that they'll never update.
@cairn I think the point is that when a carrier is branding an Android device, there's no getting around the fact that they want to direct you into a walled garden of content. T-Mobile/Verizon's approach is far less intrusive than this -- it's the lesser of two evils.
@Chris Ziegler Thanks for the clarification; the lesser of two evils indeed. Here's hoping that the direct handset-to-consumer model of the Nexus One gets expanded to all the US carriers and helps to mitigate this problem somewhat.
@Chris Ziegler Exactly. I'm neither keen on this approach or their excuses. The carriers are starting to let up on their "lock-em in" approach, but I'd still rather side with an unlocked device, regardless of the expenses.
@cairn I wouldn't be surprised if AT&T, which loaded all the crappy bloatware on the phone, including their on Navigation, has removed Google Maps from the phone as well.
Definitely a huge failure by AT&T on this... I don't blame Motorola as much, since the current distribution model, despite Google's efforts, still strongly favors carriers. They still hold *most* of the cards.
@Chris Ziegler Agreed. I don't have a problem with the way T-Mobile handles it, honestly. It's actually kind of interesting to check their "recommended apps" every once in a while, as they change from time to time. Introduces me to new apps without having them pre-installed.
@uansari1 I guess you missed the "Google Maps" icon on the home screen in the video....doh!!
When is the man's version of an Android phone coming out to AT&T?
@brown like dookie Moto has to adhere to what AT&T wants, or it's not going on shelves. Blame AT&T for it being bloated, just like with every other phone they put out that has the same problem.