- 3G-enabled, Google Android OS-powered smartphone with MOTOBLUR social networking, 3.1-inch touchscreen
- Unique reverse flip design reveals full QWERTY keyboard; BACKTRACK touch pad for navigation without using touch display
- GPS-enabled; Wi-Fi networking; Bluetooth stereo music; 5-megapixel camera/camcorder; microSD memory expansion; personal and corporate e-mail
- Up to 6 hours of talk time, up to 324 hours (13.5 days) of standby time
- What’s in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 2 GB microSD memory card, quick start guide, user manual
Amazon.com Product Description
Powered by the Android OS and featuring the socially minded MOTOBLUR overlay, the Motorola BACKFLIP for AT&T features an original reverse flip design, 3.1-inch touchscreen display, spacious physical keyboard, and unique BACKTRACK touch panel located behind the screen when the device is folded open–providing you hands-free navigation of the phone without having to touch the display. It also boasts super-fast Web browsing on AT&T’s 7.2 HSPA 3G technology a… More >>
I currently have an iPhone, and ordered a BACKFLIP the day it was released. I was excited for this release, as I have a friend on Verizon who has a Droid, and the BACKFLIP was advertised as being similar to the droid.
As soon as I found out that the phone was crippled by AT&T, using Yahoo! search by default instead of Google (on GOOGLE ANDROID!), which in turn nullifies the voice-to-text search, I decided I would try and see if AT&T took any other great android features away. They did. You can not download apps from the web. This made up my mind, as I am still awaiting delivery of the phone, and will NOT be opening the phone. I just wasted $35 (restocking fees) and didn’t even touch the box yet.
Save yourself the time and money. Get a Droid on Verizon.
Rating: 1 / 5
Bought this yesterday, the day it came out. Cannot install apps from the web because according to the “level 4″ Motorola Support guy I talked to “due to carrier restrictions.” Do not buy this phone, as this severely limits what you can do with your phone. I tried to install Google’s own scripting app and I can’t due to this restriction.
Also bad:
Comes with several apps from AT&T that you cannot uninstall including the useless AT&T Navigator which requires an expensive monthly subscription, AT&T Music and other junk apps from AT&T taking up the limited space you have to install apps.
Also uses Yahoo! search, something you can’t change. They removed Google search from Google’s own mobile operating system.
Comes with the old Android 1.5 and says “upgradable to 2.1″ but guess what: you have to wait for Motorola to upgrade you whenever they decide they’ll upgrade all these phones. Until then you’re stuck with this old version of Android.
The brightness setting only changes the brightness for the screen and not the backlit buttons which are very bright – so if you are trying to limit brightness in a dark room, you can’t, and it sucks up your battery.
The screen is pretty small and most of the time this isn’t so bad, but some apps you can hardly read the fonts because they are so small.
Otherwise the keyboard is very nice. I like the hardware, the little touchpad on the back and how it flips but the software restrictions imposed by AT&T have ruined this phone and am returning it.
Don’t buy it. Get a Verizon Droid or a Nexus 1. Much better phones.
Rating: 1 / 5
I wish I could give this device a 5 star rating as I love the hardware. I love the interface. However, I will most likely be returning this phone before 30 day trial period expires, unless there are clear guarantees of android 2.1 upgrade and allowing choice of search widgets, because I want a FULL android experience. I have been using at&t for many years and I think that they do have the best network, but I don’t want them crippling my phone. I speak as a former G1 user (used G1 on the at&t network without full 3G). I was so anxious for at&t to finally start offering an android phone and I am hoping they come to their senses. I am even co-sponsoring a facebook group for people to voice their cries for liberating the Backflip ([...])
I agree with some other comments about the battery life, but I hope battery “training” will help some of that.
Again, great hardware, good software but NOT AN ANDROID! I hope to be able to change this rating to 5 stars soon.
I am just reporting that I have returned this phone last Sunday and will be happy to get it again if and when it upgrades to android 2.1 and allows the possibility to choose your search widget provider. I am not so worried about the non-market apps.
Rating: 2 / 5
This phone has it all! I almost wasn’t going to get one based on some reviews here, but after reading one review that wasn’t lasy–decided to take the plunge (backflip). Mine arrived yesterday, and I must repeat that the negatives reviews on here are WRONG! They were obviously written by teenagers or folks too lazy to take the time to setup the Backflip properly. This phone has all of the features you’d need and more. Battery life is superb! Once I figurerd out how to apply just the settings and features I wanted, the phone was a joy to navigate. I highly recommend this phone to anyone thinking of getting a smartphone. Another plus over the IPhone, is the ability to change thae battery out if it dies.
Rating: 5 / 5
I’m putting in an amendment to my previous review… The phone itself is cool and responsive, and I do love the Android operating system, but after using this phone for a few days, I’m finding that the battery power is terrible. There is absolutely NO WAY I would ever get 6 hours of talk time out of this phone, and the only way I think you could even hope for the claimed 13 days of standby is if you put it in airplane mode and didn’t do anything with it at all. I’ve been starting my day with a fully charged battery only to have it need charging again before lunch no matter how much or how little I use it. I did employed all of the little battery-saving tips that were provided (pull off feed-driven widgets, etc.) but this doesn’t seem to have helped at all.
Needless to say, this is unacceptable…I need to have a phone that can hold a charge for at least one full 24 hr period with regular internet usage (I understand watching videos and talking on the phone would take up more battery power, but using Facebook certainly shouldn’t be that draining).
So don’t bother. Get an iPhone, or switch carriers and pick up another Android with more stamina.
Rating: 2 / 5