The bad: Sluggish at times and spontaneously rebooted once during our review period; device is only running Android 1.5; small screen; keyboard’s durability in question since it’s exposed on the back.

The bottom line: The Motorola Backflip offers a unique design, but it’s rather lackluster in the features and performance department. It’s a decent choice if you’re upgrading from a feature phone, but anyone looking for speed and power should look elsewhere.

We can’t say this was a complete surprise, but AT&T made it official in February and introduced the Motorola Backflip as its first Google Android device. The Backflip made its grand debut at CES 2010, where we awarded the smartphone with our Best of CES award in the cell phones and smartphones category for its unique design, which includes a rear-facing QWERTY keyboard and a trackpad behind the display.

Unfortunately, after now spending some time with the device, this seems to be the only real highlight of the phone. The Backflip suffers from performance issues and runs Android 1.5, making it a rather disappointing Android debut for AT&T. It’s OK if you’re upgrading from a feature phone, but with four other Android devices expected in the coming months, we’d wait to see what else is out there.

Design

The most memorable thing about the Motorola Backflip is its design. You wouldn’t necessarily know it by looking at the phone straight on, since it doesn’t have any notable traits. In fact, it largely resembles the Motorola Dext with a rectangular shape and rounded edges, but with a slightly smaller footprint at 108 x 53 x 15.3mm.

Unlike the Dext, however, the Backflip is a flip phone instead of a slider and this is where it gets interesting. When closed, the keyboard is actually located on the back of the phone, so when you swing it open, the keyboard sits right beneath the display. The layout makes sense and the hinge is strong but we just worry about the long-term durability of the keyboard. Though Motorola says the keyboard is rugged enough to withstand the exposure, we’re curious to see what condition the phone will be in after an extended amount of time placing it down on a surface or mixing and mingling with other objects, like keys, in a pants pocket or bag.

As far as the keyboard itself, we found it quite good. It’s spacious and the square buttons are a good size, minimizing mispresses, but we do wish they were a bit more domed like the Dext’s keyboard. The keys provide a nice springy feedback. The number and symbol keys (marked in blue) are doubled up with the letters (marked in white), and a nice, bright backlight makes it easy to see whether you’re in a dark room or outdoors. There are a handful of shortcuts along the bottom row and left side for quick access to the Web, search, messages, as well as to the home and menu screens. Also, tucked away into the corner of the keyboard is the camera lens and flash.

Flipping back to the front of the phone, you’ll find a 3.1-inch HVGA (320 x 480) capacitive touchscreen. It displays 256,000 colors, but lacks the vibrancy and sharpness of some of the other Android devices, such as the Motorola Milestone and Nexus One. The Backflip’s screen is also on the smaller size, so it’s a bit of strain on the eyes when viewing emails and Web pages.

There is no pinch-to-zoom support, but you can double-tap the screen to quickly zoom in on a point. The screen also has a built-in accelerometer that works in certain applications, such as the browser and maps, so you can get a wider picture in landscape mode. However, there can sometimes be a noticeable lag, including when you open and close the phone, and scrolling through lists stutters occasionally. The delays aren’t crippling but you also get the feeling that the Backflip is underpowered (see Performance for more).

That said, you don’t always have to rely on the touchscreen to navigate. Behind the display you will find what Moto calls the Backtrack navigation pad. It works just like a trackpad, letting you move between home screens and photos and scroll through lists and apps with the swipe of a finger. The idea is that using the Backtrack gives you an unobstructed view of the display, since your fingers are out of the way. Frankly, we don’t find this to be a huge issue; you swipe to your destination, tap to launch, and remove your hand. Done. That’s the whole purpose of having a touchscreen in the first place, right?

The Backtrack isn’t a bad idea. It works as advertised and at times it offers smoother scrolling experience. Ultimately, though, it doesn’t really add a ton of value to the device. Part of the problem may be the location of the trackpad. Having it behind the display makes it a bit awkward to reach and use, but perhaps we just need more time with it. We definitely give Moto props for trying something different, but maybe it tried a bit too hard to be different.

Some final notes about the phone’s design: There’s a volume rocker, a micro-USB port, and a camera activation/capture button on the right side. On top, you will find the 3.5mm headphone jack and power/lock button, while below the display, there are touch-sensitive controls for the menu, home screen, and back button. The microSD expansion slot (supports up to 32GB cards) is located behind the battery door, which sits opposite to the Backtrack.

AT&T includes only the essentials in the sales package: An AC adapter, a USB cable, and reference material. One accessory you probably won’t have to get is a desktop dock. Opening the Backflip to a 90-degree angle sends the phone into media mode much like the Milestone when it’s docked into the multimedia station, so it will display the date and time, weather, and alarm clock. You can also launch a slideshow and have the Backflip act like a digital photo frame. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ringtones, and home page.

Features

Similar to the Dext and the Motorola Devour, the Backflip uses Motoblur software, which helps merge contact information from various email accounts and social networking sites, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Exchange, Twitter, and Picasa, into a master list. In addition, emails (aside from Gmail) are combined into a universal in-box and appointments are also combined into one calendar.

To help you distinguish between accounts, a small icon is displayed next to each message indicating which account it came from and calendar entries are color-coded. We had no problems syncing up our Exchange (via Outlook Web Access), Gmail, Yahoo, Facebook, and Twitter accounts to the Backflip. Gmail messages arrived almost instantaneously, though appointments took a few minutes to show up on the phone. Outlook messages were retrieved every 15 minutes, just as we programmed it to do.

Motoblur goes beyond contact management, though. It also offers various widgets that can be added to the phone’s five home screens that show new status updates, messages, and other happenings. It’s definitely overwhelming at first, but once you learn to customize it to your needs, it can be a great resource. You can read more about Motoblur in our full review of the Motorola Dext.

Beyond Motoblur, the Backflip doesn’t hold many surprises in the features department. In fact, it’s a bit behind the times since it’s only running Android 1.5, so you’re not even getting some of the benefits of 1.6. Motorola said the Backflip will be upgradeable to Android 2.1 and supports over-the-air updates, but would not comment on release details at this time.

For now, you get all the Android staples–Android Webkit HTML browser, Android Market, Amazon MP3 Store, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps, and YouTube. Interestingly, the default search engine on the Backflip is Yahoo instead of Google, and from what we could see, there’s no way to change it back to Google. The QuickOffice suite allows you to view but not edit or create Microsoft Office documents.

As an AT&T phone, the Backflip also ships with a number of the carrier’s services and other extras, including AT&T Music and Video, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots, AllSport GPS, Yellow Pages Mobile, and Mobile Banking. In addition, to quad-band world roaming, the Backflip features voice dialing, a speakerphone, noise reduction technology, and 3G support. The Backflip is also outfitted with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and aGPS.

For more of an entry-level phone, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the Backflip was equipped with a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash. Unfortunately, some of that enthusiasm faded when we saw how it performed. Not only was picture quality a bit hazy and washed out, there was also quite a bit of lag when starting the camera, and it also caused the phone to spontaneously reboot at one point during our testing period.

Performance

We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; WCDMA 950/1900/2100) Motorola Backflip in New York using AT&T service and call quality was mixed. On our end, we enjoyed crisp, clear audio with no trace of background noise or voice distortion, and we had no problem using an airline’s voice-automated response system. Unfortunately, the same didn’t hold true for our callers, as they reported static on their end but only during lulls in the conversation. Surprisingly, the speakerphone provided even better sound quality on both sides of the conversation. There was no hollowness to the calls and voices sounded rich and full. Friends also praised the speakerphone audio for being pristine. Finally, we had no problems pairing the Backflip with the Logitech Mobile Traveller and Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones.

AT&T’s 3G network provided reliable and speedy coverage throughout Manhattan. CNET’s full site loaded in an impressive 19 seconds, while CNN and ESPN’s mobile sites loaded in 8 seconds and 7 seconds, respectively. YouTube and AT&T Videos buffered in just a couple of seconds. YouTube video quality varied, but clips from AT&T Video were almost unwatchable since the picture was so murky. We had better luck with an MPEG4 movie trailer, as the image was smooth and we nearly fell out of our chair after hearing the blaring audio. The Backflip has one of the most powerful speakers we’ve ever heard on a phone, and we’re not just talking volume. The sound is rich and full, not tinny, and it’s the same whether you’re listening through the phone or through a pair of headphones.

The Backflip is equipped with a 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A processor and it just doesn’t have the stamina to keep up. The smartphone lagged and struggled at times with even the simplest tasks, such as switching screen orientation or merely pulling up an email. As we mentioned earlier, the camera app also crashed our phone. Though we’d like to see Android 2.1 on this device, we’re wondering if the Backflip can even handle it.

The Backflip ships with a 1,400mAh lithium-ion battery with a rated talk time of 6 hours and up to 13.5 days of standby time. We are still conducting our battery drain tests but will update this section as soon as we have final results. According to FCC radiation tests, the Backflip has a digital SAR rating of 1.37 watts per kilogram. 

Design

The most memorable thing about the Motorola Backflip is its design. You wouldn’t necessarily know it by looking at the phone straight on, since it doesn’t have any notable traits. In fact, it largely resembles the Motorola Dext with a rectangular shape and rounded edges, but with a slightly smaller footprint at 108 x 53 x 15.3mm.

Unlike the Dext, however, the Backflip is a flip phone instead of a slider and this is where it gets interesting. When closed, the keyboard is actually located on the back of the phone, so when you swing it open, the keyboard sits right beneath the display. The layout makes sense and the hinge is strong but we just worry about the long-term durability of the keyboard. Though Motorola says the keyboard is rugged enough to withstand the exposure, we’re curious to see what condition the phone will be in after an extended amount of time placing it down on a surface or mixing and mingling with other objects, like keys, in a pants pocket or bag.

The Motorola Backflip features a unique flip design where the keyboard is located on the back.

As far as the keyboard itself, we found it quite good. It’s spacious and the square buttons are a good size, minimizing mispresses, but we do wish they were a bit more domed like the Dext’s keyboard. The keys provide a nice springy feedback. The number and symbol keys (marked in blue) are doubled up with the letters (marked in white), and a nice, bright backlight makes it easy to see whether you’re in a dark room or outdoors. There are a handful of shortcuts along the bottom row and left side for quick access to the Web, search, messages, as well as to the home and menu screens. Also, tucked away into the corner of the keyboard is the camera lens and flash.

Flipping back to the front of the phone, you’ll find a 3.1-inch HVGA (320 x 480) capacitive touchscreen. It displays 256,000 colors, but lacks the vibrancy and sharpness of some of the other Android devices, such as the Motorola Milestone and Nexus One. The Backflip’s screen is also on the smaller size, so it’s a bit of strain on the eyes when viewing emails and Web pages.

There is no pinch-to-zoom support, but you can double-tap the screen to quickly zoom in on a point. The screen also has a built-in accelerometer that works in certain applications, such as the browser and maps, so you can get a wider picture in landscape mode. However, there can sometimes be a noticeable lag, including when you open and close the phone, and scrolling through lists stutters occasionally. The delays aren’t crippling but you also get the feeling that the Backflip is underpowered (see Performance for more).

The Backtrack sits behind the display and acts as a trackpad. We’re not completely convinced of its usefulness.

That said, you don’t always have to rely on the touchscreen to navigate. Behind the display you will find what Moto calls the Backtrack navigation pad. It works just like a trackpad, letting you move between home screens and photos and scroll through lists and apps with the swipe of a finger. The idea is that using the Backtrack gives you an unobstructed view of the display, since your fingers are out of the way. Frankly, we don’t find this to be a huge issue; you swipe to your destination, tap to launch, and remove your hand. Done. That’s the whole purpose of having a touchscreen in the first place, right?

The Backtrack isn’t a bad idea. It works as advertised and at times it offers smoother scrolling experience. Ultimately, though, it doesn’t really add a ton of value to the device. Part of the problem may be the location of the trackpad. Having it behind the display makes it a bit awkward to reach and use, but perhaps we just need more time with it. We definitely give Moto props for trying something different, but maybe it tried a bit too hard to be different.

Some final notes about the phone’s design: There’s a volume rocker, a micro-USB port, and a camera activation/capture button on the right side. On top, you will find the 3.5mm headphone jack and power/lock button, while below the display, there are touch-sensitive controls for the menu, home screen, and back button. The microSD expansion slot (supports up to 32GB cards) is located behind the battery door, which sits opposite to the Backtrack.

AT&T includes only the essentials in the sales package: An AC adapter, a USB cable, and reference material. One accessory you probably won’t have to get is a desktop dock. Opening the Backflip to a 90-degree angle sends the phone into media mode much like the Milestone when it’s docked into the multimedia station, so it will display the date and time, weather, and alarm clock. You can also launch a slideshow and have the Backflip act like a digital photo frame. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ringtones, and home page.

Features

Similar to the Dext and the Motorola Devour, the Backflip uses Motoblur software, which helps merge contact information from various email accounts and social networking sites, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Exchange, Twitter, and Picasa, into a master list. In addition, emails (aside from Gmail) are combined into a universal in-box and appointments are also combined into one calendar.

To help you distinguish between accounts, a small icon is displayed next to each message indicating which account it came from and calendar entries are color-coded. We had no problems syncing up our Exchange (via Outlook Web Access), Gmail, Yahoo, Facebook, and Twitter accounts to the Backflip. Gmail messages arrived almost instantaneously, though appointments took a few minutes to show up on the phone. Outlook messages were retrieved every 15 minutes, just as we programmed it to do.

Motoblur’s software allows you to stream content, such as status updates and RSS newsfeeds, right to your home screen.

Motoblur goes beyond contact management, though. It also offers various widgets that can be added to the phone’s five home screens that show new status updates, messages, and other happenings. It’s definitely overwhelming at first, but once you learn to customize it to your needs, it can be a great resource. You can read more about Motoblur in our full review of the Motorola Dext.

Beyond Motoblur, the Backflip doesn’t hold many surprises in the features department. In fact, it’s a bit behind the times since it’s only running Android 1.5, so you’re not even getting some of the benefits of 1.6. Motorola said the Backflip will be upgradeable to Android 2.1 and supports over-the-air updates, but would not comment on release details at this time.

For now, you get all the Android staples–Android Webkit HTML browser, Android Market, Amazon MP3 Store, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps, and YouTube. Interestingly, the default search engine on the Backflip is Yahoo instead of Google, and from what we could see, there’s no way to change it back to Google. The QuickOffice suite allows you to view but not edit or create Microsoft Office documents.

As an AT&T phone, the Backflip also ships with a number of the carrier’s services and other extras, including AT&T Music and Video, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots, AllSport GPS, Yellow Pages Mobile, and Mobile Banking. In addition, to quad-band world roaming, the Backflip features voice dialing, a speakerphone, noise reduction technology, and 3G support. The Backflip is also outfitted with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and aGPS.

Picture quality wasn’t all that great, and the camera app is quite sluggish.

For more of an entry-level phone, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the Backflip was equipped with a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash. Unfortunately, some of that enthusiasm faded when we saw how it performed. Not only was picture quality a bit hazy and washed out, there was also quite a bit of lag when starting the camera, and it also caused the phone to spontaneously reboot at one point during our testing period.

Performance

We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; WCDMA 950/1900/2100) Motorola Backflip in New York using AT&T service and call quality was mixed. On our end, we enjoyed crisp, clear audio with no trace of background noise or voice distortion, and we had no problem using an airline’s voice-automated response system. Unfortunately, the same didn’t hold true for our callers, as they reported static on their end but only during lulls in the conversation. Surprisingly, the speakerphone provided even better sound quality on both sides of the conversation. There was no hollowness to the calls and voices sounded rich and full. Friends also praised the speakerphone audio for being pristine. Finally, we had no problems pairing the Backflip with the Logitech Mobile Traveller and Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones.

AT&T’s 3G network provided reliable and speedy coverage throughout Manhattan. CNET’s full site loaded in an impressive 19 seconds, while CNN and ESPN’s mobile sites loaded in 8 seconds and 7 seconds, respectively. YouTube and AT&T Videos buffered in just a couple of seconds. YouTube video quality varied, but clips from AT&T Video were almost unwatchable since the picture was so murky. We had better luck with an MPEG4 movie trailer, as the image was smooth and we nearly fell out of our chair after hearing the blaring audio. The Backflip has one of the most powerful speakers we’ve ever heard on a phone, and we’re not just talking volume. The sound is rich and full, not tinny, and it’s the same whether you’re listening through the phone or through a pair of headphones.

The Backflip is equipped with a 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A processor and it just doesn’t have the stamina to keep up. The smartphone lagged and struggled at times with even the simplest tasks, such as switching screen orientation or merely pulling up an email. As we mentioned earlier, the camera app also crashed our phone. Though we’d like to see Android 2.1 on this device, we’re wondering if the Backflip can even handle it.

The Backflip ships with a 1,400mAh lithium-ion battery with a rated talk time of 6 hours and up to 13.5 days of standby time. We are still conducting our battery drain tests but will update this section as soon as we have final results. According to FCC radiation tests, the Backflip has a digital SAR rating of 1.37 watts per kilogram.

Motorola Backflip

The Motorola Backflip, announced at CES 2010, and now available through AT&T (see below for prices), is an unusual design for a cell phone.  It has a full physical flip out keyboard, but unlike most phones with keyboards, when the two halves of the phone are folded together, the screen is exposed on one side, the keyboard on the other.

The keyboard can flip all the way over so that it is usable below the screen.  When used that way, the appearance is similar to the Motorola Droid, which uses a slide out keyboard.  Most observers prefer the feel of the Backflip keyboard, believing that it feels sturdier.

What the Backflip provides that the Droid does not, is that the half with the keyboard can be held in place partially opened.  This allows the keyboard half to serve as a stand for the phone.  The phone can be placed on a flat surface, and the screen used as an alarm clock, or as a viewer for videos, photos, or monitoring of incoming messages and e-mail.

Which brings us to another feature of the Backflip.  Motorola’s MOTOBLUR.  This provides a streaming service for your e-mail and social networking sites.  E-mails and social site updates are immediately displayed on your Backflip screen.  Information delivered this way is always backed up on a MOTOBLUR secure server, providing security that your information will not be lost.

The Motorola Backflip will use Google’s Android operating system, version 1.5.  Updates to the newest version, 2.1, have been promised by Motorola.  Android is a relatively new cell phone operating system, positioned by Google as a competitor to Apple’s iPhone.  Android brings with it the significant advantages of being an open platform, that is being widely supported by third party developers, resulting in a rapidly growing body of available applications.  Google hosts an “app store” where these can be easily obtained.

Other Google services to be included include Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Talk.

The Backflip comes standard with WiFi, Blutooth, and a 5 megapixel camera.  A 2 GB memory card is also standard.  Up to a 32 GB hard drive is available   To some, the screen’s 320 x 480 3.1 inch screen seems a little crowded for the sophisticated interface.

AT&T is offering the Backflip without any service contract for $349, or for $199 with a new 2 year contract for $199 and a $100 mail-in rebate bringing the cost to only $99.   A $30/month data plan is required with the Backflip, as is common for many smart phones, including the iPhone.

Now with the release of the Motorola Backflip, AT&T has a foot in all of the major camps when it comes to smart phones.  If the advantages of the Android platform is appealing, along with a keyboard, the Backflip may be the phone for you.

Motorola Backflip

AT&T, the exclusive provider of the iPhone in the U.S., is going to provide its first Android Phone from Motorola. 

The Motorola Backflip will be added next month to the variety of phones AT&T sells online and in its stores. Offering the Android phone side-by-side with the latest iPhone, which is double the price, will provide customers an opportunity to immediately compare the smartphones.

The Backflip was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The handset has a 3.1-inch touchscreen and a full QWERTY keypad on the back of the device. The keypad can be used when the phone is opened flat, but is inactive when the device is closed. When the keypad is tilted backwards at an angle, the Backflip can be used as a digital photo frame, video viewer or bedside alarm clock. 

Other features include a 5 megapixel camera for shooting still photos and videos. The home screen offers widgets that provide easy access to updates, messages, photos and contacts on social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. The mini-apps also simplify posting to the sites.

AT&T plans to sell the Backflip for $100, after a $100 mail-in rebate and a two-year service contract. Pricing for the iPhone 3GS starts at $200 with a two-year service contract. AT&T plans to offer Backflip starting March 7.

The Backflip runs on AT&T 3G broadband network and also includes built-in Wi-Fi support. The phone also includes access to the online Android Marketplace, which offers 20,000 applications.