Motorola Backflip
Phone Scoop Review
Mar 9, 2010 by Eric M. Zeman
AT&T lands the Motorola Backflip as its first Android handset. Based on our experiences, it's tough to recommend to anyone other than the most diehard Motorola and AT&T fans. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
Backflip or Bigflop?
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If you're a professional on the go, or a stay at home mom trying to keep your children's soccer and ballet practices straight, this phone does it all! But, you better have one of Google's Gmail accounts if you really want to take full advantage of the phone's many features.
Pros:
Syncs with your Google Gmail, Contacts, and Calendar accounts
Great phone call quality
Easy to use
Multiple desktops
Backtrack navigation
Large keyboard
Supports up to 32GB microSD card
5MP Digital Camera!
Cons:
Battery life could be better
Old Android OS (Android 1.5)
Camera causes phone to reboot
AT&T's Bloatware
Can only download Apps from Android Market
MotoBlur (Call me crazy, I just don't get all they hype surrounding MotoBlur).
For my in-depth review, visit:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Motorola_Backflip_Cell_Phone/content_508243578500
AT&Ts first android=a Missed Flipped opertunailty
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This is my first review of the AT&Ts backflip. However the phone for AT&Ts first; misses on every chance they could of used to Kill the Droid, nexus and Moment.
First... Pros and cons.
Android is missing out on its openness. Shame AT&T. some people believe this is because AT&T signed a deal with Yahoo some believe this is due to reduce network strain and tethering apps. Some say its just what could begin for other companies to begin to ruin the android experience.
Phone comes shipped with an altered 1.5(motoblur version of android with not only disabling "Unknown sources" for apps but also Bloatware that AT&T installed on the phone that you cannot remove. Bad Idea AT&T not only is this phone a huge miss in the software dept but hardware it seems to lack a just a wee bit the droid but still has impressive specs for a $99 phone.
With only 30mhz slower and 30mb less internal ram(also comes with a 4GB stick it also has a much much dimmer less resolution screen but sports a hard to use keyboard with worse battery life(I own both phones)... The droid is just better and a beast compared to this phone, but for $99 after mail and rebate I think its great for a non fussy android user/texter social website person.
Pros and cons.
Pros....
Fast CPU
Smooth
lots of internal memory for apps and ram.(250mb)?
Decent 5mp camera with good lighting as well as Flash LED :)
Decent video with Flash LED
Backtrack
Android (somewhat)
Motoblur
3d Gallery which is amazing
Keyboard?
Fast 3G
multi directional Speaker
Holding Menu pops up V Kb anywhere
3.5mm jack
Cons......
1.5
Locked android interface
Battery life (4hours on full use(HTC G1 shockingly does 8.2h on 2g)
Keyboard is absolutely one of the hardest I ever typed on. Very thin and too exposed.
Camera is a little fuzzy
Finicky Backtrack
Finicky Screen
Phone dialer UI is a mess
Weak speaker Volume for calls.
very Weak 3g in buildings(even losing service completely)
Edge network? Were is it?
bloatware
AT&Ts ridiculous prices
Great phone, very little lacking.
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I work in the cell phone industry and I feel I have moderate technical know how.
Pro's
*Customization- You can put what you want on the home screens, full of stuff or nothing.
*MotoBlur- Back up your info, sync with social networks and emails, locate your phone when lost and even erase it (remotely) if it was stolen.
*Music- sync it with either itunes or windows media player
*Movies- With Motorola media sync you can take movies on your computer simply drop them into the program and it automatically converts them for the Backflip...awesome.
*Wifi- Can't have a smartphone these days without it.
*Camera- 5 mega pixel with LED flash... takes great pictures both inside and outside. Also take a picture of yourself and a friend easily with the keyboard flipped open.
*You tube- Watch videos in high quality, you can't do this on the iphone, the difference is like VHS compared to bluray.
*Insurable- If you lose it and have insurance your not out $500 bucks...nice.
*Plus-replaceable battery, upgradeable memory, actual keyboard
Cons
*Processor- could be faster, not really an issue, if it was faster it would increase the price.
*Screen size- only slightly smaller than the iphone, also not really an issue.
*Not as many apps- at this point, but give it time, android has only been out for about a year and a half compared to over three years with the iphone
Info of note-
Be sure that you have a task manager running so that you can easily close programs you aren't using it will make a big difference. I recommend the free app "Advanced task manager free". Be sure to exclude the app itself in its list of programs so it doesn't close itself, and then add the shortcut widget to the homescreen.
Love it...
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I'm not one of this big Techy people...but I know what I like in a phone.
Pros:
*Awesome Camera
*Browser speed is super speedy compared to my LG Xenon
*Google Talk
*MotoBlur
*Music
*Wi-Fi
*Calculator (although I wish it were like my Xenon and had the tip calculator, etc...)
Inbetween:
*Battery...not as great as I'd like it to be compared to my xenon...but I work in a cell phone company, so I know a smartphone is going to use more battery power...and if you follow the rules when you first get the phone, let it die all the way for the first 2 weeks, and charge it...mines lasting almost 2 days, with texting, internet browsing....calls etc...so I have moderate to heavy use...the battery seems to be getting better with the proper charging...
*Keyboard...use to keys being more raised...getting use to this type of keyboard...
Cons:
*Bluetooth file transfer, big NO NO...I use this feature a lot...and the phone doesn't have it...I was very disappointed, I did find a way around it with an application download called Medival Software bluetooth file transfer, but it says they have access to your personal data, I'm not comfortable with that.
*My entire screen became grainy no matter what I did...had to powercycle the phone to correct it...Not major...but still too early issues like that.
*Touchpad...Not sure why this is on the back where I can't see it to scroll...or move around...
*No case, or headphones came with this...I paid $200 for this phone, $100 after MIR...
BTW, I rated 4...because my biggest issue is the Bluetooth file transfer...but other then that I LOVE the phone...
hide detailed ratings
Good idea bad phone
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The phones keyboard is nice and its awesome that is has a 5mp camera with flash but the only update it got was 2.1. The battery life isn't great and mine randomly restarts a couple times a day at least and the touch screen is low quality. Phone is a snail even for simple things like pandora or Facebook
Horrible
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I must say, i've tried quite a few phones in my day, and this is by far one of the worst representaions of an android phone.
I honestly think it's the Backflip itself that's hindering the Android OS from really shining on this phone. Constant crashing of basic apps like keyboard and phone, and disgraceful battery life has really made this phone one of the most annoying smart phone experiences i've had.
Pros:
-the form factor is kinda cool, but once the aww factor wears off, it's nothing special
-5mp camera
-Android OS is great for customizing how you want your phone to work, and that's a plus
Cons:
-the battery life is absolutely horrible!!! Three full recharges during a day of moderate use is just wrong
-Apps force close or crash completely all the time. It's really sad, because other Android phones just don't do this
-not really a phone issue, but AT&T's bloatware is really not needed
-oh, did i say the battery life SUCKS?
Please don't feel like Android blows if you are an owner of this phone. The Backflip is to blame, and I sure hope AT&T's other Android phones work way better than this one.
Wow..
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I had this phone for 2 months, and it was OK. I hate MotoBlur but it was useful. The hardware is nearly perfect, but My touchscreen went wonky on me. I'm not sure if that was an issue with the software or hardware though. I just wished it would be upgraded off of Donut!
Backflip- on T-mobile
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well my friend had passed his backflip on to me because he upgraded to the htc aria, and i must say after the phones unlocked its great. i use the phone on tmobiles edge network and edge isn't too bad id take this phone over my tmobile behold any day.
i do not have a data plan but everything works fine off of wi-fi and edge. i can send and receive mms easily.
the only cons about this phone is that you cant uninstall the att apps and that att chose yahoo search over google. but over all im enjoying the phone.
This phones software design does not work
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Sure it has a lot of features, but they are poorly designed. The phone is on it's way back to the ATT Store after trying to get one to work right in three attempts. It won't respond to calls, makes calls on it's own. locks up when answering the phone using the touch pad and is mostly not really usable as as a business phone without the Blue ANT Head set(Love it a bunch.
I can't make or answer two out of seven calls. JUNK Apps + poor Design of the primary functions this phone is supposed to have. It has a lot of potential but that's all it has just promises made but not kept.
I am demanding a refund and replacement with something that works as a phone as well as a toy.
Superman phone
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PROS
I have been with this carrier since 1988 and have a lot of phones, my last was the Tilt witch I loved till yesterday when I got my upgrade to the Backflip. I can say nothing bad about it. The sound is great I can hear the ringer even with out my hearing aids the photo are super good. For being 79 I am real picky. I just love it.
CONS.
I do wish they had a better battery. That's it
