Motorola showed the world its new Backflip mobile phone at CES and now you can get your hands on it for a $100. Oh yeah, as long as you sign up for a two year plan with AT&T. The Backflip takes the slider concept a step further with the QWERTY keyboard around the back of the phone when closed. A hinged edge allows the keyboard to be rotated out and around to position the keyboard underneath the screen just like a slider. But here’s the clever bit from the Motorola design boys - the back of the display section has a touchpad module which is accessible whilst the keyboard is flipped out. Otherwise the Backflip sports the usual bells and whistles with software that syncs with Facebook and the rest, full HTML web browsing, etc. Here’s a full list of those features and specifications.
* Always-on social networking synching with Facebook, MySpace and Twitter
* Touch pad, touch display, and back-flip QWERTY with table top mode
* Contacts, including status and pictures, auto-populate from social networks
* full HTML web browsing
* Android Webkit full HTML browser
* Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g
* 3G connectivity
* 3.1-in. HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) touchscreen
* Backtrack navigation tool behind screen
* 5 MP autofocus camera
* Text and multimedia messaging
* Google Talk and IM
* Supports AAC, H.263, H.264, MP3, MPEG-4, WAV, MIDI, AAC+ audio formats
* 3.5 mm headset jack
* USB 2.0 standard micro USB connector
* aGPS, Accelerometer and E-compass
* WCDMA 850/1900/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps (category 7/8), EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 12, aGPS, v2.0
* microSD slot, 2 GB preinstalled expandable up to 32 GB
* 133 grams
* 53.0 x 108.0 x 15.3 mm
* 1400 mAh battery
* 350 minutes of talktime
* 315 hours on standby
Quite an array of specs and we confess pretty impressive too. The unit is powered by Android 1.5 and when purchased with an AT&T two year contract will set you back $100 after rebates. The Motorola Backflip is available from March 7th and you can sign up now for email updates at AT&T’s website. Whilst we’re never convinced about the wisdom a contractual agreement we must admit the Backflip would certainly make us more likely to sign up for one.
We managed to dig up this video for you showing the Backflip in action from phonedog when they were at CES.
Ok, so Cowon’s latest PMP, the V5 HD, is currently only being launched in their homeland of Korea in January but surely a US and worldwide release will shortly follow. For those of you eager to see what Cowon have stuffed into the V5 here’s the list of impressive specs
* 4.8 inch 800 x 480 res touchscreen
* WinCE 6.0
* 720p HDMI output
* H.264 support
* SD memory card slot
* Wi-Fi connectivity
* 45 hours of audio playback on battery
* 10 hours of video playback on battery
* 128×82x15.7mm
Three versions of the V5 HD will be released with varying capacities at 8GB, 16GB and 32GB. The V5 will appear in Korea in the New Year with a price tag the equivalent of US$250 for the 8GB version. We must admit we’re not usually too impressed with Cowon PMP players but the V5 HD certainly seems to taken their range up a notch or two in our estimation. The 720p HDMI output with Wi-Fi connectivity turn this media player almost into a netbook. We’re not too sure what apps you can get for WinCE but we did only say ‘almost’ a netbook.
As usual if anyone out there has played with a Cowon V5 HD please let us know what you think of this neat PMP.
Smartphones seem to be getting cheaper by the day and here’s the latest deal for a Blackberry Curve 8530, for a mere $50 (after rebates) AT&T will set you up with one of these suckers. Of course the Curve 8530 will come with the usual two year contract but it’ll also have these snazzy features and specs too
* 2.5 inch display
* Blackberry App World
* Dedicated Media Keys
* Trackpad
* Full QWERTY keyboard
* Blackberry Push Technology
* Windows Live Messenger, Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, or ICQ apps
* 2.0 Megapixel Camera and Camcorder
* GPS capable
* microSD card slot (up to 32 GB)
* WiFi Enabled - 802.11 b/g
* 4.3″ x 2.4″ x 0.5″
* 3.9 oz.
* Up To 5.4 hours continuous talk time
We must admit that this is a very tempting offer, a good smartphone for $50, very hard to turn done especially if your already a Sprint customer. If you’re keen as then stroll on over to the Sprint website and grab yourself a Curve.
We also managed to dig up this unboxing video from phoneDog. Whilst it’s for the Verizon version of the Curve 8530, the functionality of the unit is still the same.
LG’s slender slider, the eXpo, is now available for only $200 after rebates at AT&T. The unit sports Wi-Fi support, 3G high speed data connectivity plus Bluetooth 2.1. It also runs on Win Mobile 6.5 Professional with a 3.2 inch touchscreen. Sound good? Here are all the stats on the LG eXpo
* SnapDragon processor running Windows Mobile 6.5 Pro
* 3.2 inch 800 x 480 res touchscreen display
* QWERTY keyboard
* GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
* 3G UMTS/HSDPA (850/1900/2100 MHz)
* EDGE high speed data network connectivity
* 5.0 MP camera with 5x zoom
* MP3, AAC, eAAC+, AMR, MIDI audio formats supported
* Text and Instant Messaging (AOL, Windows Live and Yahoo Messenger)
* Talk time Up to 3 hours
* Standby time Up to 10 days
* 4.46 ounces
* 4.50 x 2.16 x .63 inches
* 512 MB internal memory
* microSD Card slot (up to 16 GB)
If the eXpo is just what you’re after, check it out at AT&T.
On the look out for a bargain? Who isn’t these days. Well today we spotted Walmart offering up the HTC Droid Eris candybar cellphone for only $30. At this price the unit still comes with a two year Verizon plan but on the upside the HTC Droid Eris sports the following bells and whistles
* 3.2″ 320 x 480 HVGA resolution 262K Color Touchscreen with Trackball
* Fully rubberized matte black skin
* Google’s Android 1.5 operating system
* 5 Megapixel Camera with Autofocus
* Bluetooth v2.0
* Full HTML Browser with Wi-Fi
* 4.45 x 2.19 x 0.51 in
* 4.2 oz
* Virtual QWERTY keyboard / Touchscreen
* Plays nicely with MIDI / M4A / QCP / AMR / AAC / AAC+ / eAAC+ / WAV / WMA / MP3/ EVRC-B audio formats
* 3.5mm Headset plug
* Plays nicely with MPEG4 / H.263 / H.264 / WMV video formats
* Up to 16 GB Micro SD memory
* Talk Time - up to 214 mins
* Standby Time - up to 373 hrs
* Micro-USB connectivity
We also managed to dig up this hands on video from phonedog, which was made when the Droid Eris was originally released at the beginning of the month for $100.
They generally give the HTC Droid Eris the thumbs up and we agree as it certainly sports a great list of functions and at $30 it has to be a bargain. Well done to Verizon for dropping the price.
Yet another Android unit hits the streets, this time from T-Mobile, who offer you the Samsung Behold II for $230 with their Even More plan. Here’s what the Behold offers
* 3.2 inch 320 x 480 res touch screen with on-screen keyboard
* Text messaging
* Video Messaging
* Instant messaging capable
* 5 Megapixel Camera
* Video capture/playback (MPEG4)
* Music Player (MP3, AAC, AAC+, MIDI)
* 4.6 x 2.2 x 0.5 inches
* 4.2 ounces
* Battery Li-ion (1000mAh)
* Talk time up to 6 hours
* Standby time up to 15 days
* 850 MHz;900 MHz;1800 MHz;1900 MHz;UMTS: Band IV (1700/2100)
* Real Web Browsing with Wi-Fi (802.11b/802.11g)
* E-mail
* Micro SD memory slot
* GPS built-in
* Photo caller ID
* micro USB
* Stereo Bluetooth 2.1
* 3.5 mm headphone jack
Pretty impressive set of specifications but for the $230 price tag and shackle, they should be. The Samsung Behold 2 does sport an AMOLED screen and their TouchWiz interface, but is this enough to persuade you to part with $230. If it is, like us know what you think of the Behold 2.
Yes we admit we like sliders and here’s Motorola’s CLIQ slider cellphone now available for T-Mobile customers for a mere $200 after rebate. The CLIQ features MotoBlur with which you can apparently
Stream your social networking feeds to your handset in real time, providing instant access to the latest happenings and messages from your friends.
A great bonus for all you social network fiends out there. The Motorola CLIQ also sports Wi-Fi connectivity and of course the oh so sexy slide out QWERTY keyboard. Here are a few more bits and pieces on the Motorola CLIQ
* 3.1 inch 320 x 480 res display
* 4.5 x 2.3 x 0.61 inches
* 4.9 ounces
* Talk time up to 6 hours
* Standby time up to 13.5 days
* 850 MHz;900 MHz;1800 MHz;1900 MHz
* 2GB SD Card
* Instant messaging
* Text messaging
* 5 Megapixel Camera
* Music player
* Video capture/playback
* 3G Network and Wi-Fi access
* GPS built-in
* Micro SD memory slot
* Real web browsing
* Bluetooth connectivity
* Visual Voicemail
* Android Market
We also tracked down this video from phonedog of a demo of the Motorola CLIQ
As we mentioned the CLIQ looks like a great unit for social networks fiends but for other mere mortals the $200 is probably unjustifiable.
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