Is the Motorola Backflip a big flop?
March 8, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
I am disappointed in the Motorola Backflip, which went on sale yesterday at AT&T. I went to my nearest AT&T retailer yesterday and the device wasn’t even on display. I went back again today for some more hands-on time and I feel confident in saying that this is the worst Android phone in the U.S.
That’s a bold claim, but I’m not basing that strictly on my brief handling of the awkward device running outdated software. What really makes me call this the worst phone out are the tidbits pulled from an XDA forum member who purchased the Backflip:
* The Backflip has 1.5, something we already knew but is worth noting because it’s a new phone running outdated software. We don’t even know when it will get upgraded to 2.1.
* The Backflip is full of crapware (aka bloatware) that includes pre-loaded apps that cannot be uninstalled. It also uses Yahoo! search rather than Google, which the overwhelming majority of users have deemed a superior search engine. Being unable to delete preloaded apps limits how much space is available for installing the stuff people actually want.
* You cannot install apps from untrusted sources? I wasn’t able to validate this claim just yet so I’ll reserve judgment on that front, but if true…wow. Don’t even think about installing beta apps, backups, or apps downloaded from alternative markets. Why would AT&T go out of its way to stifle this feature is beyond me (don’t waste time with the security argument).
AT&T head Ralph de la Vega questioned whether Android was ready for being carried by AT&T. If these claims are true, then I’d say it’s more accurate that AT&T isn’t ready for Android.
AT&T sucks.
its At&t trying to give android a bad name and reputation.
Screw Att, I've always hated them. Its a wonder they have ANY subscribers at all and I'm not really saying it because of the Backflip, because I think its kind of cute. I just wouldn't want to use it as my phone.
I love my Nexus One!
I am ASTOUNDED that they went with Yahoo! as the default search engine, what are they on crack?!
well anyways, that as they say is that.
Huh…makes me wonder if the severe limitations placed on the iPhone are not actually all Apple's doing, but are in fact a team effort between Apple and AT&T.
I own one of these from AT&T and I can tell you from experience that installing untrusted apps is, in fact, a problem.
Also, he's spot-on about the rest of the limitations, and while I have a few weeks to decide whether or not to return the phone, these limitations are serious enough for me to consider it.
I love Android, but AT&T *has* done a great deal to lock it down further than I would like.
That said, I am actually in the minority of people (apparently) that like AT&T these days. They USED to suck, but I have to say that over the last year or so, their customer service has improved dramatically.
I would really like to see them partially unlock the phone to allow for more Android flexibility and the option to remove pre-installed bloatware. Besides the same old battery life complaint about smartphones in general, I've honestly really enjoyed the phone itself so far.
I have one of these after a year of using a G1 on at&t. I, too am considering returning it after 30 days. I have posted a question on motorola forums about android 2.1. I think that google shoudl, if anything, provide a google widget application for the market for people to install.
I want to cry! I just had to upgrade my son's phone on ATT. My two sons have contracts with ATT. I believe my wife and I are up for renewal. If ATT pulls this crap! with every Android phone I WILL BE LEAVING my great cell phone reception and abandoning ATT after 15 YEARS as a subscriber! This is total BS! I am so sick of waiting for a good Android device! I'm PISSED!
I actually like this phone so far, then again I haven't had an android before and was stuck using Apple. It would be nice to be able to remove the bloatware, but I am weighing the chances someone roots it in the near future (I mean there have to be a lot of people looking into this). As for installing 3rd party software, it works on Windows just fine using ADB, however, I have yet to be able to connect on my linux boxes
For those that want to use Google as the default search (instead of yahoo) you should install Dolphin Browser, this works better than Browser imho, at least with the backflip. I am LOVING setting profiles what a great program, and the tethering is UNBELIEVABLE (probably the only reason I haven't returned it yet)
The OS also seems a little non-responsive at times, I am kind of hoping that this is thanks to all that bloatware.
In short some linux drivers from microsoft (I haven't gotten around to trying MotoDev) and I would be happy, someone rooting it and I would def keep it.
I too just got the phone couple of days ago, and it seems to be very nice. My only concern right now is the battery life, which, as advertised, is 13.5 days of idle and 6 hours of continuous usage, however, i'm getting more like 2.5 hours continuous usage and it's dead. I did just replace the battery couple of hours ago, so we'll see if that was the problem. Overall though I really like the phone.
I had just recently bought this phone and I’ve got to say. I’ve owned several android phones before this one and its a pretty large difference dealing with the OS and the amount of apps to install. I’ve switched to att because the coverage is better in my area and i saw this backflip available when i was able for an upgrade so i thought. att….android…noooo thats not going to work. I got it and with a few tweaks to the phone it works ok. I mean i do wish the apps were more open and the OS was more up to date …but really i don’t think even if the upgrade comes out for 2.1 it will be great. considering the size of the processor for the phone…ehh…idk. anyways that dolphin browser works good for me. don’t have to see those lame yahoo logos that much anymore and as far as the battery life goes. get the app called advanced task manager/ advanced task killer…it works great for conserving battery life. you can temporarily delete all the unused apps that are running in the background…it has helped tremendously on my battery life. anyways hope this helps with the purchase of this phone. I think i’m going to stick with mine just to see if att grows some balls and goes back with google…
your all stupid, AT&T rocks!! Verizon is lying about there coverage all around the U.S. At&t has the same coverage as verizon and at&t has better phones also!
VERIZON SUCKS BIG DICK!
I work for AT&T and what kills me is people talk so much trash about the company but yet AT&T has more than half the U.S smartphone subscribers on our network and everyone says Verizon this and Verizon that but yet ya'll still upgrade and stay with AT&T lol
BoBHoH, lol, keep laughing silly boy. All the way to the bank.
It's hard to buck the Att when it's the only game in town. [remember anti-trust breakups? they'll be coming round the mountain again] Maybe that's why Att thinks they can take an open platform and bastardize it into a mockery. That's what Att does, mocks us. Always after the big green even when record profits are coming in.
In the near future, those ideals will be long gone. People with wealth and corporate smarts will be finding lots [as in thousands] of hungry poor folks climbing the walls of their gated communities, and no amount of security will save them. Wealth is becoming dirty.
I've been an Att sub for a couple decades now, with a brief vacation when Cingular arrived. [Doh! Att sucks up another carrier.] If I didn't like the Backflip so much, I'd definitly switch carriers, might even do so anyway, replace this wounded, damaged-by-design BackFlipper with a real stock MotoBF and root my way around like we should be able to do.
[BF is what Att does to its customers.]
When the H*LL is the BF getting upgraded to 2.1 DMNT!
Keep mocking us Att, but we have the final say over if you get our dollar or not. Screw the corporate hogs! Power to the poor!
I went from iphone to this piece of sh!t. Wow. I said to myself I would be the first of all my friends to have the Backflip. And Wow I got sh!t in my face. LOL.. My wife is mad at me because I made the choice to switch us from iphone to backflip. I did not hear the last of it from my wife. So far I have switch out my phone for a new one that did not have a crap load of bugs. Now after 3 weeks of customer service calls to Att and Warranty department I am getting a new switch out phone for my wife. These are the problems we have been getting. It hangs up on current phone calls not because of network but it just hangs up. Then it freezes during texting ( when your receiving a incoming text.) also when you open to using the keypad it would just power down and reboot up. So a word to the wise dont buy this phone. Motorola….rethink this phone. what happen to you guys……all i can say iPhone got you beat.
this is horrible when someone who posts on craigslist to sell one and when you contact him he is honest to say it sucks and thats why im turning you down… as a ATT sub for 6 or 7 years ( im 14 got my phone at 7) and my dad as a sub for more than 20 years… thats crap ATT almost want to call your CS line and tell you how much this phone is a load of BS its so crappy… the guy met with me to let me see for myself unbelieveable! if you want android software look into an unlocked cliq! thats where you'll see the improvment getting mine i a week or so (i hope)
I have this phone and I'm extremely pleased with this. This is probably because the Canadian carrier, Telus, doesn't put any of the bloatware and restrictions on it
I have full functionality of the phone, and I gotta say, it's pretty damn good!
Bright sides are it does have better battery life and camera than the iPhone.