Motorola FLIPOUT

Expected Q2 2010
2nd June 2010

The Motorola FLIPOUT is an Android handset with a very unusual form factor, following on from the similarly named BACKFLIP and based on the same platform as the Motorola DEXT.

The rounded-off square design hides a five row QWERTY keyboard that rotates out from underneath, giving a fairly narrow set of keys with the slightly unusual feature of a row of number keys. Although the form factor is unusual, it is actually pretty similar to the US-only Nokia 7705 Twist, however the FLIPOUT is a much more powerful device than the Nokia.

On the front of the Motorola FLIPOUT is a 2.8" touchscreen display in a traditional 320 x 240 pixel resolution. On the back is a fairly basic 3 megapixel fixed-focus camera which should be good enough for basic snapshots and occasional video clips, and Motorola have partnered with Kodak to integrate their technology for clearer pictures and easier sharing.

This is a 3.5G device with a maximum download speed of 7.2 Mbps and upload speed of up to 2 Mbps. The Motorola FLIPOUT also supports WiFi as you might expect. There's a microSD slot (with a 2GB card in the standard sales package), a 3.5mm audio connector, Bluetooth and USB connectivity plus an FM radio. The FLIPOUT also comes with GPS and has a digital compass.

This is an Android 2.1 smartphone supporting Motorola's MOTOBLUR service which manages personal information and social networking. The FLIPOUT comes with all the usual Android features too, such as a wide range of Google applications, a capable web browser, email client and multimedia player, and of course you can download from a wide choice of applications on the Android Market.

Inside is a 1170 mAh battery which Motorola say can power the FLIPOUT for about 4.5 hours talktime on 3G and over 15 days standby time. The FLIPOUT measures 67 x 67 x 17mm and weighs 120 grams, so it is a bit of an unusual shape to fit into a pocket when you consider that the DEXT has a more conventional 114 x 58mm footprint.

There are quite a wide variety of colours available which Motorola list as Saffron, Black Licorice, Poppy Red, Fairway Green, Rebel Pink, Raspberry Crush, Dark Sapphire, and Brilliant Blue.. although not all carriers will have all colours available.

It's a striking phone to look at, and the combination of Android 2.1 plus MOTOBLUR is an extremely impressive software suite which has proven its worth on other Motorola handsets. However, the screen is quite a bit smaller than the DEXT and we suspect that the compact keypad will take some getting used to.

Motorola say that the FLIPOUT should be available starting in Q2 2010, which in practice means from June onwards. There's no word on pricing, but the somewhat better specified BACKFLIP retails for about €400 SIM-free, so we would expect the FLIPOUT to cost around €300 to €350 when it hits the shops.