Motorola Backflip Android Smartphone

Some people just need a tactile keyboard on a smartphone. Motorola comes up with an interesting successor (or alternative) to the Droid in the Backflip.

It seems like everyone's gotten a taste of the Android platform, except AT&T, home of the iPhone. We're betting this just-announced device from Motorola will find a home at AT&T. The Backflip has a 320x480 screen, a 5MP camera, 2GB internal memory, Wi-Fi, and 3G. We assume it will be upgraded to Android 2.1--the company hasn't given a release date other than some time before March, so anything is possible. But the most interesting part is the design: When it is closed, one side has the screen and the other side has the keyboard. You can also open it up and use the keyboard as a kickstand so that the screen sits upright at an angle--perfect for watching video. You could also prop it up next to your bed, on your night stand. There's a track pad on the back of the phone for navigating the screen without touching it. We think this phone could be a great alternative for the Blackberry-addicts among us who simply can't do without a nice, solid keyboard. Every Crackberry-head we know couldn't get around the chintzy feel of the keyboard on the Motorola Droid, so in some ways, this design could be an improvement upon that super-hyped handset. The Nexus One might be the phone everyone is looking for at CES today, but we think, for the right person, the Backflip's design could be more appealing. What do you think? More on CES 2010