AT&T's First Android Phone Ditches Traditional Hinge, Google Apps
AT&T's First Android Phone Ditches Traditional Hinge, Google Apps
Posted 12/16/2009 at 6:36pm
| by Ryan Whitwam
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It looks like AT&T could finally be getting its first Android powered handset. While this may be good news for those on the network that have been hankering for some Android, there are some odd things going on here. The Motorola Backflip/Enzo (name still in question) eschews the hinge mechanism we’re all familiar with. It's basically backwards so that when closed, the back of the phone has the keyboard exposed.
The phone runs on Motorola’s MotoBlur implementation of Android 1.5 similar to the T-Mobile CLIQ. The phone will have a 3.1 inch capacitive display, Wi-Fi, 5MP camera, and that same old Qualcomm 528Mhz CPU. The camera is at one end of the keyboard and faces the user when the phone is open. There’s also apparently a touchpad on the back of the phone (opposite the keyboard) that can be used for no-look scrolling.
The Backflip/Enzo takes the inadvisable step of ditching all the Google applications except for Maps. That’s right; this Android phone looks like it will ship with no Gmail, Gtalk, or even Google Search. There is a Yahoo search widget in place of the standard Google one. In an almost complete disconnect from reality, a Google login is still required to use the phone. It’s also loaded down with the usual AT&T software. No word on pricing or release date yet.
So, can an Android phone succeed without all those Google apps? Check out more pics here.
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mlee19
December 17, 2009 at 12:35pm
Well, this is really shitty!! Makes me want to dump att and go to a service provider that doesn't screw up the best features the android has to offer!!
nekollx
December 17, 2009 at 10:51am
When is a Goggle Powered Smart Phone not?
When it's made by AT&t
------------------------------
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torrin
December 16, 2009 at 9:25pm
Really AT&T? Really? What the heck is Motorola and AT&T thinking? Introduce an Android phone late, then have a crappy processor on it with an old version of Android, oh, then let's take most of the best Google features off the phone. Idiots.
Caboose
December 17, 2009 at 7:09am
Not to mention a poor designed phone! Keypad/board on the outside and uncovered... I'd really like to ask the design team what they were thinking. That setup is just asking for a damaged keyboard!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
frewster
December 16, 2009 at 7:39pm
I saw the words ATT and Android and I was excited. Then I saw that the phone looks crappy and doesn't have any Google apps. I want my Gmail! ATT, you screwed over a phone that could have been sort of kind of good. Thanks.
SEALBoy
December 16, 2009 at 7:07pm
I disliked this phone more and more as I read this article, but it was salvageable up until the part about no Google apps.
Not everyone uses Google's stuff, true, but the people going for an Android phone almost definitely do. Either disconnect it entirely from Google and stop tying it to a Google account, or let the normal array of Google Apps on the phone.
nsvander
December 16, 2009 at 7:20pm
I have to agree, whats the point in getting a "Google Enabled" phone with out the apps. Sure you can go to the market place and get them, but that makes no sense. I think this is AT&Ts way of trying to lure people from Verizon with look we have an "Android" phone too. I wonder if this stripped down phone had anything to do with the agreement between AT&T and Apple!
Mr_Histamine
December 17, 2009 at 3:05pm
I think this is a result of the AT&T/Apple partnership. Seems like they're going out of their way to do the bare minimum required, to call this thing an Android phone.
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