AT&T's Backflip A Backward Step For AndroidAT&T's Backflip A Backward Step For Android

AT&T's first Android handset went on sale March 7. Based on several factors that have come to light since the device's launch, there are some serious drawbacks to the Backflip. Chief among them? No Google, and a lock-down on apps compatibility.When the Backflip was first announced at CES earlier this year, I had hopes for it. Motorola's latest Android handset has some strengths, to be sure, but the list of weaknesses now outbalances them.

As Over the Air reported last week, the Backflip is the first Google phone with no Google. What does that mean? It means AT&T has taken advantage of the open nature of Android to strip out some of the Google-specific features. In the Backflip's case, that means Google Search. In its place is Yahoo Search. The two simply don't compare.

AT&T has also taken the opportunity to load the Backflip with the mobile version of bloatware. There are tons of more-or-less useless applications crammed onto the Backflip. These include: AT&T Maps, AT&T Music, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Radio, AT&T Wi-Fi HotSpots, AT&T Email, Mobile Banking, Mobile Video, MobiTV, MusicID, and YPmobile. What's the big deal, you ask? Well, these applications take up space. Space is a limited commodity on smartphones, and is used to store applications. None of the applications loaded by AT&T can be removed from the Backflip, thereby reducing the amount of space available to end users to store their own applications. That's annoying.

Next, AT&T has also blocked Backflip users from loading in any off-Market apps. You see, there's a little permissions switch that users can turn on that allows them to install applications from outside the Android Market. This has been a key feature for me, because I often test beta and pre-release software that isn't available from the Android Market. By blocking what Android refers to as "untrusted" apps, it reduces the flexibility of the platform.

These restrictions with respect to the applications is downright infuriating.

Other oddities include a "unique" form factor that's too unique; a slow user interface; poor battery life; sub-par multimedia performance; and a lacking display.

To make matters even worse (or, at the very least, embarrassing for AT&T and Motorola), the review unit I have is littered with T-Mobile branding and services. This includes the actual T-Mobile logo and well-known features such as MyFaves.

You want a mess of a phone? Feel free to tackle the Backflip. The Backflip is available for $99 from AT&T, but you're better off spending that $99 on almost any other phone in AT&T's inventory.