Motorola Backflip brings Android to AT&T

After a long period of letting the iPhone hog AT&T's spotlight, the carrier has finally opened its arms to Android. Today, the carrier unveiled the Motorola Backflip, the first of three AT&T phones powered by Google's operating system.

Backflip not only represents an end to the Apple/BlackBerry smart-phone hegemony at AT&T, but also incorporates several really interesting design features.

The phone's name comes from its inside-out design. A keyboard swings out to complement its very iPhone-reminiscent touch screen. The curious part: when tucked underneath, the keyboard faces outward. Also, hidden behind the screen is a trackpad, which offers users another way to navigate through applications. The concept seems intuitive enough, but it's weird that users won't be able to see the trackpad while they use it.

While based on Android, Backflip comes with Motorola's Motoblur, a user interface that highlights social-networking features such as Facebook and Twitter. We talked about Motoblur in more depth in this article about the Motorola Cliq.

Backflip will cost $100 with rebate and two-year contract, and debuts March 7.