CES 2010: Motorola Backflip joins the Android party

The handset does a similar trick to the Nokia N97, but the opposite way round – sliding up to show off a full QWERTY keyboard and then folding back on itself (Backflip, geddit?) to "tabletop mode" for listening to music, watching videos or showing off photos. It even doubles up as a bedside alarm clock.

Specwise, you can expect a high-res 3.1-inch HVGA screen, which features a new touch panel on the back called "Backtrack". This enables you to flick through photos, texts and emails without covering up any of the main screen with your chubby digits.

There's also 3G and Wifi connectivity, 5 megapixel camera with flash and aGPS, not to mention the MotoBlur content delivery system like the Dext, pulling your social networks, emails and phone content together in one place.

The Backflip is expected to hit shelves in Q1 this year, but no exact dates or prices were available.