Motorola FlipOut

Motorola FlipOut Price: $379.99

Motorola has never been scared to try something new with its mobile phones. It was responsible for the first clamshell phone and the only handset to have had a round display, and with the FlipOut it's once again trying something new. It's a square handset that opens like a switchblade, and is fully loaded with the Motoblur social networking interface and the Android operating system.The 2.8-inch touch-screen has a resolution of only 320x240 pixels, so looks pixelated, and it's too small for satisfying web surfing. But it does have multi-touch support which works well when browsing, viewing maps and going through the gallery.

The unique design means you flip the square FlipOut open like a switchblade. It’s well built and solid but feels a little flimsy in the hand, and those corners are a bit short.

The moto flip out opening of the name is smooth and stable, but that QWERTY keyboard takes some getting used to.

Wi-Fi and multi-touch browsing make for fast and smooth internet browsing, and A-GPS and Google Maps provide good navigation. Unfortunately though, the three-megapixel camera lets it down. 

The battery life is average on the FlipOut, with 270 minutes’ talktime and 380 hours’ standby.

The FlipOut is certainly unique although the design doesn't add a whole lot to the experience. It flicks open smoothly, although does feel a little lightweight, and the sharp edges on the phone can actually start to hurt your hand after a while.

Flip it open to reveal a five-line QWERTY keyboard with a dedicated number line and well-sized keys, although they can be a bit hard to press. A separator bar down the centre is a bit offputting at first, but could prove useful if you were trying to text in the dark. There's a D-Pad positioned on the bottom left-hand corner of the keyboard but it seems a bit pointless when you can use use the touch-screen to move around.