Motorola Backflip (Android) gets software update

If you’re rocking the Motorola Backflip on AT&T, you should be be receiving a notification about a software upgrade. Unfortunately, you won’t be getting Android 2.1 or Froyo but the over-the-air software upgrade should considerably improve the device.

According to the handset maker, the firmware upgrade will boost nearly every aspect of the Android-powered smartphone. This includes general improvements to text messaging that will allow longer message threads, improved color and clarity to the display, and boosted camera and Bluetooth functions.

One neat thing is that you’ll no longer have file restriction sizes for your ringtones, so let your Lady Gaga songs go on forever. Also, look for improved 3G connectivity, better overall stability and the apps from the Android Market should run better. That’s a good sign because we all know you can’t download apps from anywhere else, thanks to AT&T.

This will be a two-step process and you should receive a notice for the first update. If not, pop into your “Settings” menu, then go into “About phone,” hit “System updates” and then hit “Downloads” and “Install now.”

Once this software has done its magic, the phone will restart and you’ll get a second notification. Install this and things should be all gravy. If you don’t see the second notification, follow the same process as you did for the first one. This seems a little bit odd but let’s hope it doesn’t brick a ton of devices like the Evo 4G software update did.

Is this enough to make the Motorola Backflip a killer Android device? I sincerely doubt it, as I wasn’t thrilled with the design and MotoBlur was still pretty useless. This should make it a more pleasant experience for existing owners though, so throw that update on and let us know what you think in the comments.

Is the Motorola Backflip worth doing backflips over? Read our full review here.
Motorola Backflip Review

[Via Motorola]

About The Author

Marin Perez

Marin Perez has torture tested cell phones and smartphones for industry leaders like CNET and InformationWeek. He remembers when 4G was just a screen on PowerPoint presentations and is fascinated with the amount of innovation out there. Marin has spent a lot of time with BlackBerry and Android but he finally broke down a bought an iPhone to see what all the hype's about. He also has too many tablets.

John

i hardly see any difference.. speed seems the same to me
Kelly

Don't notice any difference. I bought this phone with the understanding a 2.1 upgrade was coming. Now I'm a little upset.
Jhermaine

Did not notice any change to the performance. The phone still lagged. I'm a little upset about the 2.1 update taking so long!
Beau Brown

wow this was disapointing i dont notice anything different …i think im going to go get the htc aria
J B

*Sigh* I must admit, I got pretty excited when i saw this message come across, since, ya know, it IS ALREADY Q3. Of course, it was foolish of me to think that Q3 meant anything except the very end of September. Also disappointing to hear it doesn't seem to improve anything. I'll let it do its thing though. Here's to not bricking my phone.
joey

do you keep all your contacts and apps and stuff after updating it?
risingvuegata

What. I see a significant difference. Battery life is way better now. It does not drain as fast as it use too. And after the update, the first thing i noticed was the difference in the screen color and clarity. It looked different, better than before. Even without the 2.1 update, I still love my backflip. But i would love it even more if it had the update ^_^
@MzBreBru

am i the only one who suffered from all these things like after you sent to many text messages or when you on the phone?
RJA

i got this phone on july 12 and im not sure wat the system number or os or firmware was before i got the update. i didnt really see a difference between anything when i installed the system update
Bob Willoughby

I too am very dissapointed about no update to 2.1…or 2.2 now. However, I love the phone.
maddy

this is completely ridiculous. I got this phone coz they announced that they will be giving an update to 2.1[complete fraud..] Now this phone sucks big time!!
JJRobinson

I'm just disappointed…with this phone and in life as a whole
Roscoe Perham

After obtaining the BACKFLIP in the mail I was satisfied yo know I could update the new firmware. I missed the rush, and it was lucky. I’ve had the Backflip for over a 30 days a few factors three or 4 crashes in a month not bad for 15-20 apps open New WIFI factors, plus a larger edge dada than earlier Nokia E61 and N93 Great that the BACKFLIP features a flex keyboard, the screen is often a bit difficult on the edges. You get 500 messages per day from Twitter, Facebook, Yaho, and who actually else yopu want. If you could have 30-60 accurate close friends, that is a good mobile phone if you could have more it’s going to grab too a great deal info. Just a 30 days but a fantastic cellphone.
Bryan

The Android 2.1 has long been a contention for me. The new update doesn't create any obvious speed improvements.. its just minor annoyances that have been fixed. The phone however still is good… and is integral in my lifestyle of multitasking. If verizon wasn't so damn expensive I'd get a Droid X … but.. for ATT this'll do.
Paul

slight speed increase but still waiting for 2.1
willy

Did notice a longer battery life because i listen to music all day while on a 8 hour shift. however still lags a lot i noticed if too many apps are installed. Also when reply to a text message i can have almost half of what im going to reply back already typed up before it finally catches up and displays what im typing, its like an old slow first gen Pentium.
tom

Installed the update. At first, no noticeable change. Never had camera problems. Found 2 new “features” (like microsoft, right?). If you clutter your phone with apps and have to scroll thru the general menu, u can now call up the on screen keyboard and start typing the name which now will search your contacts (press back and open your keypad, you will search apps this time) that is provided you didn’t get a home screen frozen with only the wall paper showing, much faster than having to press FC for blur home to get this.
AppBrain still says there is an update to Google maps, google services and ypmoble I can’t get.
Haven’t tried initiating voice dialer from BT headset yet though I’m not holding my breath. Gotta give Blackberry theirs, voice commands on 8520 are great for their limited capabiliy.
LDG

how do i get the screen to look like it does in the aboce picture with the new clock?
jamel

my phone updated 2 times n i see a big different move lot faster like it look more now
Bill

i have found that even thought i had plenty of room left on my SD card, replacing it with an 8gb helped alot! I did get the one that is supposed to be faster that is made for media players. Much faster
Andy

The browser at least seems a little snappier. Whether that’s software or connection speed I can’t tell. It does, however, *finally* work on a site that I access almost constantly. I tried logging into my forum and it wouldn’t work at all. It would say I was logged in successfully, but just didn’t work. No changes on my forum, but after the phone update it works now. I was about to sell this thing and get a 3Gs, but we’ll see how the update helps the battery life if any. The battery life is currently a killer. Today before the update I did no browsing, had all extra services (wifi, gps, bluetooth) turned off and made 3 short phone calls. I got less than 11 hours out of it.
JoJo

My phone was acting up really bad, I was having trouble even answering the thing. it was always lagging from text to the home screen…I did my update this morning and it is 1000x better. Does anyone know when they are releasing 2.1?
Guest

yes
Agnes Riley

Does the device have Google navigation? Any news on the 2.1 update?
jake

When i try to do the update in settings and about phone tabs, it instantly comes up with an error about logging in or something
Wodahs

Um, somehow i cannot find the update, i love the phone and from what you guys are saying this will make it 2x better.
Jenny

I'd be happy with 1.6 at this point!!! :/
Sam

I love this phone. It has it's quirks, mine often shuts down and restarts but I'm hoping that it was a manufacturing defect and the new one they are sending me will fix this. I notice that there is sometimes a lag but after the updates I did notice that the battery life is much, much better than it was before.
Torrin

This old bs phone 2.1 i dont think its coming no time soon this android os systems need to get there stuff together
Jim Davis

I too am disappointed with ATT/Motorola over the delay to get 2.1 – mostly since I was led to believe it was already available in March when I purchased the phone. My hope is that they dont slip the date some more.
Overall the unit is ok. Some lockups, and again I hope this update will fix this.
The navigation keys brightness levels (meuu/home/return) dont dim!!!. so use at night is painful since my phone lights up the whole room. I still cant imagine that anyone ever tested this phone in the dark. Really funny when you put the tabletop clock in night mode and the screen dims leaving these thew icons to burn my retinas.
c patten

The firmware upgrade fixed that issue. Now when you put it into night mode the icons go dark.
zenas10

I recently upgraded and I don’t see a difference at all.
Guest

Hate the phone, awkward to hold or use, clumsy functioning, horribly small text set against a black screen, and too hard to make any changes. I want my iPhone back. I will suck up the extra expense, it is worth it.
Mustangrayatx

Biggest thing for me is google navigation. Can finally drop at&t navigator (10$ per month). Google nav did not work with 1.5, had to be 1.6 or higher. Was told when I bought the phone that it had 2.1 and google nav lol. And they didn’t drop my at&t nav as i requested after the free month. Not motorola’s fault. Everything else seems to work a lil smoother as well.
Cici_cameron

did it keep your messages ?