Introduction:
 
  When it comes to entry level Android handsets, it looks like novelty devices are the dish of the day. With the surprisingly usable, truly tiny Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini leading the way along-side the more practical X10 mini Pro, now, hot on Sony Ericsson’s heels comes the quirkier still Motorola FLIPOUT. With a 2.8 inch capacitive touch-screen and a QWERTY physical keyboard underneath, the phone seems to compete most directly with the X10 mini Pro, a handset aimed at the messaging-centric market which we really enjoyed here at PhoneArena. So let’s take a closer look at the Motorola FLIPOUT and see how it does when compared with this, and other handsets on the market.
 

Design:
 
When the Motorola FLIPOUT is sitting in front of us, it looks more like a chunky make-up compact than a phone. With a twist-out form-factor reminiscent of the Nokia 7705, while small overall, it’s a little on the thick side at 17mm. Even though it’s all but a millimeter thicker than the X10 mini and the same thickness as the X10 mini Pro, its cube design takes up more space in the hand (and pocket). While the HTC Wildfire holds the crown for the slimmest in this range at 12mm, as far as novelty goes, the Motorola FLIPOUT wins out thanks to its unusual, arguably cool design.