Clicking on a link in the list of changes will take you more information about that change.

Important Links

• Motorola's Release Notes (PDF file)
• User Manual (PDF file)
• Motorola's Things to Know Page
• AT&T announcement
• Upgrade Download/Install Page - I recommend the "Preferred method". This involves downloading the upgrade file and copying it to your phone's sd card.
• Motorola Backflip with Android 2.1 Troubleshooting page

Upgrade Package Info

November 9, 2010 - 10:51 pm CST

The file size is: 92.9 MB (97,503,376 bytes) as reported by the properties dialog in WinXP
MD5: 4FDCE43C91EC950BFF7705271BA3D6D9
SHA-1: B844D80921A29E5BE85C35639413C54DE1CB041E

You can use HashTab to check the MD5 or SHA-1 value for the file. In windows it installs as a windows explorer extension, adding a hashes tab to the properties box. Right click and select properties and the File Hashes tab. There is also a Mac version.

Not Included

• Multi-Touch
• Pinch to zoom
• Live wallpapers
• Install apps to SD (not officially supported in Android 2.1)
• Adobe Flash (the Backflip does not meet the system requirements for this) or Flash Lite
• Screen orientation still does not change when on homescreen, except when hardware keyboard is opened.
• Installation from untrusted sources still not allowed. Methods that worked with 1.5 still work.

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Home app changes

1. 7 screens
2. Default search is now Google and includes voice search
3. New screen navigation dots/navigation method at bottom of screen.
4. The new screen dots can be used for quick navigation by tapping the one that represents the screen you want to move to when they are displayed.
5. New lock screen
6. Slide to silence on lock screen
7. Time display on lock screen
8. Pin lock and pattern lock entry areas are smaller
9. When dragging widgets or shortcuts to a new location dropping them on an existing item causes that item to be bumped to a new location.
10. Improved virtual keyboard
11. Word suggestions available while using hardware keyboard
12. Date not repeated when notification bar opened
13. Date not in notification bar
14. Date is displayed in the notification window when it is open.
15. Carrier name displayed in notification bar
16. 3G/E icon stays in notification bar while WiFi is on and connected

Widget Changes

1. Improved Motorola widgets
   • Available Motorola Widgets
   • Motorola Toggle Widgets
   • Sticky Note Widget
   • Power Control - not a Moto widget, but it is new to the Backflip.
2. Some Moto widgets can be re-sized (Note: widgets will not re size with most home replacement apps)
3. Separate listing for Moto widgets when adding to screen - More Info
4. Filtering of contacts on happenings widgets (can select which contacts to include)
5. Moto widgets settings available by tapping
6. New calendar widget
7. Can have separate widget for each email account (select which service the widget displays)
8. Motoblur messaging widget has quick reply option
9. Happenings widget allows re-tweeting
10. Happenings Twitter options (Favorite; Retweet) requires confirmation
11. Happenings widget has more Facebook options (Like, photo comments, see who liked something)
12. Can create a separate widget for each social network or include more then one network in same widget

Contacts changes

1. Navigation dots in the contacts app to show which of the three screens you are on

Browser changes

1. No exit option on default browser (hit the home button to exit quickly)

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Gmail changes

1. Multiple gmail accounts allowed in gmail app
2. Can create desktop shortcut to specific gmail label
3. Notification while in call for new email is only a short ping

Email changes

1. Multiple selection in email app
2. Can have separate widget for each email account
3. Notification while in call for new email is only a short ping

Changed/modified apps

1. New market app
2. Google spoken turn-by-turn navigation (places integration, integration with maps)
3. Google search/voice search
4. Speech to text
5. Agenda view in calendar app does not stop at month's end
6. Folder support in the new gallery app
7. Improved music app
8. Better use of album art (as background when viewing song lists)
9. One gallery app for both video and images
10. Change in alarm snooze function
11. Notification for snoozing alarm
12. Calendar app exit behavior changed, it no longer saves your last view as the default start view.

Hardware changes - (how the hardware is used/works)

1. 360 degree screen rotation, not just 270 degree
2. Charge port LED can now be used as a notification LED
3. LED works with 3rd party apps, but color can not be changed
4. Improved sound output through aux port/headphones
5. Really big green battery charging indicator stays on when charging phone while phone is OFF.
6. Upgrade reduces the memory available for apps by 40 MB
7. Improved battery life
8. Sounds related to the mounting and unmounting can be heard on every start and shut down unless you turn off notifications for the SD Card
9. Usb debugging now had a warning icon that shows up in the notification bar when USB debugging is enabled and you are connected with a cable
10. When connecting to a computer with a USB cable there is no longer a pop-up offering a choice to connect as a USB drive. Open the notification area to enable USB drive mode.

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Dialer app changes

1. New speed dial, with one button dialing from phone keypad
2. Reduced number of customizable speed dial entries to 8 max

Networking

1. Out of range/weak wireless networks with no SSID do not allow forced connection
2. vpn connections supported (in a limited fashion)

Settings Changes

1. Equalizer (audio effects) settings added (I can not detect any effect when using these)
2. Numerous changes in settings menu
3. Details for battery usage from battery use sub-menu of the battery manager
4. Can view running services (Menu->Settings->Applications->Running services)
5. Accessibility settings added
6. Text-to-speech settings added
7. Less date formats available
8. Added Battery manager (can see what's using the battery)
9. Spoken Caller ID - speaks the contact name or calling number

Bluetooth

1. Single tap on bluetooth device button opens the voice dialer app
2. Performance improved (based on my experience)

Camera

1. No preview of just taken picture (tap thumbnail of last taken pic to view preview)

Messaging changes

1. The user can set a limit on the number of messages in a text conversation (defaults to 200)
2. Text and email notification do not sound when you are in a call

Website Security

1. Security certificates can be stored on SD card (used as ID for secure websites)

Hardware Keyboard

1. Shows suggestions while you type.

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Taking Screenshots

I have been able to use apps for screenshots that are reported to require root access. The following apps work for me to take screenshots:

• Picme - my favorite when I am connected to my home network. I can view the screen of my phone in my browser and just right click on the image and save it.
• screenshot can take a screenshot using a delay or just by shaking your phone. Saves to your SD Card.
• ShootMe - saves screenshots to the Sd Card

Things You Can't Do

• Turn off the AT&T start up sound
• Remove the carrier logo from the notification bar
• Turn off the new hardware keyboard suggestions
• Install non-market apps without using a work-around
• Remove the AT&T apps
• Search in the app tray by typing on the hardware keyboard. Typing on the keyboard now closes the app tray and opens google search.

Reported Issues

Details on this page

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