Well, Helio sent us our Kickflip in the mail today, and we can't really stop playing with it. The EV-DO is the usual walled garden media business; H.O.T. isn't bad, but won't let you add feeds; generally the apps work well and are easy on the eyes, even if they aren't always incredibly flexible. We'll go more into the software later (anything you want to know?) though, it's the hardware where the Kickflip really shines. We freaking can't stop flipping the thing open. It's like tactile crack, and we have to put it away under some papers to free our hands and get any work done, instead of engaging in the idle addictive sensation of nudging the screen and flipping it open, then closing it again with that little click. Not that it'll do it justice, but if you want to peep a video of the Kickflip's opening mechanism in action, check out the link below. Otherwise click on for a bunch of hands on pics of the device.

Watch [19.5MB Quicktime]

Great box, the packaging is first-rate.



It's got a clean, minimal face, but if the screen's off you don't know which way is up.




Opened, the Kickflip feels great in the hand. A very solid, well engineered handset, not flimsy or plasticy in the slightest.


The camera on the rear has a "flash" (you know how those things are on cameraphones), and a macro focus setting for taking pictures of your food like everyone in the world does. (Oh, and that blue thing is the self portrait mirror without the protective plastic film removed.)




Media playback buttons take you straight to the media player software; camera button does what you'd expect as well. There is, however, typically a few seconds lag after keypress.




That'd be the video-out and mini USB ports, as well as the charger plug.


Here we've got the mic, MicroSD slot, and 2.5mm jack. (Don't worry, Helio includes a surprisingly discreet 2.5 to 3.5mm adapter.)


Come back soon for some more on what Helio's got going on with their handsets. In the mean time, anything you'd like to know about the Kickflip? Leave it in comments!