After weeks of rumor and leaks, Motorola have officially announced the Motorola FLIPOUT with MOTOBLUR, their latest Android handset to bear a full QWERTY keyboard.  The rotating smartphone runs Android 2.1 and has a 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen, 3-megapixel fixed-focus camera and 3G UMTS.

MOTOBLUR has seen a few tweaks, with a new Battery Manager and Data Manager, along with the same Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other social networking integration as before.  There are also new, customizable filters on the various social network widgets.

There’s also 512MB of internal memory and a microSD card slot, a 3.5-inch headphone socket and a 1170mAh battery.  The whole thing measures a compact 67 x 67 x 17 mm and will go on sale “in certain regions around the world” later this quarter.

Press Release:

Motorola FLIPOUT with MOTOBLUR Fact Sheet
Pivot in Style

Accessorize your life with a smartphone that’s destined to turn heads. Introducing Motorola FLIPOUTTM with MOTOBLUR™– an innovative phone that’s as unique as you are. The touch screen’s pivot design exposes a five-row QWERTY keypad with a separate number row, transforming the phone from compact and pocketable to a charming social package. Stay in control with enhanced features on MOTOBLUR, including customizable filters for your Happenings and Messages widgets.

Stylish, Compact, Vibrantly Colored
The incredibly compact, square build makes FLIPOUT a fun smartphone that travels comfortably in purse, pocket or palm. With multiple colored battery door options included, customize your color to match your mood – or your outfit. And with the latest version of MOTOBLUR, Motorola FLIPOUT works harder to keep you connected to the people that matter most.

Enhance Your Social Status
MOTOBLUR, the only service that syncs all your friends, emails, messages, Facebook®, MySpace, TwitterTM feeds and happenings with continuous updates and back-ups, just got better. The enhanced version of MOTOBLUR allows you to take control of your Happenings and Messages widgets with the option to filter out updates and messages you don’t want, making it easier to follow who and what really matters. With seven home screens and the option to move and resize pre-loaded widgets, you can customize FLIPOUT however you’d like.

The new, enhanced MOTOBLUR also brings you device management done right. Take charge of your charge with Battery Manager, a new feature that helps you manage your phone’s power consumption. Spend less time worrying about running out of juice and more time using it. FLIPOUT’s new Data Manager helps you manage your data usage. As always, MOTOBLUR comes fully integrated with GPS tracking and remote data wipe. So, while you may lose your phone, you won’t lose the contacts and data that keep you connected.

Best of the Rest
Motorola FLIPOUT allows you to experience the best of Google and the Web with multi-touch support including pinch to zoom, as well as full suite of Google services including: Google Search, Google MapsTM for Mobile and access to thousands of apps on Android Market™, GmailTM and more. With the latest version of MOTOBLUR, get your personal and corporate email pushed to you and have easy access to your work directory.

Socialize With Ease
Packed full of features, Motorola FLIPOUT lets you hear and be heard. Don’t miss another call or conversation on Motorola FLIPOUT with CrystalTalkTM PLUS. Using a proprietary Motorola process of microphone and speaker configuration, CrystalTalkTM PLUS adds a second microphone improving voice quality even further while filtering out background noise. Additional features include a 3 MP camera, KODAK PERFECT TOUCH technology for better, brighter pictures, gallery mode for tagging and labeling photos and instant upload access to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa & Photobucket.

Motorola FLIPOUT with MOTOBLUR will be available in certain regions around the world beginning in Q2 2010. For more information regarding pricing and product availability in your region, please contact your local Motorola representative.