Motorola Backflip Ditches Google Search for Yahoo
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Comments 51
Mar 2, 2010, 3:00 PM by Eric M. Zeman
AT&T's first Android handset is the Motorola Backflip. AT&T has removed all the embedded Google search widgets and apps that are part of the Android platform and replaced them with Yahoo instead. The Yahoo search widget leaves out some major features that are included in Google search. First, there is no voice search of any kind. The Backflip also provides no way to alter the way the Yahoo search app behaves. Google's search app lets users fine-tune how searches are conducted across the web and the device itself. AT&T spokesperson Warner May explained to Phone Scoop, "Yahoo is the default search engine on the Backflip. However, you are of course free to access and use Google search if that is what you prefer. Google doesn’t currently make available a widget or app that would let you do Google search directly from your phone’s home screen." The Backflip's Android browser also defaults to Yahoo search, and doesn't offer Google, Bing or any other alternative within the browser software. The only way to perform Google searches are by directing the browser to Google.com and then performing a normal web search from the Google Mobile home page. AT&T wouldn't comment if its future Android devices will also include Yahoo search in favor of Google Search.
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source: AT&T
um...
Yea there is a default google search widget for the home screen, I dont know about blur, or if this phone is using blur, but yea there should be one unless At&t took it out of the ROM.
Google MAKES a search widget for Android, but it is part of the platform itself. AT&T has removed it and put Yahoo in its place.
You CAN'T go to the Android Market and download the Google Search widget. It's not there. It has to come preloaded.
Menno
Mar 2, 2010, 5:11 PM
Further proof that ATT doesn't know how to do phones anymore
They got lazy letting apple dictate terms to them, so when they were presented with android they loaded the thing with bloatware and removed one of the core advantages OF android (native integration with the Google family of products)
IT's almost like ATT wants android to fail.
HOnestly Menno, I am waiting to see how this thing plays out. You know that 90% of the end-users aren't going to care whether they use yahoo or google for a web search. Who knows if it will be like this on all AT&T Android devices. But I think having ...
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Not likely to be a big problem...
Since AT&T users already have access to the iPhone and don't need a wannabe platform. 🤣
Let's be honest, running Android 1.5 (a brand new phone shipping with the 4th most recent version of the software! Android is awesome!) with a resistive touch (AWESOME!) screen and slow processor.
You've gotta be be dumb as a rock to plop down $100...
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Money Money Money
I wonder how much Yahoo paid ATT to stick it to Google a bit?
Screwing with Google is probably not wise since they are going to own the world one day.
Not to mention what will happen when google becomes self aware?!?!? Judgement day!
Flo57
Mar 2, 2010, 8:01 PM
motorola backflip for at & t
I been waiting for this phone . this is not cool that they took out google and put in yahoo . it is a android phone not yahoo . I have seen google operate on droid phones and I was impress . now at&t want to change the phone so people can order things from them . they have fees on top of fees . I have been a loyal customer since 1993 . I hold off from going to other carriers because I am but apparently they not to us . I use yahoo now on my tilt and I am not impress . please at&t put google back .
I don't know what you mean by Fee's on top of fees there but I'm pretty darn familiar with an AT&T bill and there's nothing there that isn't on EVERY provider. Even small ones. The only time there's ever anything extra is when the end user is retarded...
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Just wait a few months until they ship it with a slightly less obsolete OS. 🤣
*palms face*
leave it to att to pull something like this...
Only they did it to existing phones.
WTF????
🤣 seriously? y would you RUIN an android phone by replaceing google with yahoo? nothing aginst yahoo but ive got a HTC DROID ERIS and i dk what the hell id do without my google...one thing i wouldnt do is use yahoo 🤣.....i wonder if motorola is going to regret this.
IN A WORLD THAT DOESENT....DROID DOES!!!! 😲
Having "Yahoo" as the default search engine is what's going to denigrate the device. 🤣
Just one more reason
I am glad that I left att for verizon. Have been with att for over eight years and I have been wanting an Android phone since they came out. I finally got tired of waiting on att to get one and switched to verizon last week, and then I found out that att is finally going to have one and then they do this crap to it...
No Google Search on Android?
Google doesn’t currently make available a widget or app that would let you do Google search directly from your phone’s home screen." 😳
I really thought this was one of the supposed advantages to Android. Was I hallucinating at the VZW store when I typed a query into the box on the droid's home screen?
Say wait a minute aren't you folks at ATT pretty cozy with Mr. Jobs?
the droid has that yes because it's running android 2.0 this thing isn't as I understand.
JOB POSTING: HIRING AT&T SPOKESPERSON
Dear ATT&T News Reader... after such a dumb ass comment that was recently made by Warner May "Google doesn’t currently make available a widget or app that would let you do Google search directly from your phone’s home screen." we have decided to replace him with someone who knows something about the Android OS.
Posted from my VZW Droid using the Google Search Widget that is located on the home screen.
And by the way.... Droid DOES!
Wondering??
I'm wondering if one pulls the Google Search Widget off a Cliq by copying it to the memory card, then move it to the Backflip by the same card if it would work?? Most file managers for Android easily perform this operation.
It probably won't be quite that easy, but once the device gets rooted by someone, it should be doable with a custom rom. That's one of the nicer things about android.
dolphin?
wouldnt most people just get dolphin since its a better web browser than the default anyway and it would have google as its default search.
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