AT&T said today that its first Google’s Android phone, the Motorola BACKFLIP, joins the company on March 7.

The Motorola Backflip will be one of AT&T’s few HSPA 7.2 capable phones so it can take advantage of the faster Internet speeds of up to 7.2 mbps.

AT&T has been upgrading most of its cell sites in Orange County to add this faster technology. This will be AT&T’s 6th HSPA phone. Others include the iPhone 3GS, HTC PURE, HTC Tilt2, Samsung Jack and the LG eXpo.

It’s called the Backflip because underneath the 3.1-inch screen is a full QWERTY keyboard that flips out so the phone looks like a mini laptop. The keyboard can also flip around to prop up the phone like an alarm clock.

Also, directly behind the screen is a touchpad, dubbed the “‘Backtrack,” (image on left) that lets you move around the screen with your finger touching behind it without smudging the actual screen.

Hard to imagine? Watch the AT&T’s demonstration video of the Backflip below:

Adding Android to its lineup isn’t much of a surprise, though it is the last of the big four mobile carriers to do so. AT&T also expects to add Android devices from HTC and Dell.

But being the only place consumers can buy an Apple iPhone makes the Android addition especially interesting. It’s been rumored for years that AT&T’s exclusive contract with Apple is set to expire this year and Verizon and others could be adding its own iPhone soon. But that’s all rumorville. (Separately, Microsoft has made AT&T its premier partner for the new Windows Phone 7 devices.)

Also, being a Motorola phone, it has MOTOBLUR, which syncs your Internet life with your mobile phone. Motoblur scans personal accounts on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Gmail, Picasa, Last.fm and other e-mail with the phone. Remember the Megan-Fox-in-the-bathtub Super Bowl ad?

There’s also a 5-megapixel camera with flash and zoom, Wi-Fi (includes free access to AT&T’s hotspots nationwide)  and, of course, access to the Android Market’s 20,000-plus apps.

The Backflip is $199.99 with a 2-year service contract. A $100 mail-in rebate is available to get the phone down to $99.99. Service requires a $30/month data plan.

One more photo:

Photo of Motorola Backflip showing off its social skills.

More on new phones, gadgets:

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