Nextbit's Robin Android smartphone gets fairly positive reviews, but still a 'work in progress'

Nextbit today began selling Robin, a $399 unlocked Android smartphone designed to leverage the cloud to never run out of memory. The phone alerts the user when its 32 GB of local storage nears capacity, identifies which photos and apps are accessed the least, then automatically uploads that content to the cloud when a Wi-Fi connection is available.

Reviews of the Robin are beginning to pour in from tech sites, and they're mostly positive: PC Mag's Sascha Segan calls it a "work in progress" but gives it a good rating overall, BGR says "Nextbit is off to a good start with the Robin," and The Verge's Walt Mossberg recommends it as "a perfect solution" for those who don't want to spend a lot on a phone but are constantly struggling with storage.

Nextbit is initially selling only 3,000 to 6,000 Robins to start, and the combination of an attractive price point and the automated cloud storage feature are likely enough to empty stocks pretty quickly. But the gadget sports a "toy-like design," as Mashable describes it, and a questionable camera. If Nextbit can address those problems and maintain the attractive price point, it may eventually have a success on its hands. If not, it will have a very difficult time in a very competitive market.