RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 – silver (Verizon Wireless)

The good: The RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 offers 3G, GPS, good call quality, and BlackBerry’s strong e-mail capabilities. The clamshell smartphone also has a 2-megapixel camera and supports BlackBerry App World.

The bad: The smartphone lacks Wi-Fi, and the SureType keyboard takes some acclimation and isn’t ideal for heavy e-mail users.

The bottom line: While not the flashiest or the most feature-rich device, the RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip for Verizon Wireless is a decent and affordable choice for first-time smartphone buyers.