BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220: Flippin' email

If you're not taken with the BlackBerry Storm's clicky touchscreen and you want something a little more compact for your email, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 could be for you. Boasting a clamshell design that keeps the screen and keypad protected, it's one of RIM's most pocket-friendly devices.

We really didn't expect much from this Razr-like handset, but after testing it out we were pleasantly surprised. The keypad takes some getting used to because of its narrow layout compared to other BlackBerry handsets, such as the Bold. The screen isn't as large as we would like, either, but the on-board features are some of the best we've seen on a clamshell yet.

Wi-Fi gives you fast access to the Internet and we really like the 3.5mm headphone jack -- standard headphones for the win. The microSD card slot, which can hold up to 16GB, is well placed so you don't need to remove the battery to get to it.

It's definitely a shame there's no 3G and the 2-megapixel camera isn't fantastic, but overall our first impressions are good. You can get a BlackBerry Flip 8820 from O2 for free on a monthly contract. Expect a full review soon.