Taken by BlackBerry Storm

As with any other BlackBerry device, the Storm excels as a portable email device. If your company uses the BlackBerry email system, the Storm will be the best device you've ever tried. The touch-screen interface is easy to master and lets you get through your email tasks quickly and easily.

In my testing, I found myself preferring to use the Storm to handle my email over my previous BlackBerry favorite, T-Mobile's (DT Quote) Pearl Flip.

One other note about the email: If your company uses a BlackBerry Server system to deliver email, the Storm is the best device you could use. But my company also uses an Exchange email server system for Microsoft (MSFT Quote) Mobile-based device access. That makes it easy for me to use a Palm (PALM Quote) or iPhone to get my corporate mail.

But my company requires stringent security measures on Exchange-based mail. In simple terms, it means there is an additional password you must type in after five minutes of not using the handset.

That means you need a password every time you check your mail. Using a BlackBerry is a breeze for users in the same situation compared to what you might have to go through with your Palm or iPhone.

Verizon is the exclusive seller of the phone in the U.S.; it is selling the Storm for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate along with signing up for a two-year domestic service contract. Monthly plan costs are very competitive with what AT&T charges for iPhone service. Verizon's parent company, Vodafone, has a GSM version of the phone (no 3G coverage in the U.S.) that it's giving away for free with a two-year service contract.