Verizon PN-820 launches; first decent-looking clamshell smart phone

Verizon Wireless PN-820

(Credit: PhoneScoop)

I like flip phones. I like smart phones. But I have yet to see a cell phone manufacturer successfully combine the two into a nice-looking package. Motorola came out with the i930, but there's no way I was going to carry that big honkin' phone around, and it was definitely catered toward the Nextel bunch. Then, HTC had a go at it with the Cingular 3125, but I don't know, I still find the design just ... weird. Now, Verizon Wireless has picked up the clamshell Pantech PN-820 (aka Verizon Wireless PN-820) smart phone, and it actually looks decent. Yeah, it's not going to win any design awards, but I also wouldn't be embarrassed to use it in public. Obviously, it isn't all about looks though, and the PN-820 has its fair share of features. The handset runs Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Edition and has Bluetooth, EV-DO support, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and a speakerphone. Other goodies include dual displays, 128MB RAM/64MB Flash memory, a miniSD slot, and voice-command capabilities. The Verizon Wireless PN-820 is priced at a decent $149.99 after online discounts and with a two-year contract. Stay tuned for our review.