Billed by LG as the "little black dress" of cell phones, the VI5225 flip phone for Sprint PCS service is indeed small and black and could conceivably be appropriate for almost any occasion. While its feature set does little to impress, it should do the trick if you're searching for a basic mobile for casual calling.

Beyond its two-tone dark coloring and sleek shape, there's not much to say about the LG VI5225's minimalist design. But it has some appeal; a thin silver ring circles the front flap, and the polished black shell acts as a mirror. Moreover, the pocketable and portable handset is compact (3.5 by 1.9 by 1.0 inches; 3.4 ounces), and it feels comfortable to hold while you're talking. A rectangular, monochrome display shows the date, the time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID (when available), but the VI5225 is otherwise so smooth and flat that it looks like it could be skipped across a pond. It's also one of the few LG phones with an internal antenna.