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Choosing the best cellphone for foreign travel can be daunting. Is the iPhone the answer? Which BlackBerry -- Bold or Storm? Reliable phones that can be used overseas start at about $80. But beware the add-ons. Also, be sure to consider an "unlocked" phone (that is, one in which the phone's tiny ID card, its SIM card, can be switched out). Then, when traveling overseas, you can replace your U.S. SIM card with a cheaper local one. Here's a list of some of the phones recommended for foreign travel:

BLACKBERRY CURVE

Provider: Model 8310 by AT&T

Provider: Model 8320 by T-Mobile

Price: $149.99

Pros: Smallest BlackBerry with full keyboard; can be tethered to a laptop for Internet access; calendar/organizer; lots of software. The 8310 has a Global Positioning System. The 8320 has Wi-Fi.

Cons: Many advanced BlackBerry functions won't work on a Mac. The 8310 lacks Wi-Fi. The 8320 lacks GPS.

BLACKBERRY BOLD 9000

Provider: AT&T

Price: $299.99

Pros: Great display with all the features of the Curve, plus 3G and High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, or HSDPA (for higher data speeds); GPS with audible turn-by-turn directions; Wi-Fi; view and edit documents.

Cons: Slightly larger than the Curve.

BLACKBERRY 8830

WORLD EDITION

Provider: Verizon and Sprint

Prices: $149.99 (Verizon), $219.99 (Sprint)

Pros: User-friendly keyboard; GPS with audible directions; Sprint unlocks for overseas travel.

Cons: No camera; a locked SIM card in Verizon model; memory expandable to only 4 gigabytes.

BLACKBERRY STORM 9530

Provider: Verizon

Price: $199

Pros: Touch-screen keyboard; can view and edit documents; video streaming and messaging; visual voice mail (so you can see who called); GPS navigation with audible directions; removable rechargeable battery.

Cons: Locked SIM card; no Wi-Fi; no trackball.

G1 (GOOGLE PHONE)

Provider: T-Mobile

Price: $179

Pros: Touch-screen and slide-out keyboard; 3G (speedier network); one-touch access to Google maps.; GPS; rapid HTML browser; Android market for applications; Wi-Fi.

Cons: Fewer applications than iPhone; still camera only -- no video; limited music player.

iPHONE 3G

Provider: AT&T

Price: $199 for 8 gigabytes, $299 for 16 gigabytes.

Pros: Intuitive touch screen; visual voice mail; improved voice quality; iPod with video; more than 1,000 applications, including 400 for travel and 60 for weather; Wi-Fi.

Cons: No audible GPS navigation; documents can be viewed but not edited; locked SIM card; no voice-activated dialing; no removable battery.

NOKIA E71

Providers: AT&T and T-Mobile

Price: $483

Pros: No two-year contract required; unlocked.

Cons: No discounts as the phone is not branded to a specific carrier.

SAMSUNG ACE

Provider: Sprint

Price: $99.99

Pros: Unlocked SIM card; modem compatible for Internet use (at additional cost).

Cons: No voice-activated dialing.

SAMSUNG BLACKJACK II

Provider: AT&T

Price: $79.99

Pros: Full keyboard; 3G; GPS.

Cons: No voice-activated dialing.

T-MOBILE SIDEKICK

Provider: T-Mobile

Price: $149.99

Pros: Customizable shells; video capture/playback; works in Spanish and English.

Cons: No Bluetooth; memory limited to built-in 16 megabyte flash.

Note: Prices reflect two-year contract discounts plus rebates (except for Nokia's E71). Unless indicated, phones include voice-activated dialing and speakerphone, Bluetooth capability, text messaging, music and video, superior Web browsing. Except for the BlackBerry 8830, all phones have cameras.

Gardner is a freelance writer.

travel@latimes.com

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