That, to me, is a good handset. In fact, I’d say it’s a great handset, and as such I give it a “Highly Recommended” rating. I believe the LG VX9900 enV is a great alternative to real data-centric smartphone devices like Palm’s Treo line or RIM’s BlackBerry models.

For those who want a keyboard for texting but don’t need all the features of a smartphone or PDA phone, let alone the more expensive data plans associated with them, the LG VX9900 enV bridges the gap. For those who aren’t email addicts, the LG is a feature-rich phone.

With its distinctive styling and comfortable keyboard, the LG enV (an update to the LG VX9800) might have been poised to give T-Mobile’s Sidekick 3 a run for its money. Unfortunately, the VX9900 small screens coupled with its overall bulkiness give the phone a dated feel, especially when it’s closed, and lacking an interesting or at least intuitive menu system, the phone will have a hard time winning converts from the Sidekick crowd.