I'm all for phones that give directions, restaurant recommendations, and the like. I, for one, have a BlackBerry, which I mostly know how to use, though I can only view the Internet via Bing searches. (Anyone know how to fix this?) But now those wacky folks over in Europe are trying to make a phone that can test for STDs (or STIs as they call them across the pond - no idea what the "I" is for), including HIV. The UK Clinical Research Collaboration just gave scientists a $6.5 million grant to work on the project.

BlackBerry just unveiled their new Torch model, but it won't get much coverage in some parts of the world. The United Arab Emirates just announced that they are suspending the use of Blackberry services starting this October. Barring Blackberry will not only affect half a million users, it will also make for some very irritated business travelers, who are dependent on their mobile devices. The outright ban will also have an impact on regular travelers passing through Dubai International Airport, the Middle East's busiest airport, averaging 100,000 passengers a day.

BlackBerry is one of those brands that always keeps technophiles at the edge of their seats. The concept itself, when first introduced -- the ability to send and receive emails on the go -- was unheard of. Sure, there was the Palm, but that had to be plugged in and synched. The BlackBerry provided freedom and accessibility, and for some, a pain in the ass. It's morphed from a brick with buttons to flashy rollerballs, a touch screen, and now the Crackberry has officially come full circle with a model for every personality. Introducing the Pearl Flip. That's right -- it's a BlackBerry. It's a flip-phone. It's the coolest piece of electronic genius to fit into your pocket, and starting at $149, it won't drain too much out of it either.