Email for "dumb phones" unveiled

Sales of smartphones are on the rise, but the more common, basic mobile handset is still the most popular, and a new start-up created by some European wireless luminaries is looking to offer a stripped-down version of a mobile email service that works on low-cost handsets. The company, called Berggi, plans to market to the two-thirds of U.S. mobile subscribers still using basic mobile phones--not the other third that has opted for the more expensive smartphone, running RIM's BlackBerry, Microsoft or Palm's email services.

Berggi makes popular email services from Google, Yahoo and MSN available along with popular IM services, but the service does not facilitate document attachments. Berggi will launch in the U.S. this Thursday and will cost $9.99 a month. The service is available for download on handsets in the U.S., but not for subscribers to Verizon Wireless or Nextel, which have billing service conflicts.

For more on Berggi's launch:
- read this press release