Flip, Flip, Flippy.

Flip phones, also called clam shells, have been around a while, withstanding many advances in cell phone technology.

One of the popular elements of flip phones is when they are closed; they have, by design, a protective cover.

They are largely lightweight and fairly simple to use compared to smart phones, which is a real plus for people who like to keep things simple.

Flip phones, in comparison to smart phones, are much more efficient in battery usage. As a result, they generally offer longer talk times than their "smarter" counterparts.

Here is a look at five of the top flip phones (in no rated order):

Blackberry Pearl 8220

The Pearl 8220 is unusual in that it is both a flip phone and a smart phone. In addition to data management, it also serves as a music player and with a head phone jack.

Talk time with the phone is an estimated 240 minutes. It can handle up to 16 gigabytes of memory, which is great if you need a phone with large memory capacity.

LG VX8360

This phone offers external music player controls so that you can adjust your music while the handset is closed. Many critics have praised the phone's audio quality. It offers up to 360 minutes in talk time.

Motorola RAZR2 V8

The RAZR series is one of the more enduring flip phones. The manufacturer claims this version of the phone is slimmer and tougher than its predecessors.

This version features full html viewing capacity and comes with Windows Media Player installed. It has a 2.0 mega pixel camera with an 8x zoom.

One of the more attractive features is the 500 minutes of talking time.

Nokia 6350

A "just the basics" phone with a sleek and solid design. It has external musical control buttons on the outside of the phone. It has a camera as well as a large contact info system. The 6350 is great phone for persons who just want to make calls and send texts.

Samsung Rugby SGH-a837

A simple design that is suited for persons who work in physical environments. It meets an "810F' standard, which is a military standard for a communications device that withstands shocks and vibrations. While it has a camera and is a media player, this is just your basic, tough cell phone.

Things to Remember: There are hundreds of cell phones on the market. Flip phones generally are lighter than other smart phones and slide phones.

Other than the above-listed Pearl 8220, if you want a smart phone that is also a flip phone, there isn't much choice.

If you are a fan of the basics, with a few niceties, then a flip phone is for you.

Finally, not all phones are available with all providers. It is a good idea to find the provider that suits your budget needs then check out the cell phones that are available.