$149.99 from Amazon

The second generation of the popular LG Optimus V, the Android-powered LG Optimus Slider for Virgin Mobile offers excellent on-the-go multimedia features–and with none of the contract obligations.

The Optimus Slider delivers the convenience of a full QWERTY keyboard with the sleek lines of the LG Optimus series and a 3.2-inch touchscreen display. It’s also packed with an 800 MHz single-core processor, 512 MB internal memory, and expansion capabilities via optional microSD memory cards (a 2 GB card is included).

It’s powered by the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system, offering deep integration with Google services–from Gmail and Google+ to Google Maps and YouTube–and providing you access to the latest apps and games via the Android Market. You can also make calls, send messages, play music, and more hands-free using Google Voice Actions.

The Optimus Slider comes with a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder that’s loaded with features, including auto-focus, multiple scene modes (including sports and night), multiple quality settings, geotagging capabilities, and a wide range of customizable settings.

Other features include ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (for accessing home and on-the-go hotspots), Bluetooth 3.0for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, full HTML web browser with support for Adobe Flash, and access to both personal and corporate e-mail.