A globe-trotting relative recently asked me whether there were phones he could use in both the US and Japan without bothering to switch handsets. The answer, surprisingly, is yes. Japan was incompatible with the rest of the world for years, but now Cingular and T-Mobile subscribers can roam over there for $1.69-$2.29/minute, depending on service plan.

There's a catch: you must use a European or Japanese WCDMA third-generation (3G) phone, and Cingular and T-Mobile don't sell those directly. Also, the European 3G phones don't work well with Cingular, because they're generally missing one of the frequencies Cingular uses. (They're fine on T-Mobile.)

For an all-around good phone that will work on T-Mobile in the US, and in Europe and Japan, I'd pick the Nokia 6680, at left. (Google it for prices and retailers.) It's just like my Editor's Choice Nokia 6682 in most ways, and that's a good thing. It will run you under $400, it has real e-mail and Web browser apps, and it will come unlocked so you can switch it to a European phone number if you "go native" or want lower rates. For an even cheaper option, I'd pick the Sony Ericsson K600i, a small, silvery phone which should cost around $250 unlocked. There are higher-end phones you can get, too.

Cingular subscribers should watch for the upcoming Nokia N80, a 3-megapixel cameraphone which covers both of Cingular's voice bands, the European bands, and Japan. That should appear later this year.