"And Google just released its smartphone, the G1. But I've been looking closely at RIMM and I like what I see. The fact is, the BlackBerry has a 54% market share among companies and it has become central to the way companies communicate and do business.

"In times like these, efficiency is critical and the BlackBerry plays an integral role. So I don't expect the slowing economy to hit RIMM as much it might hurt sales ofsimple cell phones,for instance.

"In fact,the smart-phone market is now expanding at about three times the rate of the regular cellphone market, which means that RIMM should continue to earn buckets ofcash on increased sales alone.

"While RIMM's business appears to be strong,the company is working hard to generate more growth by getting its handhelds into the hands ofconsumers-not just companies. That's something that may be difficult to achieve right now, given the current market environment.

"But RIMM's got some compelling products. The company has created a new line of smartphones-among them the the Blackberry Pearl Flip 8220, the BlackBerry Bold 9000 and the BlackBerry Storm-a touchscreen phone.

"Instead of rebuilding its product pipeline and looking for ways to reduce costs, RIMM has been investing in research and development to benefit from demand for smartphones with a variety of new devices.

"With its strong brand name, market presence and increasingly more robust devices, I think RIMM has a strong future ahead.

"I think the market has provided investors with a good opportunity to buy share of Research In Motion. The company has a strong pipeline ofproducts ahead and despite a tightening economy, is well positioned to grow.

"Its mainstay business is corporate customers which are less likely to put off spending on the kinds of handheld devices made by RIMM.

"So while that business holds relatively stable, future growth will come not just from international sales, but also from new products such as the Flip, Bold and Storm line of BlackBerrys-all geared to increasing its share ofconsumer customers.

"Due to the recent sell-off in the stock market, there are many stocks that now appear highly attractive. But I'm looking for wireless companies whose shares are not only fundamentally attractive, but companies that also have lots of cash, little to no long-term debt and great prospects. Right now, those requirements lead me to Research In Motion."

Steven Halpern's TheStockAdvisors.com offers a daily look at the latest market commentary and favorite stock picks and investment ideas from the nation's leading financial newsletter advisors.