Virgin Mobile has begun taking preorders for their next Android handset, the Gingerbread-powered (PCD) Venture, with expected shipping to begin March 15.  At $99 it’s pretty much all the Android you might hope to see out of a no-contract carrier, if not a little more.  Hardware is a blend of low-end and mid-range but the Android 2.3.4 means that it should support many of those 450,000+ apps in the Google Play Store.

Specs include:

• Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread
• 600MHz processor
• 512MB ROM
• 512MB RAM
• 2-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth

If you’re interested in grabbing a smartphone for a first-time user, the Venture should fit the bill quite nicely.  It’s just enough to whet your whistle but not enough to break the bank.  The no-contract rate plans are pretty hard to pass up, too.