Despite the recession, global sales of smartphones are expected to grow 11 percent in 2009, according to a forecast by iSuppli—and magazine publishers are looking to tap one of the few audiences that can say it’s growing.

The latest is Forbes.com [1], which has announced the launch of a mobile reader for BlackBerry users.

The application, powered by a company called Handmark, delivers the latest Forbes.com headlines and updates to BlackBerry smartphones in real time.

The full text of Forbes.com articles are automatically downloaded to users’ phones and are therefore available for offline reading without a wireless connection.

Jim Spanfeller, president and CEO of Forbes.com said a “significant portion” of its audience is already accessing Forbes.com content on mobile devices.

Forbes plans to make the reader available on additional handheld devices in the coming months.