If there’s one thing the Samsung Armani phone has in abundance, it most definitely is style. Slim, compact and high-tech, the fully touch-operated Armani phone is not just the final touch to your look – it’s the finish with a flourish. Anyway, with us the tech junky tends to get the upper hand over the fashion savvy, and we are eager to find out if there’s more to it than what meets the eye. The really promising Samsung Armani phone seems the right mix between technology and looks, but we’re more interested in how it fares as a gadget, not an accessory.

The model designation that hides behind the Samsung Armani name is actually Samsung P520. That alone may be enough of a hint that the Armani phone is an offshoot of the Samsung P-series. The Samsung Armani has inherited the same form factor and has the same size and weight as the Samsung P310 for example.

The Samsung Armani phone comes in two retail packages – standard and extended . The difference between the two is the Bluetooth headset in the bigger one.

The standard contents of the retail box are a hard leather case, charger, data cable, memory card, a wired stereo headset, soft pouch as an alternative to the leather case and, finally, a cleaning cloth.

All the contents of the box look really classy and are all Giorgio Armani branded. The user guide has the most exquisite covers we’ve seen

Key features

• Stylish looks and high-quality build
• Small dimensions and compact “card” form factor
• 2.6″ touchscreen TFT display with QVGA resolution
• Vibrating haptic response
• microSD memory card slot
• Stereo Bluetooth
• 3 megapixel camera
• Office documents viewer
• Rich retail accessories

Main disadvantages:

Slow interface responseSlow memory card reading

Awkward web browser controls

No 3G support

No camera auto focus