A selection of auto-metering settings can be applied, including white balance, brightness and colour effects, and there's a range of situation-specific shooting modes. Alongside typical continuous multi-shot, panorama and frame effect modes, Samsung has included its gimmicky smile-shot option, which only snaps a piccy when it spots that the subject is smiling.

Once taken, pics can be given a bit of a touch up in an editing app, and there’s an option for uploading images and videos directly to websites or blogs using embedded ShoZu software.

Stylish looks, unexciting feature set

The standard-issue NetFront 3.4 browser puts in a reasonably speedy performance when it comes to finding and downloading pages, but typically for a mid-range handset, the EA's small screen means it doesn't offer the smoothest phone browsing experience around.

Other features include a stock selection of organiser functions and tools: calendar, memo, tasks, voice recorder, world clock, alarms, calculator, convertor, stopwatch, timer, document viewer, RSS reader, and five trial Java games.

The voice call performance is straight down the line. Call quality is perfectly acceptable and network quality appears fine. Battery performance is sufficient too. Samsung quotes an optimum talktime of up to seven hours on GSM networks, or 4.3 hours within 3G coverage, or alternatively 345 hours GSM standby time or 275 hours standby on 3G networks. We got two to three days' usage between charges with our normal usage, which is typical for a mid-range phone like this.

Verdict

This fashion-label phone may give you a distinctive look but it doesn’t deliver any of the wow-factor features it would need to be a must-have. Its splash-the-cash appeal is clearly based on the Emporio Armani branding - and that neon-strip styling. If that makes you swoon, then the features-for-the-money factor will probably be secondary to anyway. ®

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