Giorgio Armani and Samsung unveil Windows Mobile smartphone... with a little help from Steve Ballmer

Fashion fans, rejoice. Your two favorite labels have finally come together: Giorgio Armani... and Windows Mobile. Today in Milan, Armani's empire unveiled a new, €700 (or about $1030) smartphone built by Samsung, running Microsoft's latest 6.5 OS iteration. The device -- featuring a full touchscreen and slide-out, landscape QWERTY keyboard -- touts a 3.5-inch AMOLED display, a 5 megapixel camera, 8GB of internal storage, GPS chip, and microSD slot. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who spoke at the launch, says the device is "the most fashionable phone [he's] ever had a chance to talk about." We won't lie, there is something weirdly appealing about the bronze and black smartphone, though we don't see ourselves shelling out that kind of dough on this particular model. Oh, not because we don't want to, but it doesn't go with our shoes. Check out a couple of videos from the launch after the break, including a short clip with Ballmer.

Giorgio Armani and Samsung's new Windows Mobile phone

[Mr T Posted Oct 9th 2009 9:50AM]

Why....

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:04AM]

You obviously don't have a pair of golden shoes either...

All the people complaining about the price have got the wrong address, This is GIORGIO baby!!!

I'm gonna get two, one for my dog as well.

Life's good again

[TT Posted Oct 9th 2009 12:21PM]

I honestly don't know, maybe it's for the people who buy Vertu's, but realise they want something useful, but just can't find that ammount of hideousness in regular phones...

Oh, and PhoneArena's got it's preview up:
[url]http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Samsung-Giorgio-Armani-Preview-review-r_2187.html[/url]
They actually seem pretty positive about the device...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 5:16PM]

I would go for the DuPont phone "http://www.thepinhead.com/Blog/?p=530"

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 29th 2009 11:53AM]

We have the same reaction too, anyway I guess Mr. Ballmer keeps surprising us and we love it. especially the days when he used to have that very high sense of humor. You gotta love his halloween pics.

Hilarity link: http://pinoytutorial.com/bestandworst/steve-ballmer-wears-a-halloween-costume

"just for laughs" -- Laughter is the best medicine indeed

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 9:52AM]

looks like the N97

[Satz Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:41AM]

but bit uglier.

[Shiki Posted Oct 9th 2009 12:38PM]

thick piece of golden trimmed dung

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 9:54AM]

Sexy looking but too bad Winmobile sucks so badly
If this handset had Winmobile that may be a different story

[pintozoz Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:17AM]

>Sexy looking but too bad Winmobile sucks so badly
>If this handset had Winmobile that may be a different story


wait wut?

[Guybrush Threepwood Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:28AM]

LOL

[XChrisX Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:41AM]

UPRANKED, because I was so confused by your comment I didn't know which way to rank you.

[N900 Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:03AM]

LogicFail™

[Branhower Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:12AM]

What's the opposite of circular logic?

[Daliminator Posted Oct 9th 2009 1:45PM]

Linear logic?

I would argue he isn't using logic, period. Contradictions != logical.

[TikiTeko Posted Oct 9th 2009 9:54AM]

You will be paying around $200 extra for just for the Armani logo.....

To me, it looks like the Touch Pro 2 from T-Mobile.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 9:56AM]

What are the specs of this bad boy? Any Snapdragon or Tegra goodness?

[Rick James Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:11AM]

I think I read somewhere that this phone is going retro (its fashionable) and is sporting a 200mhz pentium chip with MMX technology...

[TikiTeko Posted Oct 9th 2009 9:59AM]

I am a Windows Supporter to the core, but Windows Mobile and Fashion are an oxymoron. Maybe Windows 7 will bring us something really good looking. I am not afraid to acknowledge I am a fashion-deaf geek !!
Sorry, I am not into the metrohomosexual stuff.... I need big pockets for my phones !

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:37AM]

Microsoft did a really good job with Windows 7, but they really don't know how to make a good mobile OS. I have used a couple of phones with WinMobile 6 and it is abysmal. It freezes all of the time and has a crappy browser. What exactly do you like about it?

[XIYL Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:00AM]

That just looks awful. I hope I'm not the only one that thinks that.

[Greg7388 Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:05AM]

The word "Gaudy" came to mind

[Zorat Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:51AM]

NICE! Can't wait to show this off at the Klubs with my gold chains!

[rezaudio Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:02AM]

Yes - lovely and you want to show if off so badly that you don't use a case ... and then you drop it.

Game over.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:02AM]

""500 dollars for a phone, fully subsidized? That is the most expensive phone in the world!"" -- Steve Balmer, 2007

[TT Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:20AM]

Only this price isn't subsidised yet, besides, the iPhone costs about 700 euros too here in Europe, unlocked.

But still, this phone just isn't worth it, a crappy Samsung UI and lousy performance? No thanks.
(And yes, I know it probably uses an 800MHz processor like the Omnia QWERTY (/Pro, whatever you call it), but have you seen those? Nothing but lag, if I want a phone with a keyboard I'll just go with the Pro2 or N900...)

[mitmit Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:01AM]

Anybody remember Vertu's phones price?

[APV Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:18AM]

Or just wait a week and dealextreme.com will have a complete ripoff, for about $127.41.

:P

[qlimax Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:03AM]

LOL steve ballmer is sooooo ridicoulous when he speak :)

btw stylish (and surely budget...) device
shame that winmo it's not my preferred mobile os.


bye

[RichyS Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:07AM]

Blimey. 'Steve Ballmer' and 'fashion' in the same sentance. I've seen it all now...

[andreab Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:40AM]

No you haven't. Wait untill you see Steve Jobs and fashion put together.

[Branhower Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:14AM]

You don't think that black sweater and jeans look is fashionable?

[PapaPump Posted Oct 9th 2009 12:00PM]

aww come on, give balmer a break! :D i have to agree tho, balmer certainly doesn't seem like a fashionista. he shoulda shaved that little strip of hair and gave his dome some extra buff...oh and rock a soul patch. ballmer metro style.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:07AM]

It'll still be shitty with Windows Mobile 6.5. Amirite?

[Level 5 Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:11AM]

You sure aren't, sport.

[PapaPump Posted Oct 9th 2009 12:00PM]

so what's the consensus on winmo6.5, still the same old junk? i've used my Q for 3 years with winmo5...and it's been an admittedly horrible run...more like some broken hacked modded xbox dashboard then an actual finished product. even windows 3.1 felt more coherent and smooth. the worst part of it is that unlike a computer, you can't just go to microsoft update and get updates...or even purchase and load the newest OS.

i'm a long time apple dork, but use windows primarily. i'm already on the 7 bandwagon, and it's MS's best effort yet. It gives me hope that the company may someday make a stylish AND functional OS for mobile phones.

[boe Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:08AM]

I'd rather get an HD2 or an iphone.

[dlk Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:13AM]

ahhh no thanks! i'll stick with my iPhone. 99% people dont even notice what phone you use unless its an iPhone :))

[rezaudio Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:20AM]

Hey - I just noticed what a twat you are!?

[Molecule Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:21AM]

Kid, it is nothing about what people notice. Nowadays all people are having smart phone. But most of them dont know where to find the 'Tools' to change the phone theme. Come on man, is it that iPhone make you talk like this. Be kewl son!

[ramirogz Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:28AM]

you choose your phone according to how many people will notice it?

[TikiTeko Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:38AM]

People DO notice my iPhone which is accompanied by "Hmm, do you have an alternative phone number?"

[eminisp Posted Oct 9th 2009 11:13AM]

@ htown

Im embarrassed now that i reside in the same state as you.

SP

[JMichels Posted Oct 9th 2009 1:37PM]

Yeah, sort of like 99% of everyone ranking your post noticed how big a bouche you are. Niiice...

[brucie2010 Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:15AM]

Come on gimme a break! Make useful phone.

[Wesley Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:26AM]

I must say that I like the look of the phone and unlike the Samsung Omnia Pro, it's screen can tilt like the the HTC touch pro 2 and the keyboard looks cool too.

But the price is crazy. You can almost get 2 Samsung Omnia Pro's the that amount.

And what's up with that Golden Eye song. Sony Ericsson are the only phones you will see in a James Bond movie.

[mocax Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:29AM]

samsung stole htc's design?

[Wesley Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:32AM]

HTC's phone has 5 rows of keys, not 4 like this...

[Shiki Posted Oct 9th 2009 12:35PM]

HTC touch pro 2 and HTC TyTn 2 crossover, I suppose.

[jdot Posted Oct 9th 2009 10:31AM]

Ballmer clearly hasn't used an E71