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The Galaxy Player Looks Like One Sweet Android iPod Touch
The Galaxy Player Looks Like One Sweet Android iPod Touch
We’d gotten a quick look at the Galaxy Player before, but not like this: a nearly three minute video that shows that Samsung’s brought a gun to the iPod Touch gunfight.
The Galaxy Player is an Android 2.1 media player, and it looks like the first device to really go toe to toe with Apple’s iPod Touch. It’s got a 2MP camera, 8GB or 16GB internal memory along with a microSD slot, an FM radio, GPS, Wi-Fi, 3.2-inch screen, built-in DivX support. And access to the Android Market for all your Angry Birds needs.
There’s no price announced yet for the US, but it’s currently available for at 200 euros overseas. The iPod Touch costs about the same in euros and in dollars, so we’ll hopefully see the Galaxy Player come in at around 200 bucks. If you’re an Android fan, you’ve been waiting a long time for this. [Samsung Hub via Wired]
Send an email to Brian Barrett, the author of this post, at bbarrett@gizmodo.com.
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Jesus Christ, Samsung. At least PRETEND you’re not just stealing all of Apple’s designs. This is getting silly. Reply
As an iPhone owner, I can’t wait to get this and bring Android into my life. This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for. Reply
How can it have the Android Market if it doesn’t have a 3G signal radio? That is one of the requirements that prevent just any tablet from getting in on the fun. ReplyAreWeThereYeti promoted this comment
I am very excited about android tablets, but I am still not too sure on an MP3 player. They just seem so redundant with cell phones. Reply
For some reason that screen look like it was added to the video cuz in a few instances, that persons finger looks out of place when touching icons like hes fat fingering the screen. Is this an attempt to fake the speed of the phone and clarity?one part he pressed an icon and the media player came on just before he was touching the icon to bring it up on the main screen. Reply
It looks great…but people keep missing what makes iPods the huge sellers that they are: the ecosystem.You can find any number of peripherals, docks, adapters, etc. etc. for your iPod.
For example, if you go to a party, you can more than likely dock an iPhone or iPod into one of the DJ’s peripherals or a home stereo; devices like these, not so much, at least not without carrying some kind of a cable with you.
Hell, most home-theater-in-a-box systems sold at places like Best Buy are packaged with an advertised iPod dock. Reply
Jesus H. Christ. Someone FINALLY did it. I’ve been wanting to cut the last tie I have to Apple products but there hasn’t been a true competitor to the iPod touch until this. If it has a screen as good as the Galaxy S phones and maybe even a 4″ screen, that’s even better!Ten thousand thank yous Samsung! Reply
I’m happy to see this come out for one simple reason- the more Galaxy series devices there are, the more likely Samsung will actually put some effort in supporting them. We know for sure that Galaxy S phones will be getting 2.2. There is a very high chance this will have it before the end of the year. If they keep coming out with devices that share a code base, maybe we’ll even see gingerbread on them. Reply
“And access to the Android Market for all your Angry Birds needs.”Android Market? On a non-cellphone device?
I will buy this, maybe. Reply
Regardless if the screen is simulated, but does he not seem to hold down his finger when pushing on an app or anything for that matter, a bit long? Reply
Usually not into circus/indie/happy-go-lucky music, but I liked the song they used in this.Reply
blehbleh13 promoted this comment
If only it could pretend to be an iPod to all those car stereos that only make good use of an iPod through that 30-pin connector.iPod is the best cross-brand, best-featured CD changer ever to come to mobile audio. Reply
Same price? Repeat after me.. NO RETINA DISPLAYThank you… Reply
Arggh! there goes a…snake a snake! promoted this comment
I don’t get it. All it would take for a device like this to become a serious ipod touch competitor would be to knock $50-$100 off the price. The android fanboys (myself included) will inevitably love this but for the Christmas shopping parent or the not-tech-savvy adult looking for a music player, what would entice them to go with an unproven product over the behemoth that is Apple’s ipod? Apple’s marketing machine is too good and their head start is too advanced for any company to go toe to toe with them in terms of pricing. Reply
I’ll be watching this closely. I need an Android device for dev purposes. BTW is this the cheapest way to get an uop-to-date Android device besides getting a phone with contract? ReplyDr. Evil Genius: The Fall of House Atlantic promoted this comment
Ok the flying Android with the cape outside the plane was friggin adorable. ReplyTheLostVikings promoted this comment
Same concept should be applied to WP7. Instead of creating the Zune hardware and abandoning for WP7, MS should have extended the brand to a WP7 Player–a device that’s part of the entire WP7 ecosystem and not have neglected the Zune market. Can WP7 or a variant run on a Zune HD? Reply
Great! This is great but, how about audio quality? The iTouch is known by being the higher end portable player out there. I’m an audiophile you know… Reply
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Samsung Focus (AT&T) Review & Rating
The Samsung Focus delivers the best Windows Phone 7 experience I’ve seen so far. It’s a spare, elegant canvas for a mobile operating system that relies heavily on bold design. The Super AMOLED screen showcases Microsoft’s big blocks of color, and Samsung even found ways to subtly downplay Windows Phone 7′s weaknesses.
Hardware and Phone Performance
The first thing you notice about the Samsung Focus is its grand and gorgeous 4-inch, Super AMOLED screen. AMOLED’s hypersaturated colors work well with Microsoft’s UI, which has big blocks of color and clear text; the Focus makes many competing phones look washed out. The phone itself is a slim 4.9 by 2.5 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and 4.2 ounces, pretty easily pocketable. The entire front is black, so as not to take attention away from the screen; the plastic back has a businesslike pinstripe design, but looks a little greasy when overrun with fingerprints.
A world phone that connects to AT&T’s and foreign 3G networks at HSPA 7.2 speeds, the Focus also integrates 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi. I was able to get about 1.3Mbps down using a speed-test Web site, although you can’t use this phone (or any Windows Phone) as a modem or hotspot for your PC.
Specifications
- Service Provider
- AT&T
- Operating System
- Windows Phone 7
- Screen Size
- 4 inches
- Screen Details
- 800-by-480 Super AMOLED capacitive touch screen
- Camera
- Yes
- Network
- GSM, UMTS
- Bands
- 850, 900, 1800, 1900, 2100
- High-Speed Data
- GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA
- Processor Speed
- 1 GHz
As a voice phone, the Focus is fine. In my tests, RF reception was stronger than the competing HTC Surround ($199.99, 3 stars). Volume was okay, if a bit quiet sometimes. Noise cancellation in the microphone worked very well, though it made my voice sound a bit strangled when it was busy blocking out a loud, passing truck. The speakerphone has great volume and transmissions sound solid. The Focus connected effortlessly with my Aliph Jawbone Icon Bluetooth headset, and the TellMe-powered voice dialing was unusually accurate. Talk time, at 5 hours 54 minutes, is good for such a slim phone.
The Focus is the only Windows Phone 7 so far to accept expandable memory. Take off the back panel, and you can pop in a MicroSD card (up to 32GB), potentially turning this 8GB phone into a 40 GB phone. But beware: you can’t remove or change the memory card without doing a full factory reset of the phone. Don’t think of this as “removable” memory—think of it as adding more RAM to your mobile PC.
The Focus and Windows Phone 7
For a basic rundown of Windows Phone 7′s features, take a look at our review of the Windows Phone 7 OS.
In my mind, the Focus’s major contribution to Windows Phone 7 is what it doesn’t do. The Focus doesn’t have a slide-out keyboard or a kickstand, so you’ll almost always hold it in portrait mode. And this is a good thing.
One of Windows Phone 7′s biggest problems is that it’s just not designed to be used in landscape mode. A few apps work in landscape mode—a couple of games, the Web browser, the video player, and the e-mail program. But most of the system just doesn’t rotate. Most notably, the menus, even the Zune music-selection menu, don’t rotate. The Focus avoids tempting the user into using the phone in landscape mode, playing down this OS weakness.
AT&T and Samsung got to add a half-dozen apps of their own to the Focus, although you can uninstall any of them. AT&T added FamilyMap, a GPS tracking service; myWireless, which helps you monitor your phone bill; AT&T Navigator, AT&T Radio, and U-Verse Mobile, which I’ll discuss later.
Samsung Now, which gives you basic weather, news and stock information is also pre-installed. I wish it could show that information in the app’s home-screen tile, but the selection of Windows Phone apps is so thin at this point, I’m grateful just for the data.
The Zune Phone
Like all Windows Phones, the Focus is also a Zune music player. I don’t mean it’s “like” a Zune; the interface looks very similar, and it has has almost all of the features of Microsoft’s Zune HD.
To Zune, hook your Windows Phone up to a PC running the Zune client software. Mac software for syncing unprotected, local music and video is coming soon. The Zune client lets you organize, sync, and download music, video, and apps.
AT&T stuck some of its own media software on the Focus, too. AT&T Radio gives you a large library of streaming radio stations for $4.99 per month. I think it will be outdone by Slacker Radio, which should be in the Marketplace at launch. More interesting is the $8 a month U-Verse TV, which promises unlimited streaming and downloadable copies of popular TV shows. I couldn’t test that feature, though.
The 5-megapixel camera is pretty good, although it isn’t quite as good as the iPhone’s. Shutter speed is super-quick and resolution is good at 1,300 lines, but shutter speeds in general seemed a little low, causing some blur (especially in low light) if my hands were shaky. The video camera isn’t bad either, taking 720p HD videos at 24 frames per second and 640-by-480 videos at 30 frames per second. They were a little grainy, but clear, in focus, and not wobbly, in my tests.
Windows Phone vs. the Competition
The Samsung Focus is probably the best of the Windows phones, although I have five more reviews to go before I can really decide that for sure. But the more practical question is: How does this phone compare with the other top handsets on AT&T?
The Focus strikes hardest at the Samsung Captivate ($49.99-$199.99, 4 stars), AT&T’s best Android phone—and at Android in general. The Captivate is a terrific phone, but Windows Phone is like a manicured garden where Android is running a little wild. It looks like updates will come more promptly for the Focus, and e-mail compatibility is even better. Especially if you like the Zune syncing experience, the Focus can offer a more elegant, more orderly (if less flexible) option.
Microsoft may be a major player in business, but the Focus and the BlackBerry Torch ($199.99, 4 stars) don’t really compete. You’re buying the BlackBerry Torch because your business has a BlackBerry server, or because you want a physical keyboard. Come back when we’ve reviewed the Dell Venue Pro and we’ll talk.
Apple’s iOS is simply a more mature platform. Even though the iPhone 4 ($199, 4.5 stars) has serious trouble making phone calls—yeah, yeah, we’ve heard it—it retains our Editor’s Choice because it’s both refined and flexible. The platform’s 300,000 apps are a big part of that, but Apple is also just a step ahead of Microsoft on many of the experiences, such as multiplayer gaming. While Microsoft’s promised XBox integration is mostly potential for now, it’ll undoubtedly be more impressive when there’s a better array of games, including multiplayer titles. But this is a good start.
Zune fans are obviously the first major market for the Samsung Focus, but I’d also recommend it to folks who want the simplicity of the iPhone, but who are scared away by its poor voice performance. Just beware that you’re an early adopter, and are buying into a platform that’s just starting up. For a version 1.0, though, the Samsung Focus is a great start.
The Samsung Focus will be available on November 8 for $199.99 with an AT&T contract.
Compare the HTC Surround with several other mobile phones side by side.
More Cell Phone Reviews:
• Windows Phone 7 OS
• HTC Surround (AT&T)
• Samsung Focus (AT&T)
• Nokia N8 (Unlocked)
• Samsung Acclaim SCH-R880 (US Cellular)
• more
via pcmag.com
Review: Nokia N8 Is Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Tech News «
Nokia’s first true response to the smartphone market share loss handed to it by Apple, Google and Research In Motion comes in the form of the Nokia N8, a GSM touchscreen device with the brand new Symbian^3 operating system. I’ve previously said that Nokia is a great hardware company that wants to be good at software and services too, and the N8 is a perfect illustration of that desire.
Nokia N8 Highlights and Specs 3.5″ touchscreen with 640×320 resolution 680 MHz ARM CPU with Broadcom GPU, 16 GB internal memory, microSD slot 720p video recording (25 fps), 12 megapixel camera, Xenon flash, Carl Zeiss optics, front facing QVGA camera Symbian^3 operating system 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, BT 3.0, GPS, Quad-band GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, Penta-band HSPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz 2.32″ x 4.46″” x 0.5″, weight of 4.76 ounces Like so many prior Nokia handsets, the N8 is a thing of beauty in terms of design and hardware features, but still falls short by comparison in the software department. Unfortunately for Nokia, software drives the user experience, which can make or break a device. The N8 is, however, the best Nokia device I’ve used yet, and comes closer to offering what the current crop of smartphones bring to consumers. However, the unsubsidized $549 price tag makes this a tough sell in the U.S.
It’s possible that the N8 or a similar Symbian^3 device could wash up on U.S. shores with a carrier subsidy, bringing the price to $199 or less. Such a price point is in line with high-end handsets like Apple’s iPhone 4 or any one of the many Google Android offerings. The N8 is meant to compete with these devices, but even with an improved operating system and app store, U.S. consumers won’t abandon the iPhone or an Android device in droves for the N8. Here’s a rundown of likes, dislikes and other observations from using the device over the past two weeks.
What’s great about the Nokia N8?
- Build quality is superb. The anodized aluminum case keeps the N8 light, but sturdy, and gives the device a premium feel.
- There are ports that aren’t readily available on competing devices. An HDMI-out jack at the top allows you pipe media to an HDTV, which is offered on some other new devices. The USB On The Go function is unique, however. Using the microUSB port and a connector allows the phone to interface directly with USB drives.
- The N8 arguably offers the best smartphone camera solution on the market today, thanks to the 12 megapixel sensor paired with Carl Zeiss optics. The Xenon flash is far better than any LED flash that’s typical fare on other smartphones; it’s akin to the integrated flash of a mid-range digital SLR camera. The phone also has a dedicated picture-snapping button. The 720p video capture is nearly on par with that of Apple’s iPhone 4. While a full 30 frames per second would be ideal, high-definition video from the N8 is quite good.
- Signal strength and call quality are top-notch. I used the N8 with my T-Mobile SIM, and the voice experience was at least as good, if not better, than on my Google Nexus One.
- The AMOLED display is vibrant, actually usable in the sun, and uses the same capacitive touch used in the iPhone and other modern handsets.
- The integrated 1200 mAh battery lasts at least a full day, even with moderate-to-heavy use. Kudos to Nokia for designing a device and operating system that can run a smartphone on one charge a day.
- The software keyboard in landscape mode works really well in my hands and the auto-correct feature is excellent.
- Multitasking is intuitive to use: Hold the only hardware button on the front of the N8 to see, close or switch running apps.
- Nokia wisely incorporated radios that work for data and voice on nearly any GSM network in the world.
What’s improved but still falls a little short?
- Symbian^3 is much better than S60, but isn’t completely baked yet, nor refreshingly new. To be fair, Nokia is caught in the same trap that Research In Motion is: Much like the new BlackBerry 6 OS, Nokia can’t run the risk of alienating its vast S60 user base with a radically new interface. That’s a sound strategy, but one that will mainly appease the existing Symbian users, not attract many new ones.
- Home screens are very customizable with widgets, backgrounds and themes, which is welcome. Alas, there are only three home screens and no way to add more. While the widgets are very handy, and one of the aspects I like about Android, they’re a fixed size, which limits the amount of useful information shown.
- Even without a current-generation CPU, the N8 is a reasonably peppy performer. I witnessed a little more lag with the N8 as compared to 1 GHz handsets I use, but not much, which is a testament to how Nokia has optimized the operating system. Much like the “version 1.0″ feel of Symbian^3, however, the processor could use a boost. Nokia appears to have made a tradeoff between performance and power use here, and the GPU certainly helps as video playback is buttery smooth.
- Nokia’s updated Ovi Store provides a better experience in finding software, although users have to install the Ovi Store on the device, which makes absolutely no sense.
- The N8 works quite well with Google’s Gmail, which I use exclusively. Using the Mail app, I easily set up both my work and personal accounts, complete with calendars and contacts. A unified inbox would be nice, however, and I still don’t see the point of how Nokia treats message composition. Instead of typing directly in the message, you still type in a text box, which feels very 2002-ish.
What needs work?
- For all its improvement, the main Symbian^3 interface still needs help. There are fewer system nags than S60 provides, but they still pop up every now and again. By default, the phone prompts you when hitting a secure site, for example, and will still ask if it’s okay to connect to the cellular data network. I can understand that in some regions of the globe, this is a desired feature, but maybe the default should be set by region.
- Related to the interface: The apps are still hidden in an Applications folder. It’s a hardware button press and a screen tap just to see what apps are on the N8: a level of inefficiency echoed in various places within Symbian^3.
- In portrait mode, the software keyboard is a T9 style, requiring multiple taps for every letter. Some would argue this offers a better one-hand experience, and I agree. However, it’s as if the low screen resolution of 320 pixels wide in portrait mode doesn’t allow for a full keyboard. Again, it feels like another compromise, or Nokia simply didn’t get around to creating a good portrait keyboard yet.
- Social integration for media sharing either isn’t there, or I can’t find it. Perhaps it’s a user error on my part, but as a long-time smartphone user, if I can’t easily find a function, it’s not intuitive. That’s a shame because this type of integration is becoming common on smartphones and is available in prior Symbian devices from Nokia.
- The typing in a text box issue mentioned earlier permeates the system. Typing a password on the web, for example, takes you to the textbox, where you must press a button to return where you started: then you have to hit a login button. It’s a disjointed, inelegant experience.
- Speaking of the web, the browser is WebKit-based, but not nearly as enjoyable to use as that of an iOS or Android device. Text is pixelated and there’s no text reflow when zooming in on a page, causing far too much scrolling. The browser looks nearly identical to that of older S60 devices, and after a few years of revamping the platform, this is a missed opportunity: people are using smartphones primarily for the web and apps, so dropping the ball here is disappointing.
Related ResearchAll in all, Nokia’s N8 and Symbian^3 operating system show signs of catching up to the competition in this market. Unfortunately, in many instances, it only catches Nokia up to where its competitors were two years ago. Is it a device that will make some people happy? Yes. If you’re a current S60 device owner that wants a more modern touchscreen smartphone, then the N8 is well worth the look. Will Nokia gain N8 converts from the iPhone and Android handset rank-and-file? Not in any meaningful quantities. For that, we may need to see Symbian^4 or MeeGo devices from Nokia.
Nokia has said it expects to sell 50 million Symbian^3 devices, and I think it will do that. It won’t be because these devices bested the competition, however. Instead, it will be due to Nokia’s global reach and branding in 190 countries in combination with an updated operating system that will keep Nokia’s current customers happy.
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Windows Phone 7 handset gallery: Focus, Omnia 7, HD7, and more – Cell Phones & Mobile Device Technology News & Updates
Samsung Focus
We’ve already posted hands-on coverage of the HTC HD7, HTC Surround, and LG Quantum Windows Phone 7 phones but that’s not all we saw at the launch day yesterday.
Other products on hand included the Samsung Omnia 7, HTC Mozart, HTC 7 Pro, Samsung Focus, and more. Not all of them were launch phones and not everything available was slated to hit the US market, but we thought you still might want to take a peak. The gallery focuses on the LG and Samsung phones (sorry Dell fans) and then there are videos below of the HTC devices.
Samsung Focus
Samsung Focus
Samsung Focus
Omnia 7 back
Samsung Focus
Samsung Focus
Samsung Focus
Samsung Omnia 7
Samsung Omnia 7
Samsung Omnia 7
LG Quantum
LG Quantum
LG Optimus 7
LG Quantum
First up is the HTC Surround:
HTC 7 Pro hands-on:
HTC Mozart (not available in US):
Curious which phone goes to each carrier?
AT&T will have the Samsung Focus, HTC Surround, and LG Quantum at launch.
T-Mobile will be getting the HTC HD7 sometime in November, but probably not for launch. They will also get the Dell Venue Pro.
Sprint and Verizon are waiting until 2011 to ship WP7 phones. So far we know Sprint will carry the HTC 7 Pro.
via geek.com
T-Mobile announces myTouch with HSPA+, HD camcorder and video chat | larsa | Androinica
The phone that previously was known as the myTouch HD has now been announced by T-Mobile: it’s simply called myTouch, and features a 3.8-inch WVGA display, a second-generation 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8255 processor, and a 5MP camera capable of recording video in 720p. The device also has a second, front-facing camera that’s designed for unprompted face-to-face conversations on the move using Qik or Yahoo! Messenger, so a Wi-Fi connection is not required for video-calling. PC to phone and phone to PC video conversations are supported.
Information about who’s available for chat is integrated into the myTouch’s address book, and users will be able to leave Video Mail using Qik. Video calling was the hot new cellphone feature in parts of Asia and Western Europe 6-7 years ago, albeit it was rarely used back then, and it’s nice to see the current trend that takes video chat to the next level.
Swype will be preinstalled on the myTouch, and a 8GB SD card is included. No word yet on how much RAM the device is packing, but at least 512MB is expected. Photos and videos captured with the 5MP camera can be shared wirelessly with a compatible HDTV or other DLNA device through the Screen Share feature.
The myTouch runs Android 2.2 from the start and will be able to take full advantage of T-Mobile’s growing HSPA+ network. According to T-Mobile’s press release, the myTouch will be released in time for the holiday season, and comes in four colors: white, black, plum and red.
Via [T-Mobile]
via androinica.com
Roku refreshes their set-top boxes with 1080p and USB playback, embarrasses the AppleTV – New Tech Gadgets & Electronic Devices
Right before Cupertino’s new $99 AppleTV announcement earlier this month, set-top box maker Roku dropped the price of their devices… and boy, are we glad they did, because with today’s refresh of their .XD and XDS players, Roku is easily now offering the best bang for the buck in set-top boxes out there.
The XD is the new mid-range Roku model, costing $80, and has been updated with 802.11n WiFi as well as 1080p playback. Got that? For 20 bucks less than an AppleTV, you can get higher definition playback than what Apple is offering on a box imbued with their fancy A4 CPU.
If you’re willing to pay the price of an AppleTv, though, or $99, you get even more: not only does the Roku XDS get the same 1080p and Wireless N functionality as its little brother, but it also gains component video out, optical audio out and a USB port through which you can play locally stored music, photos and videos. The USB port won’t go “live” until an update in November, but that’s still really impressive.
Finally, Roku is boasting that the XD and XDS models are also getting an industry first software feature in set-top boxes: the ability to skip back in a video in seven second increments without having to wait for the film to buffer again. If you say so!
Either way, Roku’s just successfully proven that Apple’s “hobby device,” the AppleTV, is still a hobby. For the same price, you can get a much, much more capable set-top box.
Read more at Roku
via geek.com
