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If there is one thing Android is missing, it’s a great personal media player. It looks like Samsung wants to have us covered with the Galaxy Player, which I am not sure if that will be its launch name. Samsung looks to be taking their cues from Apple on this one: taking a successful product, removing the radio and relaunching it.
This device will come loaded with the 1GHz processor, 4″ LCD, front/rear facing cameras and FroYo. The device will be only display January 6th at CES.
I couldn’t tell you if I would be interested in a reboot device, I suppose I would want something a little more unique. But what is a PMP, if not a regular handset that doesn’t make calls.
[via Gizmodo]
I just bought a couple of iPod Touches for my kids. They play games, watch movies (that are downloaded) and listen and download music from iTunes. Android is improving, but still not quite there. I would love to get out of the Apple Ecosystem (as it’s called), but for now they are clearly the only viable option for a 15 year old.
Has samsung made some change in Android or the media player that allows gapless playback or shuffling by album? Otherwise, I’m not interested
Couldnt imagine owning this and a Vibrant or any other good Android phone really. But it will be the best in its class.
It’s about time someone put out a good Android device that can compete with the iPod touch. Now who’s going to build the right app for music?
John V – PowerAmp music player does good gapless playback. I got it so I could listen to Abbey Road without cringing between every song.
@Wilco 15y old can use Android no problem, my 12y old cousin does. I was writing java GUIs at 15… don’t âct like you have retarded kids.
My 8 yr. old can use my Captivate just as well as he uses my wife’s iphone. actually, he prefers mine for several things he does.
I’m looking forward to Netflix release.
It’s a good “Step,” in the right direction guys. crApple didn’t start out on top and neither will this, but if this encourages innovation in this direction it is truly the only way to compete with crApple on yet another front. If they only sell 2 of these they successfully prevented the purchase of two crApple devices. Let the Android march continue.
I care about this perhaps long-delayed device less than I did before I got my Optimus T. But the question remains… can it use the Market, with Google’s approval?
so called “crapple” doesnt have this problem like samsung, all current phones shipping have ios 4.2 while samsung still ships 2.1 – 2 versions behind
I sure hope Google lets Samsung put the market on it. That’ll probably determine how many people will end up purchasing it.
right, because without the market or “hacking” the thing, you can’t get an option like Poweramp on there…
@ Dan – Samsung doesnt run iOS 2.1! jk
I am digging this idea. A PMP that can do everything the iPod Touch can do! Consider it in a sense away from music for a moment. A portable device that is considerably a “high end” device compared to its phone cousins. It can play games that are rather inexpensive, or completely free. It can play videos with the proper codecs (There are players out there to do this), and can give anyone social connectivity without bogging a phone down (and oh how twitter and facebook can keep a phone active!). Of course, a counter argument could be on the lines of “Why not just get the Samsung Galaxy Tab?” especially if they are to be the same price. Size matters.
@Dan…just because Android is version 2.x, verses iOS being 4.x means nothing. Android had cut/paste day 1 where it took two versions of iOS to get it. Android had MMS day 1, how long did Apple feel it was “just fine” to use email to do that? Android can do true multitasking. iOS is still not doing true multitasking, and don’t start about how ‘unimportant” it is.
Comparing Android to iOS is like comparing Oranges to…well, Apples. They are two seperate OS’s that do the same things. One just did it in less versions that the other.
My only problem is the lack of a central media center (Itunes) on android. I would never want it to be mandatory like itunes, but an option. I would like Google to purchase Double Twist, polish it up, speed it up, and add a little Google flare, then use that to battle Itunes. Its the one thing that keeps android a step behind apple (IMO…android fanboy and not ashamed of it). They can tie the market into Double Twist, set up movie downloads, googles music service….u know? Right…?
@Landon you so read my mind. The big thing that Android lacks is some sort of a media syncing service (cloud or desktop). Android really needs more a more polished media experience (out of the box).
the media player on the Galaxy S devices are so much better then the ones found on most android devices. It was one of the best features on my captivate. I never used my ipod touch when i had the captivate. After the Zune on my HD7, i will say the galaxy s is the second best mp3 player i’ve owned
Hmm.. how much cheaper will it be than their galaxy tab? Ipad is only $200 more than their itouch.. will this music player be overpriced again to $400?
@Wilco, I am sure your kids can use an android device unless they have never met society. Heck, galaxy s devices have a interface similar to the iphone (crap touchwiz), so don’t try to downplay android and act innocent like you are not an iphone fanboy. I am 13 and can already program android programs, so please get out of Phandroid and go join macrumors and your fellow fanboys.
I learnt it’s gonna have Android market on it,which is good,if it’s true.
Samsung is launching an all-out attack on Apple. Galaxy S to Galaxy Tab to Galaxy Player.
@Landon I agree completely but we don’t want crap media like what is available in the Ovi store. It doesn’t necessarily have to be double twist, but maybe if Google bought PowerAMP they could work wonders with the EQ control available with PowerAMP. Maybe they could integrate Google books as well.
This why there is no froyo. Samsung has to many project. Lol.
If I wanted a phone or PMP that looked like an iPhone 3GS or iPod Touch then I would have bought an iPhone or iPod Touch. I’ll never buy Samsung cause all they are doing is copying which is the worse thing in my books…from the hardware design to the software look and feel. I call for everyone to boycott this company on grounds that they are nothing but cheap immitators lacking any imagination. All they want is our money and don’t want to add anything back to the community. I’m sticking with my Droid!
Forget itouch get archos 32 its less than half price. has andriod 2.2 and can easily put the market in it to have all apps. HD video and hdmi out to tv theres nothing better for the money. KIllS ITOUCH
@wilco- Dude I’m thirteen, I have two android phones (Mytouch slide and Motorola Cliq) and I’ve rooted one of them already. I also have an Ipod and that this is so stupid I’d rather listen to music on my laptop than that waste of money. Kids are not stupid.
@droid
The Archos 32 is miserable piece of junk. It is underpowered and the screen is awful. I bought one and couldn’t stand using it. It is nowhere near an iPod touch.
I also own a Samsung Fascinate, which is pretty fantastic (other than the call quality). If this Galaxy player is essentially a Fascinate/Galaxy S without the CDMA radio, it will be a great media player. The screen alone would tempt me to buy one.
I don’t see this as Samsung attacking apple… rather they are putting themselves in Applespace (does Steve Jobs own that name?) before any other android competition. Good idea, you will at least be positioned to capture those whos home planets have been blown up by the Death Fruit at the orders of the evil emperor, Jobs. Samsung clearly has got religion about how to position themselves and after spending big dollars to develop this thing, put it on every carrier, and are now figuring out different ways to sell it. Nice. Bodes well for the next generation from them.
i’m carrying a galaxy S phone in my pocket… i have 3 kids and they all have iPod touch… i’ve tinkered with them enough to know that the Apple product is a slicker product.. android is nice..but Apple has them beat for now.
Several dicks here for sure. If Samsung and Android can find a better solution for buying music on their phones, synching and managing their music lists (a la itunes), can find a better way to download movies (media hub is worse than nothing), then this will work for my kids. Otherwise, this is a niche device. I use Double Twist for my Vibrant, and really like it, particularly since I encode all my CDs Apple Lossless, which I’ve been doing for at least 5 years. Double Twist is a stop-gap, but Google needs to take this over and develop it. Otherwise, this Galaxy Player will continue to be a niche device.
PMP needs the following:
– Easy way to buy music
– Better music and playlist management
– Movie rental/purchase option
– Improved games. Note, this is rapidly improving but still painfully behind the apple app stores according to my kids.
Android develop these paths and they are golden. Otherwise, Android PMP is a niche, much like the Android tablets are at present.
retarded kids
So after the Samsung Galaxy Player
Samsung’s next release will be the:
Samsung Galaxy Nano!
then people will rush to build the:
Samsung Galaxy Nano Watch!
ff