Technology Zones - Samsung fight with Apple not in the end. This time Samsung try to fight with Apple iPod Touch. Same as Apple, Samsung launch their MP3 player like their Smartphone, Samsung Galaxy S.
The logic behind Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.2 seems fairly
straightforward. You take Samsung's tailored version of the Android 2.3
smartphone software and put it on a pocket-size device with a 4-inch
screen, and you should have an appealing alternative to Apple's popular iPod Touch.
Now, we've already seen Samsung ruin this recipe a few times, in its overpriced, underperforming Galaxy Player 4.0 and Galaxy Player 5.0. Where the Galaxy Player 4.2 has an advantage is its $199 retail price, which matches the iPod Touch's.
Does
Samsung offer some killer feature or an eye-catching design to help the
Galaxy Player 4.2 stand out from the growing crowd of sub-$300 Android
devices? After having reviewed the three other Galaxy Player products
Samsung has pumped out over the past six months, I can say that Samsung
finally got the design right. The fact that the company didn't spoil
this one with a low-resolution screen also helps.
Design
This is by far the prettiest Galaxy Player device I've seen yet. I know I said the same thing about the Galaxy Player 3.6, but the 4.2 is newer, prettier, and thinner. The lightweight, black (or white if you have that model) plastic casing feels good in your hand, though it does smudge easily.
This is by far the prettiest Galaxy Player device I've seen yet. I know I said the same thing about the Galaxy Player 3.6, but the 4.2 is newer, prettier, and thinner. The lightweight, black (or white if you have that model) plastic casing feels good in your hand, though it does smudge easily.
It measures a slender 0.35 inch
thick, again putting it in the ballpark of the 0.28-inch iPod Touch.
When you account for the fact that the Player's removable back plate
conceals a replaceable battery and a microSD memory card slot, the extra
girth seems excusable.
You get a standard volume rocker and
power button on the right edge of the Player 4.2, along with a headphone
jack and Micro-USB port on the bottom. Samsung throws in a pair of
decent in-ear headphones (with in-line mic), a USB cable, and a power
outlet adapter.
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Samsung 4.2-Inch Galaxy Player
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Samsung Galaxy Player YP-GI1CB/XAA 4.2 8GB Flash Portable Media Player - Black
Features
The Galaxy Player offers most of the features you'd expect in a modern smartphone, minus the phone or cellular data connection. You'll find front and rear cameras (maxing out at 2 megapixels), GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, and support for Google's suite of official mobile applications, including Gmail, Google Talk, and the Android Market (now Google Play). If you're someone who's already invested heavily in Android Market apps, it makes sense that you'd want a device that can run them.
The Galaxy Player offers most of the features you'd expect in a modern smartphone, minus the phone or cellular data connection. You'll find front and rear cameras (maxing out at 2 megapixels), GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, and support for Google's suite of official mobile applications, including Gmail, Google Talk, and the Android Market (now Google Play). If you're someone who's already invested heavily in Android Market apps, it makes sense that you'd want a device that can run them.
One
unique feature worth mentioning is the inclusion of an FM radio tuner.
People are still nuts for radio, and it also comes in handy for tuning
into TV audio at the gym.
Other notable apps include Quickoffice, AllShare (DLNA), Kies Air,
Samsung's Smart View TV remote app, and an app called ChatOn you can use
to send and receive text messages over Wi-Fi. On the gaming front, you
get Angry Birds, EA FIFA 12, and EA Need For Speed Hot Pursuit included.
Both of the EA titles do require some additional download time (and
storage) to play out of the box, however.
Audio performance
To my ears, the Galaxy Player 4.2 gives the best sound of Samsung's Player series. During playback I heard none of the hiss and interference that was present when I listened to music on the Player 4.0 and 5.0. The default sound quality is a little narrow with a midfocused nasal quality, but once you kick in Samsung's SoundAlive audio enhancement settings, it's hard to put down. Of course, you can go overboard with the included 3D audio options or virtual concert hall reverbs, but if you exercise some restraint it's easy to dial in great sound.
To my ears, the Galaxy Player 4.2 gives the best sound of Samsung's Player series. During playback I heard none of the hiss and interference that was present when I listened to music on the Player 4.0 and 5.0. The default sound quality is a little narrow with a midfocused nasal quality, but once you kick in Samsung's SoundAlive audio enhancement settings, it's hard to put down. Of course, you can go overboard with the included 3D audio options or virtual concert hall reverbs, but if you exercise some restraint it's easy to dial in great sound.
Video performance
The Galaxy Player's bright 4.2-inch screen offers excellent viewing angles and responds well to touch. Its resolution maxes out at 800x480 pixels, which is close to the more tightly packed 960x640-pixel resolution of an iPod Touch, but not quite there. On the plus side, the Galaxy Player handles a dizzying selection of video formats, including DivX, XVID, MPEG4, and WMV. Streaming video from Netflix and YouTube works well.
The Galaxy Player's bright 4.2-inch screen offers excellent viewing angles and responds well to touch. Its resolution maxes out at 800x480 pixels, which is close to the more tightly packed 960x640-pixel resolution of an iPod Touch, but not quite there. On the plus side, the Galaxy Player handles a dizzying selection of video formats, including DivX, XVID, MPEG4, and WMV. Streaming video from Netflix and YouTube works well.
The rear camera is capable of capturing video footage
at a standard-definition 640x480-pixel resolution. Still-photo
resolution goes up to 2,048x1,536 pixels, or 3.2 megapixels. In either
case, the results won't blow you away. Not to beat a dead horse, but the
720p camcorder on the iPod Touch runs rings around the Galaxy Player's
video camera. Photos are also disappointing, as the 2-megapixel camera
doesn't have touch-to-focus, macro focus, or a flash.
Battery and system performance
Samsung rates the Galaxy Player 4.2 at 6 hours of video playback and 40 hours of audio playback. We'll update this review with results from CNET Labs once testing is complete.
Samsung rates the Galaxy Player 4.2 at 6 hours of video playback and 40 hours of audio playback. We'll update this review with results from CNET Labs once testing is complete.
In terms of system performance,
Samsung is using a single-core 1GHz processor to get the job done, which
isn't quite up to the standards Samsung has set with its dual-core
smartphones. It works, though, and makes the Player 4.2 feel very much
like a shrunken version of 2010's Galaxy Tab 7.
Onboard storage
is listed as 8GB, but the storage available to the user is closer to
5GB. Expect to invest in a microSD card if you want to load up a
substantial music and video collection.
Final thoughts
So far, the Galaxy Player 4.2 is my favorite of the entire Galaxy Player line. Its street price is sure to drop below that of the iPod Touch (which is as it should be). Its audio quality and hardware features will please those looking for a surefooted media player. The Android experience isn't hobbled or twisted, even if it is a little dated. If you can look beyond the disappointing camera and camcorder quality, I believe that this is the iPod Touch alternative that Android fans have been waiting for. It probably won't make iPod fans envious, but this Galaxy Player can finally hold its own.
So far, the Galaxy Player 4.2 is my favorite of the entire Galaxy Player line. Its street price is sure to drop below that of the iPod Touch (which is as it should be). Its audio quality and hardware features will please those looking for a surefooted media player. The Android experience isn't hobbled or twisted, even if it is a little dated. If you can look beyond the disappointing camera and camcorder quality, I believe that this is the iPod Touch alternative that Android fans have been waiting for. It probably won't make iPod fans envious, but this Galaxy Player can finally hold its own.
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