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Samsung Galaxy Android media players headed to U.S.

Samsung's Galaxy S Wi-Fi 4.0 and 5.0 media players have reached the U.S., dubbed the Galaxy Player 4" and 5" for the American market.

The media players should be the first competition the market leader Apple iPod Touch has had, ever.



Both devices run on Android 2.2, and will be upgradeable to Gingerbread 2.3 or higher in the future. Each device has a 3.2MP rear-side camera and a VGA camera on the front.

Galaxy Players come built-in with Skype and Qik for video conferencing.

Furthermore, the players have Flash 10.1, working GPS that can be used offline with Google Maps 5, and DLNA media sharing.

Each of the devices ships with 8GB storage in an effort to keep down costs, but MicroSDHC slots means you can add up to 32GB more. Because of Android, the devices don't require a syncing app like iTunes, and the devices supports AAC, MP3, MPEG-4, H.264, WMV, DivX, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, and XviD.

No word yet on pricing or an exact release date.

(Pic via Electronista)

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Mar 2011 18:31

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• 19 comments

• 1nsan3

  i can already see this blowing the IPOD out of the water. I had an ipod 3rd gen for less than a year and sold it. this will be way better. I replaced it with an android.
  

  For Sale:
  
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  Best Offer!

  16.3.2011 20:56 #1

• DarthMopar

  Looks like my Zune has found a worthy successor. Bummer about only being upgradeable to 32GB. My 120GB Zune is my go-to movie device for Atlantic ocean pond-jumping. (Military).

  16.3.2011 21:47 #2

• KillerBug

  It sounded real nice through most of the article...and then they got to the tiny capacity. Only 8+32, and the 32 will cost a small fortune extra...FAIL! There are cell phones with more media storage!
  
  Tip to massive corporations that should be able to figure this out on their own: MEDIA players that don't have an always-on connection like 3G or 4G need storage for MEDIA, otherwise they have nothing to play!
  

  
  

  16.3.2011 22:16 #3

• biglo30

  I really dont know why media players need added crap like gps added on them when only 2% of people will actually use the damn thing. I know the stroage isn't much but at least it had an sd card slot with is goood.
  

  
  

  16.3.2011 22:42 #4

• KillerBug

  It does not have an SD card slot...it is microSD, just like most cell phones. What it needs is 64GB (at least) onboard memory with an XD slot supporting another 64GB (and more in the future)...and then they need to offer that in a phone as well.
  
  I see little use for GPS without 3G...but a lot of GPS-only units are still selling, so I guess that a lot of people have never experienced 3G backed GPS, so they don't know how inferior it really is.
  
  I see even less use for a nice screen; there is no 3G or 4G, so all media must be stored on the device...40GB won't hold 10% of my MP3s...by the time I sort them out so that I only have the albums that I really, really, really want to have with me all the time, I have about 50MB left over that gets used up by the media player cover art cache...no room for video at all. You might argue that it also runs android software, and needs the screen for that...but my phone also runs android software, and 99% of the people who buy one of these can afford a nice Android phone instead if they wanted to.
  

  
  

  16.3.2011 23:27 #5

• biglo30

  Originally posted by KillerBug: It does not have an SD card slot...it is microSD, just like most cell phones. What it needs is 64GB (at least) onboard memory with an XD slot supporting another 64GB (and more in the future)...and then they need to offer that in a phone as well.
  
  I see little use for GPS without 3G...but a lot of GPS-only units are still selling, so I guess that a lot of people have never experienced 3G backed GPS, so they don't know how inferior it really is.
  
  I see even less use for a nice screen; there is no 3G or 4G, so all media must be stored on the device...40GB won't hold 10% of my MP3s...by the time I sort them out so that I only have the albums that I really, really, really want to have with me all the time, I have about 50MB left over that gets used up by the media player cover art cache...no room for video at all. You might argue that it also runs android software, and needs the screen for that...but my phone also runs android software, and 99% of the people who buy one of these can afford a nice Android phone instead if they wanted to. I meant the microsd, didnt think it was a big deal leaving out the "micro"

  16.3.2011 23:41 #6

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by KillerBug: I see little use for GPS without 3G...but a lot of GPS-only units are still selling, so I guess that a lot of people have never experienced 3G backed GPS, so they don't know how inferior it really is. Google Maps 5 has offline caching for turn-by-turn..adding GPS is brilliant move, especially on 5" screen where people can use the media player as standalone GPS on trips.
  
  

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  17.3.2011 01:07 #7

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by DVDBack23: Originally posted by KillerBug: I see little use for GPS without 3G...but a lot of GPS-only units are still selling, so I guess that a lot of people have never experienced 3G backed GPS, so they don't know how inferior it really is. Google Maps 5 has offline caching for turn-by-turn..adding GPS is brilliant move, especially on 5" screen where people can use the media player as standalone GPS on trips.
  Google maps has had that for a very long time thanks to maps-, but what about voice entry? I know that does not work when my phone is in airplane mode. Also, this phone does not have the capacity to cache many maps, even if you buy the big microSD card and you don't have any music, you still can't cache even 1/2 the country.
  

  
  

  17.3.2011 03:57 #8

• xtago

  Originally posted by KillerBug: Originally posted by DVDBack23: Originally posted by KillerBug: I see little use for GPS without 3G...but a lot of GPS-only units are still selling, so I guess that a lot of people have never experienced 3G backed GPS, so they don't know how inferior it really is. Google Maps 5 has offline caching for turn-by-turn..adding GPS is brilliant move, especially on 5" screen where people can use the media player as standalone GPS on trips.
  Google maps has had that for a very long time thanks to maps-, but what about voice entry? I know that does not work when my phone is in airplane mode. Also, this phone does not have the capacity to cache many maps, even if you buy the big microSD card and you don't have any music, you still can't cache even 1/2 the country. Voice Entry has been there since 1.6 I think, it's a part of the google search look up, probably the reason why it doesn't work for you.
  
  I've tried it and it does work but you need to train it up before it's any good.
  
  caching only caches parts of the map you actually view in google maps so if you don't drag around the map or goto a place etc then it won't cache uses F all data to be honest, I have most of my city cached and probably using 300kb maybe 1 meg at most, it's all vector so hardly any data used it's only when you goto sat images etc that you'll use up some data but still you'd need a connection and sat images is crap for naving.
  
  pointless having 1/2 the USA cached on the phone if your never going to 99% of that cached map everyday or trip.
  
  There's apps that hold more data than what map caches use up.

  17.3.2011 09:04 #9

• KillerBug

  Voice search works fine for me, as long as I am connected...a media player is rarely connected (almost never while being used as a GPS), so that becomes an issue. And yes, I do navigate with sat images-drawn map hybrid in "3D" perspective...and when I get to a destination, the streetview pops up...imagine trying to cache just the streetviews for a single state.
  
  Anyway, the main complaint is that they are making a device that is meant to be the only competition to the iPod touch (other than the zune hd, but that doesn't really count because Microsoft is killing it off). The come in, proudly saying that Android has reached a new great level, and then they put a piece of crap on a podium and everyone laughs at Android, not at the morons that decided the ideal media player was an outdated cell phone that broke so it can't make calls anymore.
  
  Someone, anyone, needs to come along and make some really top-notch android devices; get those triple core chips in there, the nice video chip, lots of ram, 128GB of onboard memory with an XD slot supporting 64GB more, and a nice big screen...something about the size of the RIM "tablet". Offer it in a slim version and in a keyboard version. Oh, and make sure that it can do 24 hours of standby with bluetooth, plus 6 hours of calling. As for the slim version, also offer it without calling support, and call that a media player.
  

  
  

  17.3.2011 11:54 #10

• lawndog

  @KillerBug always enjoy reading your posts. Always very informative.
  What I like about the Android though, even with it's flaw of not enough space. Is the fact that it can play AAC, MP3, MPEG-4, H.264, WMV, DivX, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, and XviD.
  I think in the long run this will be the main competing factor against ipads and the iwhatevers.
  Oh, anouther thing I like. It's not Apple.
  Not an Android Fanboy, Just not an Apple fan.
  

  17.3.2011 22:36 #11

• OmegaMega (unverified)

  Originally posted by KillerBug:
  Someone, anyone, needs to come along and make some really top-notch android devices; get those triple core chips in there, the nice video chip, lots of ram, 128GB of onboard memory with an XD slot supporting 64GB more, and a nice big screen...something about the size of the RIM "tablet". Offer it in a slim version and in a keyboard version. Oh, and make sure that it can do 24 hours of standby with bluetooth, plus 6 hours of calling. As for the slim version, also offer it without calling support, and call that a media player. LOL + $900 price tag...

  18.3.2011 00:39 #12

• Blackjax

  @Killer- Why rail against something meant to compete against the ipod and not the IPAD?
  
  @lawndog- I agree with you here.
  
  I'll use a cell to make calls, gps for directions, and a media player for music and movies while on the go. They have yet to make a device that does all of it well. Right now no portable device exists that does all of it well. If it does then it lacks somewhere!
  

  Remember no matter how much you know someone else knows more than you do!
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  19.3.2011 01:51 #13

• lissenup2

  Originally posted by DarthMopar: Looks like my Zune has found a worthy successor. Bummer about only being upgradeable to 32GB. My 120GB Zune is my go-to movie device for Atlantic ocean pond-jumping. (Military). Bummer???????? 64Gb was JUST invented and cost a couple hundred bucks. At present, 32Gb MicroSDHC cards are 90 bucks so stop nitpicking and whining. Change out your audio/video files a little more often rather than trying to load up your entire PC library on a portable device.
  
  Some people just are never and will never be satisfied.

  20.3.2011 00:11 #14

• DarthMopar

  Originally posted by lissenup2: Originally posted by DarthMopar: Looks like my Zune has found a worthy successor. Bummer about only being upgradeable to 32GB. My 120GB Zune is my go-to movie device for Atlantic ocean pond-jumping. (Military). Bummer???????? 64Gb was JUST invented and cost a couple hundred bucks. At present, 32Gb MicroSDHC cards are 90 bucks so stop nitpicking and whining. Change out your audio/video files a little more often rather than trying to load up your entire PC library on a portable device.
  
  Some people just are never and will never be satisfied. I'm sorry. They told me I couldn't take my desktop PC with me to Afghanistan.
  

  20.3.2011 16:44 #15

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by DarthMopar: Originally posted by lissenup2: Originally posted by DarthMopar: Looks like my Zune has found a worthy successor. Bummer about only being upgradeable to 32GB. My 120GB Zune is my go-to movie device for Atlantic ocean pond-jumping. (Military). Bummer???????? 64Gb was JUST invented and cost a couple hundred bucks. At present, 32Gb MicroSDHC cards are 90 bucks so stop nitpicking and whining. Change out your audio/video files a little more often rather than trying to load up your entire PC library on a portable device.
  
  Some people just are never and will never be satisfied. I'm sorry. They told me I couldn't take my desktop PC with me to Afghanistan. Ignore that comment Darth...we thank you for your military service and for protecting this country.
  

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  20.3.2011 18:26 #16

• Jon Garrett (unverified)

  Originally posted by 1nsan3: i can already see this blowing the IPOD out of the water. I had an ipod 3rd gen for less than a year and sold it. this will be way better. I replaced it with an android. from what Ive been reading. this device will cost twice as much as an ipod. hate apple as much as I do, I would buy the cheaper ipod over this device.

  3.4.2011 13:43 #17

• MatthieuBrown (unverified)

  This does sound awesome...but I dont think Ill need it if Im planning to get an Android phone in the future. I want some variety, so Im planning to get a Zune HD (I know, I know, lack of apps, but I dont get mp3 players just for apps) and get an Android phone :)

  4.7.2011 03:47 #18

• Marinab

  how much that

  4.7.2011 05:43 #19