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Samsung Set To Introduce Android-Based iPod Touch Competitor
blixtech writes "Virtually unchallenged in the portable media player market, Apple's iPod Touch is set to receive a pretty strong competitor at CES 2011. Samsung has just announced they will showcase an Android-powered PMP called the Galaxy Player, featuring almost the same hardware as the Galaxy S smartphone."
Android and Itouch? they'll never figure it out.
"Computers are a lot like Air Conditioners" "They both work great until you start opening Windows"
The usual $50.00 question I have for any Android device: How easy is it for this device to be rooted? An additional question would be how easy it is to flash a custom ROM image.
I just hope it isn't too hard to have custom, fast ROM images for this device.
What's so different about this Samsung compared to the range of Archos Android devices like the 43it (I don't care about Android myself so at a guess there are plenty of other devices out there)? Is the "virtually unchallenged" moniker in any way warranted?
Never underestimate the dark side of the Source
What is behind Apple's success?
Its that, after an initial period of letting people rip, mix and burn their existing content for their iPods, they were able to launch the iTunes Music Store (iTMS) which now serves up music, movies, TV shows, books, apps and podcasts and do it for cheap or for free.
Apple is just grafting other software services onto the iTMS and they're keeping iron clad control over the user experience on the hardware.
Will anyone else?
MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
I'm rooting for devices like this, but the android 1.5 phone I had was in my opinion pretty poor for music. I didn't like the interface at all, there wasn't any slick way to manage the music like there is with iTunes... I hope they take ease of use into account and improve on the crappy music implementation I was dealing with.
...but will the GPS actually work? (Galaxy S owner here...)
I don't understand why it's taken this long. The iPod has been on top of this market for ages. It may not be as lucrative as it used to be, but Apple wouldn't be in it if they weren't making a decent amount of money. Apple is probably able to control a decent portion of the market if only because they can keep costs low through scale, but Android vendors should be able to cut costs and take lower profits. This is probably the first legitimate iPod competitor in a long time.
The only question is if this market is worthwhile anymore. Smartphones have most likely already started to cannibalize PMP sales. Once they become truly ubiquitous, how much of a market is left for devices of such caliber without phone capability.
My LG Optimus One cost $200 (without contract), runs Android 2.2 and makes phone calls. I think the PMP market is going to be tough to crack, because manufacturers will have to price their handhelds extremely aggressively to make them appealing in a world that is about to be flooded with some fairly impressive Android phones in the iPod Touch price range. Still, it's a sure sign that 2011 will be the Year of The Android.
Call me a troll, but I can hardly wait for a $700 iPod touch competitor.
I do not play in the middle of the road
So, my handspring visor is about to die: The case is cracked, the screen is scratched, the leather slipcase is ripped, and I recently misplaced the stylus. What should I get as a replacement?
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
OK, sure, I'd love an android phone, but I'm not willing to pay the hefty data plan fees.
I'd really been considering how to get a good android phone without a phone plan at all, and use it like an iTouch, only with wifi and no voice or cellular data whatsoever. The *pads are too big, I want something phone/iTouch sized that will fit in my normal sized pockets. Too bad the demoted the camera on this compared to it's Galaxy S phone cousin. I've not seen an amoled screen to know if I care that's gone too. I'd really like to see someone do as good of a product as the really good smartphones and just leave out the cellular part of it, without degrading any other features in the process. But at least this sort of thing is being seen now.
Seeing that my Samsung TV can do lots of stuff through a cat 5. It would make sense if their Android tablet had a tuned dlna server installed so things like internet tv, youtube, jpegs, m4v, vobs, mp3s and radio could stream from the tablet. I have some features working with mediatomb and twonky (non-free) does some other things like youtube. There is no reason why the Android OS could not do streaming internet over wifi, it would even be possible to make it work with other DLNA compliant devices. If this is not a feature then the release will just sit there and do squat in the market place like Archos. Would be nice if I could take a tablet to other peoples houses and use dlna to show pictures or whatever.
However I just cannot see the manufactures taking advantage of the saleability of cross platform dlna. As it is they are doing the old trick of changing standards so that the consumer gets screwed into using compatible devices of their choosing. When will they learn.
Android vendors should be able to cut costs and take lower profits
Possibly, but don't forget Apple has a huge advantage because of volume, and similar parts between iOS devices only increase that price advantage. Even lowering margins many companies may not be able to come that close in price.
It's no surprise to me that a company as large as Samsung was the first to be able to produce a viable iPad competitor, and now a Touch competitor. Because of their size they can also get large discounts (or source internally since they make a lot of components).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
It was never the best player
Actually it was; just not by metrics you choose to deem important.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I can see why the iPhone gained and maintains the market share it does. Disregarding the whole 'closed garden' thing which is only relevant to us /.ers, it was genuinely the first decent touchscreen phone and continues to match its rivals in anything Joe Public cares about.
iPad generally the same deal.
The iPod? Fuck knows. Probably the same reason adidas, Nike and A&F do so well. It just took off for whatever reason, and now in the eyes of most, anything else is like buying store's own brand food (that's a story for another day!)
Nice, I would buy a handful of these to use as WiFi Skype phones.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
I, for one, welcome our new Android PMP overlords.
I was strongly considering a Galaxy phone to be my next phone. Can you please tell me more of what you didnt like about it!?
You could optionally mention something(s) you like as well!
Thanks / Cheers / Happy New Year!
if it's not cheaper than an iPad. I mean, I know there are lots of /.ers that'll say they want an open platform and all, but most ppl don't care. These things are set to run $599. Then again, is apple actually running tight margins or is Samsung just trying to muscle in on their 'soak the rich' territory?
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
I don't begrudge you your Achos stuff, or whatever you're using, but its not quite as seamless as using Apple OS X 10.6.5 stuff.
It definitely does NOT take me 20 minutes to spend my money at the iTMS. (The downloads come in at about 20mb/s in NYC. May I suggest you get a better performing ISP. :-)
I use VLC, QuickTime, WindowsMedia, whatever, and my old 2.66 Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro is quite capable of keeping up with whatever I throw at it, even in 1080p.
Apple is definitely a maker of good CONSUMER grade stuff.
Its a question of the choices one makes.
MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
Hope they won't use the Galaxy S' proprietary 3.5 mm headphone jack anymore. That one is ridiculous.
You look like a million dollars. All green and wrinkled.
<rant>
The device is an application platform and as such it does not reach it's potential until Google fixes it's app market. Currently it's an unholy mess that makes me wish for censorship apple app store has. I've got 1st gen ipod touch and a new nexus s, but as far as applications go the ipod ones have a clear edge in terms of quality.
IMO there are two issues that apple did right: they check if an app works as it should before putting it into market and they prioritized iPad apps in iPad store. Besides checking if app works at all (many of the android apps I have tend to crash from time to time) I really like on clause in apple app store review guidelines: "If your app looks like it was cobbed together in a few days, or you're trying to get your first practice app into app store to impress your friends, brace yourself for rejection". The other issue is that low-end android devices and high-end android devices differ more than iPhone and iPad and thus the apps that are optimized for a high-end device should be prioritized when you have an high-end device.
</rant>
Why would that be such a difficult thing to figure otu?
It wouldn't, nor did I suggest that it would be. I suggested combinations that I am thinking about, not that I am having difficulty with. After my suggestion, I asked about a specific hard- and software combination.
Do you have difficulty with English?
-rex
I appeal to everyone.
My name is Jinyoung Lee and I am a resident of South Korea (ROK). I am involved in an ongoing argument with Samsung Electronics, which is a huge multinational company, as a consumer. In May 2010, my Samsung cell phone (SCH-W830) spontaneously combusted in my home. It could have resulted in a fire, but I detected the event in its early stage. I contacted customer service at Samsung and reported the event. I was shocked by the attitude of Samsung, which should have addressed the problem.
From the beginning, Samsung engaged in the compensation process with insincerity. I was filled with anger because of the way I had been treated, so I went to the press with my story. Only then did Samsung start to respond. They did not, however, investigate the causes/sources of the spontaneous combustion; they even did not set out to clarify who was responsible. The only thing that they wanted was to keep me from informing the press. They gave me $4,000, which I had never asked for.
This did not end the case, however, several articles based on Samsung’s account of the story appeared in the newspapers. According to the article, I was a typical “black-consumer” [This term refers to consumers who file a vicious complaint on purpose]. They harmed my reputation to protect their brand image and themselves.
Because of my frustration, I put on a one-man demonstration, the only means by which I could expose their wrongful behavior in various places for 40 days. Their response was to sue me for libel. That means that they initiated criminal proceeding against me [In Korea, libel is both criminal and civil offenses].
Samsung is a huge company, and thus it is possible that it wields power over public institution. The police, who we can assume to be influenced by Samsung, investigated but exclusively on behalf of Samsung. I sued the Samsung Electronics in return to protect myself and the case was quickly dismissed for no reason. The police did a “search and seizure” of my house in Dec, 2010 and they mentioned the possibility of imprisonment-investigation. This procedure is not typical for a libel case in Korea.
Above all, Samsung wants to hide the truth about operation and their anti-consumer attitude, and so they are suppressing a consumer who exposes their actions to protect my right and interests as a consumer. So far, I have tried to inform the public about Samsung’s irresponsible actions, and I hope more people will come to know/understand this. I believe it will be one way to correct Samsungs’ wrong business behavior.
What I want is a sincere apology. What I want is official recognition of what they did to me. If my hopes are not fulfilled, then Samsung’s wrong business manner will continue. Of course, it will fall on those of us who might use Samsung products, which are selling like hot cakes. Ultimately, it is not a private issue and it is not limited to one consumer. I would like to say that it is an issue related to justice in dealing between a major company and consumers. We are consumers. Even though, they have more power than we have, we can exert our influence on
them as consumers. I need your attention. I believe that through you concern, I will finally achieve justice.
Thank you.
Best regards, Jinyoung Lee.
The downloads come in at about 20mb/s in NYC.
Twenty millibits per second? Even my phone modem is faster than that.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Ohh I can smell the sweety aroma of competition!
And they have a good team, with "rasterman", the creator of the enlightenment linux desktop:
http://www.vergenet.net/~raster/
If only I could program in low level as I can in ipod,ipad, itouch...
NDK sucks, waiting for something serious like e17 for your mobile device.
Practically every default (non-removable) App is focused on using Google. If I have to choose between Google and Apple I prefer Apple, because they presently don't resell my details of their analysis of me to others. This may change, but it's a matter of "who I trust less with my information".
To me, Android is not open enough to call it open, it's a myth similar to the "do not evil" mantra, so pardon me for being critical, but no thanks. I don't even search on Google anymore: I prefer DuckDuckGo ..
Insert
There are plenty of ~4" Android devices already. Some are kinda scummy, but lots are every bit as capable as an "iTouch". But it is nice to see more devices in that area.
That said, there will be numerous ~10" Android tablets coming out in 2011. Combined with Android 3.0, the Android Marketplace, great hardware, lack of needing "iTunes", and lower prices, Apple will have a HUGE challenge in the iPad arena.
Yay! Consumers win!!
Nexus S hardware is made by Samsung, but the software is made by Google.
Archos doesn't. I have an old Archos 605, and really wanted to get a 70 internet tablet, which was supposed to ship in early October. It still hasn't shipped, and I have a Nook Color.
Best Slashdot Co
The one item nobody has been able to build is an iPod competitor, and it is long overdue. The only options have required phone company subsidies to hide some of the costs to compete. It is really odd living in a world where the competitors can not catch apple on price due to volumes. Using phones to get scale might just get it done. I would probably buy one.
Really, if you think it stinks, then it stinks to you...
It may not be adequate in functionality, optionality or operation for you, and I admit I use AudioHijack Pro to capture sound bites and clips, but for the most part it delivers what I need.
MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
Translation: To me, it's the best player.
Translation: to the people in the market that keeps buying them again and again, the best player.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Oh good grief.
He might be a 'techie' (is that what apple people call the computer literate?) but my freaking grandma can move songs from her PC to her mp3 player, and uses foobar. It's so much easier to use than itunes.
Itunes is about lock in. It's anti consumer, and only sheep use it at all. It sucks. Your point about your macbookpro proves you didn't even understand his point in the first place, which is pretty hilarious.
Perhaps to you, normal people are techies, but most computer functions are actually really easy these days and we don't need apple to tell us how to do them in ways that coincidentally force us to be dependent on their crap that often doesn't work correctly.
iTunes still has some stupid ass pathetic amature bugs and mistakes.
eg1. Where in hell do I specify the time of podcast syncs, I dont want it to sync during business hours where my net connection on the laptop
could be via a 3G connection , i dont want 200meg wasted on 3G. GRRRRR.
eg2. Non responsive GUI, its hard to see if its busy or not, and if it is, the pointer doesnt change. Its not very multi-threaded. While it does X , I cant do Y. Error messages like , cannot sync due to error -1606, or cant update iPhone to 4.2 , error -1460.
APPLE, YOUR OWN GUIDELINES say NEVER USE ERROR NUMBERS!!!!! Bloody loosers.
Is it so hard to have an inteligent error processor, that gives a 1-2page description, with urls to resources/forums etc...
YES ITS more info than grandma can care to read, but "Failed because of -1646" is JUST AS LAME and stupid ass unprofessional madness.
This isnt a 12 char LED display DVD player. Get a clue apple.
Failure #3.
After updating iPhone to 4.2, and 3 failures and 3 retries, it finally worked, but it LOST all my folders setup for all the apps, so everything was flat on 11 pages. GRRR, insane MOFO error. I had to remake folders, and laboriously drag/drop each app into its folder again slowly. Can't remember that info on the itunes side? Get real.
iTunes is slow ass too, I have seen more complicated GUIS in javascript that are bigger, more intense graphics wise that can scroll a list of 10000 items much smooth in Chrome.
Failure #4.
Due to some error, or failure to hit OK in an error / warning dialog, iTunes sits there waiting for me to hit the button and use 50% CPU.
Liberty freedom are no1, not dicks in suits.
I only counted a few peripheral mentions of Nokia phones in the ~200 messages so far. Zero references to Nokia's then-revolutionary Internet (and media) Tablets that the company hesitantly slipped out between 2005-2008 and promptly abandoned.
Ouch.
Paraphrasing Brando on Nokia exec's behalf: "I don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it."
The N800 internet tablet came out four years ago, and while it wasn't absolute cutting edge even then, it was affordable to manufacture, potentially symbiotic to Nokia's phone division (as a tethered companion device) and a wonderful starting point for further development.
Except that Nokia's wise managers decided to can the project. Its sister model N810, with its slide-out keyboard and crappy GPS, did manage to escape Nokia a year later, but even a slightest charade of support was already wrapped in.
Along with the pioneering tablet mindshare and respect Nokia lost most of the community of developers and early adopters. Nokia had it and chose to throw it all away. (Google Trends)
So Nokia's now got Qt and there's this Intel joint-op Meego too, seemingly aimed at x86-based "mobile devices" of some sort. Yet Nokia has no actual cutting edge phones (the last being the bulky non-multi-touch N900 of late 2009, supported only by the unsupported Maemo OS), let alone media and/or internet-oriented non-phone tablets.
Meego may be more-or-less a proper Linux environment designed for touch, but having Nokia and Intel as sugar daddies does sound a tad ominous as neither of those wants 3rd-party ARM-based devices to become successful.
Be it "openMeego" or anything, I'd love to see affordable media/internet tablets running a secure, multi-user-capable OS (i.e Linux). Make it easily shareable between family members, friends, classmates or workmates, either using local accounts (incl. "guest") or the cloud. Support the devices with software/security updates. People will buy it.
Should invading one's peaceful neighbours be opposed, or rewarded with trade deals?
because you are using a fucking mac.
Itunes for windows is garbage, pure and simple.
I for one don't have 4 grand to buy into the apple ecosystem.
Ill stick to ubuntu and android, they sync beautifully.
I would rather wait for the Galaxy S2, with dual processors, taking 1080p video... oh yeah its a phone too, lol.