QuadraQ

December 29, 2010 at 1:03pm

I'm glad to see this in a way, since competition is good for consumers. However, getting music on the iPod is rediculously easy, and on Android it's... well not. Until users have a way to easily purchase audio, video, and text based media that's as simple as the iTunes store, I don't see this taking off. Excellent for developers though. All the Android goodness without the monthly fees.

violian

December 28, 2010 at 12:02pm

SuperClear 800x480 display? Guess it's still technologically behind the Retina display. Give it 3G option and I'm in. If it has 3G with consumer friendly pricing packages and 16GB of storage, I'd be willing to pay $300.

Eoraptor

December 28, 2010 at 11:46am

except that increasingly people are moving away from tethered contract cell carriers to wifi-driven skype or voice chat over IM's. Yeah it hasn't exactly hit a tipping point yet, but there' a LOT of people out there who carry a combination of a media player and a prepaid cellphone who would quickly make the jump if someone just pointed out the chance at using something like this with skype over public wifi.

MleB

December 28, 2010 at 7:29am

I don't get it. Why?

Sure there's the iPod Touch - but that's only really intended to be a Content Delivery Device to Apple's iTunes Store (the real money spinner), but with an Android device, you're not necessarily beholden to any one App store - so, what, we're really looking at a multimedia PDA? Like the old Palm TX?

Most folks now expect their smartphone to be a multimedia PDA - but without a phone (like the Dell Streak) and not really big enough to be a full-time tablet (like their Tab or the iPad), it seems its just another device to drag around with you.

The device is about a decade too late.

machine73

December 27, 2010 at 11:22pm

Sign me up. It would be nice to have a Gal-s that I can leave at home and still have all the functions (sans phone) of the Gal-S. I've had my Vphone for 2 months and love it. Have to admit I've been looking at some of the tabs out there but this would suit my needs much better.

Would love to see a price point below the 3 bills mark. Unlikely but would be nice.

Stockislander

December 27, 2010 at 9:48pm

About a year too late... i needed something to replace my palm tx and got an ipod touch. we'll see in a year...

EvilGenius

December 27, 2010 at 4:35pm

Nope - I have a Galaxy S Vibrant phone and the volume is just too low be used as a media player.  If this is set the same then it's hopeless. 

Bullwinkle J Moose

December 27, 2010 at 4:30pm

I would never buy one of these because it has bluetooth and wifi built in..

I'm a security professional so I would never connect my media player to any network of any type

I also never use any OS with DRM management built in or DRM updates

I never use any walled garden device that only lets me use "Approved"  applications

and I never use the NSA's most popular spyware platform called Windows 7

if I want to play music or video's, I'll do it on a non-restricted / offline only media player

I like to be the one who controls what I can or cannot do on my devices

I would, however, probably buy one if they only cost $2 or $3 and then give it to someone I don't like, but I prefer security over connectability EVERY TIME!

avenger48

December 27, 2010 at 4:13pm

The only reason anyone bought an ipod touch was to avoid a switch to AT&T.  The iphone has everything the touch does, and costs less due to contract discounting.  The problem with the Galaxy Player is that anyone can get a Galaxy S with all of the features and more, on their carrier, for probably less money.  It is not economical for Samsung to charge less than the discounted phone price, and it doesn't make sense for the consumer to pay more for less.

That, combined with the usual Apple fervor, will kill this device.  It's a shame too, this looks VERY promising.

quantumnerd

December 27, 2010 at 4:10pm

200 bucks would be a very fair price. Remember, it has to compete with the iPod touch.

 

Personally, I wonder how long this category will last. Cheap prepaid phones are about 30 bucks, so you know the cell phone circuitry barely costs anything. The best choice for a budget phone would be to mash the smart PMP and a prepaid phone together into the perfect companion device.