Big Picture Big Sound

Walking around a metropolis like New York, one would almost get the impression that the iPad 2 was the only game in town. It must be lonely at the top for Apple's new tablet.  But the folks in Cupertino should not be getting too comfortable because the innovative folks at Samsung came out swinging today at their Spring 2011 Product Showcase in Manhattan with a brand new series of tablets, media players, and apps that looked rather impressive.

If you believe Steve Jobs, any tablet with a screen smaller than 10 inches is "DOA", but the folks at Samsung must have missed the memo because they have gone against the grain and introduced two Android-based Galaxy Players with 4-inch and 5-inch screens. The Galaxy Players enter a market dominated by the iPod touch, but we suspect that once consumers get a chance to try them, they might have second thoughts about their Apple allegiance.

These pocket-sized powerhouses serve as gaming systems, media players (music and video), eReaders, and Internet-based videophones courtesy of the Qik Video app for Android. You can even make VoIP phone calls over a Wi-Fi connection.

Both new models come with Android 2.2 (Froyo) and will be upgradeable to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), making them compatible with Adobe Flash 10.1; something as yet unattainable to the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

The 4" and 5" screen models of the Galaxy Player weigh only 5 and 7 ounces respectively, and they felt quite sturdy in our large hands. Both players have front and rear cameras (VGA resolution and 3.2 megapixel respectively), but only the 5-inch Galaxy Player is equipped with a flash. Both devices support removable microSD cards, up to 32GB in storage size.

Both players include Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) connectivity, stereo loudspeakers (which offer virtual 5.1 surround), and the 4-inch Galaxy Player comes pre-loaded with Skype. Both models utilize bright and crisp looking WVGA LCD screens; the 4-inch model comes with a Super Clear LCD screen, and the 5-inch comes with a WVGA TFT-LCD screen.

The Galaxy Players support numerous multimedia video formats including DivX, Xvid, WMV, MPEG-4, and H.264. On the audio front, they support MP3, WMA, AAC, Ogg, and FLAC.

Samsung's rather innovative "Twin View" wireless streaming technology is a new feature for their series of SMART TVs and it works beautifully with their tablets, smart phones, and Galaxy Players. Don't want to miss a second of your favorite movie because the pizza guy is knocking on your door or nature is calling? Take it with you on your Galaxy Player or Galaxy Tab.

Samsung has also introduced a new remote control app that turns any Samsung tablet, smart phone, or media player into a universal remote. With brand new deals in place with HBO GO, and MTV Networks, the Galaxy-series of portable devices are starting to look mighty attractive. Access to over 100,000 Android apps via Google's Android Market, including video games, should attract younger consumers.

The Galaxy Players should be in stores early in the spring. Prices have yet to be announced, but they will have to be competitive with the iPod touch if Samsung wants to become a major player in this category.

For more information:

 

• www.samsung.com