Looks like Samsung, makers of the iPhone-like Galaxy S phone series and iPad-like Galaxy Tab tablet series, will be adding the iPod touch-like Galaxy Player to its North American lineup post-CES:
The most recent version, the YP-GB1, is said to have Android 2.2 (take that, all you Galaxy S phones!), the same 1GHz Hummingbird processor, a 4-inch SCLD touchscreen, 480x800 resolution, 3.2MP rear camera and front VGA camera -- and 8GB, 16GB or 32GB storage. Basically, a Galaxy S sans phone radio.
No word yet on the GalaxyMac.
[Samsung Hub via Android Central]
Reader comments
Samsung to show off Galaxy Player iPod touch competitor at CES
Totally awesome...I'm def buying one.
Erik .. I had the palm Pre for one FULL year .. I did not poke around with the OS .. but if that's what you chose to believe so be it..
Yes, and we've seen the 3GS (and the 3G touch) can struggle at times with the latest iOS versions, which are still less advanced than webOS in what they are capable of doing. I don't know of any 3GS overclocks but I know from experience that even a minor overclock of the Pre hardware fixes responsiveness issues in webOS and has no detrimental effect on the battery life of the device, some even see battery life improve if they're a "race-to-idle" user.
Considering some of the things you said in previous comments I wonder if you've ever truly used the OS. It sounds more like if I were to claim to have used Android because I poked around at a Droid in the store a couple of times.
@Erik
WebOS was the problem. I thought it was the hardware at first but it had the same processor as the Iphone that came out at the time. I think it's the 3gs. now I'm sure it's going to get faster but trust me WebOS is slow.
@Geo Coldz, Android does not suck, you do. What sucks is Samsung. It used to make great stuff, but not updating its Galaxy S phones to Froyo is a major fail.
@JERRY
The problem was never with webOS, it was with the hardware. The responsiveness issues of webOS on the Pre are fixed by over-clocking the CPU, even if it's just to the 720MHz setting.
Some folks need to get their facts before making fanboy comments.
Samsung has their own music player which looks and functions way better than the stock Android player (reference the AT&T Captivate). It also has MediaHub which is how they will push iTunes-like content to the device. More large game outfits are writing for Android as well.
I do, however, agree with the statements that cell phones play music too. That's why I stopped using my iPod shuffle. It's just easier to use my cell phone and I only need one device.
@Brian yes really. Nobody wants a locked down paperweight. I have the iphone and I have android phones. I LOVE android because its OPEN. Trust me. iOS is NOT open. It's VERY CLOSED.
@RENE I know you love WebOS and maybe 2.0 might be great but I had a Palm Pre and the software was slow as hell. I don't know if it's because it's WebBased .. it feels like you're using an interent player instead of a native media player. I'll take the Samsun Music hub over WebOS any day.
and this is coming from someone who likes WebOS .. I think they were innovative but everything that they introduced was quickly copied by Android IOS and Blackberrry and it's made WebOS obsolete .. even their card interface is being used on the Blackberry Playbook ... so what do they offer that's unique?
if its bigger than 140gb im in!
GalaxyMac :) That was cute...
ill probably get one just to have an andriod device
@Chris no one wants to copy iOS...really?
What kid is going to say "oh, I want a galaxy s player", when they could get an iPod touch 4G??
@Jerry - I like Android quite a bit. I also like the idea of a Galaxy Player if it's well realized. iPod touch needs good competition and Zune HD didn't deliver on that. I'd rather get a Galaxy Player and webOS player and not need contracts :)
More interesting than the Galaxy Tab IMO. But unless it's significantly cheaper than the tocuh, it won't do well. It's basically a media player, that sucks as a media player lol
@ JERRY - Re Rene: "He hates ANdroid so much and you can see it."
Larry Ellison hates Android so much he'll destroy it. The Oracle lawsuit has merit, since the Dalvik JVM used in Android is not 100% compliant with the Java standard. And, according to the Java license agreement, if you are not 100% compliant, you are in violation of the agreement. Cut and dried.
And there is legal precedent. Microsoft tried to "embrace and extend" Java years ago, to twist it into a proprietary Windows-only version. Sun sued, won, Microsoft paid Sun $20 million, and Microsoft went back to the drawing board to create .NET from scratch.
Google's only hope is that the suit will be thrown out of court. Not gonna happen. And Larry Ellison won't settle out of court for a few measly million bucks either. The lawsuit calls for all copies of Android to be "impounded and destroyed." Kiss that little green robot goodbye.
LOL @ Gothica - " I got a box o’ turds in my closet that I’m quite certain can run Froyo…"
Only if the carriers let you do the update. You should have read the fine print on your contract before you signed. This "freedom" requires constant vigilance and hard work.
@ TK - "I don’t see the point. By this point in time, everyone has a smartphone that already has a built in mp3 player."
Agree. I would guess that because iPod touch sells as well as iPhone, Samsung is trying to mimic the success of iPod touch.
This might be evidence that Samsung finally "gets it" in the mobile internet space. The Galaxy Tab's "tweener" size limits its mobility and hurts the user experience.
It sounds exactly like a PMP, like the iTouch, except with Android instead of iOS. If that rear camera is auto-focus, I'm sold.
Overly biased idiots like this poster are what gives Mac fans and blogs bad names.
Wow, release a product that's similar to a product that makes you a copycat? I guess there's only room for one car/pc/phone/console/gun/shoe/clothes/toy manufacture on the planet, eh?
I'm a apple freak but..... I'd like to buy one of these to see how I could hack n play with it. I think the more real competition that is a threat for apple, the better the products from apple will become available!! Now I wish for a device that has these features; iPod touch like device , 3G , GPS , compass , two cameras , with a texting data type plan for around 30.00 a month! Think about this! Can you imagine how many peoples kids would be able to communicate with there parents!! Come on apple or samsung!!
Depends on the price point. If they can produce these at a significant price difference, they have a shot. If they stay in the iPod Touch pricing ballpark, I don't see many sales. Some day Android will have a gaming selection that rivals iOS, but that will not be until well after this is produced. iPod is a brand name/product category like "Kleenex" or "Coke". Unless this thing has a killer app (or seven) up its sleeve to really differentiate it, and/or someone can get the model comparable to the iPod Touch for at least $50 - $100 less, people without an "Anti-Apple" agenda are going to choose iPod Touch every time.
Dont' get me wrong - I would love for the competition to release products to really keep Apple on thier game (and vice-versa), but the Galaxy Player is not it - unless people can buy it cheap or they can convince someone like my Dad why it's so much better (and "Flash", "dual core", "open source (kinda)" and "notifications" mean nothing to him).
lol iphone like? ipad like? little weak. Android like. seriously. nobody wants to copy ios
iPhone Getting Even Better Games!!http://freshandsavvy.com/?p=1641
samsung is actually releasing the galaxybook, galaxy air, galaxy nano, galaxy shuffle, and even this new movie editing software called galaxy cut studio...all in 2011...should be a big year for them :D haha
@IloveGeorgia .. It will have The samsung Media player which is very good .. and of course there are many great media players on the android market mainly WINAMP which is free and POWERAMP which costs $4.99
LOL "Galaxy Player" sounds like a fail
I stand corrected on the salivate part - good post darwinpolice
This will sell to:
I want to say I hope this helps push Apple to be better, but I can't when Samsung just copies, adds nothing of additional value. I love that just anyone can throw out hardware with Android on it and Fandroids salivate. I got a box o' turds in my closet that I'm quite certain can run Froyo...
I don't see the point. By this point in time, everyone has a smartphone that already has a built in mp3 player. And if they don't they already have an iPod.
I'm a pretty avid Android user, but this doesn't excite me very much. Without a major killer feature to set it above the Touch, this is just a slightly more high-powered Touch but with poorer game selection and (probably) performance. I have no desire to replace my Touch 3rd Gen yet, but if I did, this wouldn't sway me from a Touch 4th Gen.
ZZZzzzzz another boring .mp3 player with fragmented music services behind it. Perfect for the person on your shopping list that pirates music. I'm sure this will make Android an even bigger development platform.
But, as long as Samsung feels the need to copy rather than innovate, more power too them. Fandroids everywhere get sloppy seconds... again... congrats on that.
Love Korean innovation.
Big Fat FAIL!!
Why bother to sell a couple hundred thousand?
@freak Android ain't that great bud been there done it.
@Dj no it will have the android mediaplayer which pails in comparison to iPod. Also it will have samsung media hub that is found on the galaxy tab, which pails in comparison to iTunes.
@freak no android is only good if you are really into google serives. People buy iPod touches to play games which google is still far behind, listen to music, and FaceTime. People don't care about widgets on iPod touches. No flash helps the battery and the thing last for a long time. So I don't see anywhere where this can succeed.
@ilovegeorgia when it is called Galaxy Player one should assume that it has an integrated iPod feature cause as the name suggests it's an MP3 player with added features like the iPod touch . I was hoping someone would make the jump and make an iPod touch competitor . Btw I love my iPod touch 4th gen 32 gig model :)
What? Take away the phone and Android still blows away iOS in features. Cached Google maps/nav not to mention the tight integration with Google apps. With the major and small game developers now lining up behind Android as well as iOS, the game situation is quickly disappearing. Not having to use itunes is a plus. If I want to buy music (rare) then I use Amazon. Having Flash support. The timing couldn't be more perfect for a good Android ipod touch alternative.
crap and im not even an iphone fanboy
It's gonna fail. Android doesn't have as many games or features of iOS in none phone areas. The only thing they could have is flash. Also no iTunes or intergeated iPod. Which is the main reason for the thing.
Android sucks.