We thought all-singing, all-dancing, all-music-and-movie-playing smart phones had killed off the MP3 player, but new models like the Philips GoGear Connect 3 with Wi-Fi show that we were wrong. We gave the Android-powered GoGear a going over at its IFA launch in Germany to see if the Connect 3 connects with us.
The Connect 3 is the latest rival to the still-popular iPod touch, falling in with Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and disappointing Samsung Galaxy Player 50. Although UK prices haven't been confirmed, we hear it'll cost around £160 for the 16GB model and £130 for the 8GB version.
Android interface
Like the Galaxy S Wi-Fi 5.0, the Connect 3 is powered by Android. To be precise, it runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which is most often seen on smart phones. In fact, the Connect 3 is basically a smart phone without the phone part.
You can personalise the player with widgets that display information on your home screens, and you can download apps too. There are apps for everything from telling you the weather or latest headlines to checking your email, tracking how much exercise you're getting, or adding special effects to your pictures.
Other apps access particular websites, such as Facebook or Twitter, and make the pages fit neatly on the smaller screen. And that's not to mention all the games available, like Cut the Rope or the smash-hit Angry Birds.
You can search for apps in the Android Market, and download them to your Connect 3 over Wi-Fi without having to plug the device into a computer.
Touchscreen
The Connect 3 sports a bright, 3.2-inch touchscreen, perfectly suited to your finger swipes. It's a capacitive touchscreen, so it's more responsive than the increasingly rare resistive variety. The screen could have been bigger, though -- there's not much point in the size of the physical menu, home and back buttons, or the Philips logo, beneath the screen.
Do these buttons need to be so big? Probably not.
On the subject of buttons, we like the chunky, round, copper-coloured buttons on the side of the device. They feel like they'd be easy to locate in a pocket, so you could quickly dial the volume up or down without having to hoist the device out of your jeans.
A bigger screen would be appreciated for video, too. The Connect plays high-definition movies and YouTube videos up to a resolution of 720p, but this will only be noticeable when you're outputting the flicks to a suitably hi-def TV. Watching a Hollywood blockbuster on a screen the size of a chocolate bar -- and listening via the puny built-in speaker or headphones -- isn't exactly living up to the high-definition experience.
Philips has plenty of experience building televisions, sound systems and MP3 players, so the built-in 'FullSound', 'Sound Personalisation' and 'Surround for Movies' technology could make the best of the Connect 3's audio. But the Connect 3 still won't offer anywhere near as good a media experience as a larger screen and decent speakers.
Still, you can use the Connect 3 to transport movies around and then watch them on bigger screens. Your movies, music and photos can be beamed wirelessly to other Wi-Fi or DLNA-compatible kit, such as your television, stereo, camera or digital photo frame.
You can plonk your tunes onto the Connect 3 with Philips' Songbird software, which runs on your computer. If you want a mix of music in your pocket, pick one song and click the 'LikeMusic' button. Songbird will then whip you up a playlist of similar tunes. It's similar to the Genius feature in iTunes.
While you can store movies, music and photos on your Connect 3, you can't actually record video or take pictures, as the device lacks a camera.
Outlook
The Philips GoGear Connect 3 looks like a decent media player, but it lacks the market-leading iPod touch's camera, FaceTime video calling, and eye-scorchingly detailed screen. The presence of other Android rivals, such as the new Sony Android Walkman and the various Samsung Galaxy S WiFi devices, also means the Connect 3 may only prove a contender if it comes at a suitably low price.
Edited by Charles Kloet
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sonymad 21 April 2012
Good: The GoGear Connect 3 puts Android in your pocket for a relatively low price.
Bad: The GoGear Connect 3 has poor screen quality, a slow processor, no memory expansion, no cameras, no video output, and no GPS capabilities.
Comment: ive had the product for a while now my opinions have changed in the good and bad
sonymad 2 March 2012
Good: Runs powerful Android 2.3 Gingerbread software video quality is good sound quality is amazing good wifi connection
Bad: Screen could be bigger No camera
Comment: As well as a series of bonkers speaker docks, Philips has today announced a new update of its GoGear portable audio players. The GoGear Connect 3 with Wi-Fi is now powered by Android 2.3, with a 3.2? capacitive screen backed up by “wide codec support” to ensure as many popular video formats as possible are supported.
Philips claims it’s good for 720p playback, too. Here it is, looking pleasingly chunky:
And are those gold things physical music control buttons? Here’s the full announcement which does not answer that question:
Philips introduces GoGear Connect 3 with Wi-Fi based on Android 2.3
Berlin, Germany – The most advanced portable devices from the Philips GoGear range will be unveiled at this year’s IFA. The GoGear Connect 3 with Wi-Fi has been designed with Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread, the latest Android operating system for small portable devices. Philips GoGear Connect 3 brings you high speed internet via Wi-Fi to your finger tips and the opportunity to delve into over 300,000 apps and games available on the Android Market™.
Boasting a bright and capacitive 3.2” touch-screen, you can quickly and easily browse the internet as well as your own selection of games, music and movies. The Google functions like search, Gmail, Google Talk or YouTube are easily accessible from the home screen.
Videos can be enjoyed with high-definition playback up to 720 p. And of course you have wide codec support, which means the GoGear Connect 3 will play almost any music or video format.
Of course the GoGear Connect 3 offers you all the advantages of the Android experience:
- Customizable home screen, keyboard and widgets
- Use as mass storage device
- Easy access to the Android market without need of credit card details
- Unlimited gaming fun
Created with the best in Philips sound technology, including FullSound™, Sound Personalization and Surround for Movies, it delivers the superior sound that the Philips GoGear range is renowned for and is a fantastic new product for all music lovers and gamers.
To perfectly enjoy your music, the GoGear Connect 3 comes with the PC software Philips Songbird, an easy-to-use program that makes syncing music from your PC hassle free. Plus, there’s no need to sort through your music library to find the perfect tracks. Just pick one, click the LikeMusic icon and the Philips patented technology will instantly build a smart playlist by matching music with similar characteristics.
The Philips SimplyShare app enables you to share content through a variety of Philips and third party DLNA enabled products, such as the GoGear Connect 3, Network Music Players, Wi-Fi enabled cameras and photoframes, wireless speakers, home cinema systems or your TV. Between Philips products a simple swipe is enough to watch your personal photos or videos on a larger TV screen, streaming e.g. from your GoGear Connect 3.
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