Performance
Browsing the P2 is really easy and instantly comfortable, even if
you're used to an iPod. After switching off the hideously irritating
menu sound effects, we plunged into some music. Sound quality is
generally pretty decent. First up for testing was Tarantula
by Pendulum, a powerful drum 'n' bass track from the Australians.
Pendulum's wonderfully distorted bass was as driven and heavy as it
should be. Ambient sound effects in the background were clearly audible
and free of any interference.
Glósóli by Sigur Rós, the dream-like track full of ethereal ambiance and regimented stomping, was reproduced wonderfully. Very few people will take issue with the P2's performance, other than the fact that it doesn't support lossless audio -- a big disappointment for anyone who likes to plug their players into a hi-fi.
Although viewing angles are quite poor, video playback is generally impressive on the 16:9-format screen. High-quality movies are bright, crisp and exceptionally smooth. None of our usual test library of video files would play, some of which use typical video podcast resolutions. Samsung's Media Studio software will convert clips, very slowly, to .SVI format, but the results aren't impressive.
Quite nice is the integration of RSS subscriptions. Although you need to use Samsung's functional, if clunky, media manager, you can subscribe to RSS feeds and have their content automatically downloaded to your machine. It's not as seamless as the podcast support in iTunes, but it's good enough.
If you're planning on using Bluetooth earphones, you'll be pleased to hear it's a simple process to set up. The P2 supports A2DP stereo Bluetooth, so sound quality through some decent wireless earphones will be top notch.
Conclusion
Despite trying the be the iPod touch and
failing somewhat, Samsung has produced a solid new player. It's
stylish, easy to use and distinctly affordable. We were disappointed
with the number of audio formats supported, and very sad not to see
support for lossless audio. The P2's massive screen makes video the
killer app. The only problem is that video playback can be a pain due
to the restrictive number of formats and resolutions the player
supports.
All in all, the YP-P2 is capable and affordable, but hindered by some annoying software restrictions. If you're looking for an affordable and great looking player, consider the P2. But if you want a polished and sophisticated video experience, you may want to shell a few more quid and plump for the model the P2 is so obviously styled after, the iPod touch.
Supplier: Advanced MP3Players.com
Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday
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sonymad 9 March 2012
Good: brifgt screen good battery life easy to use large icons video quality is amazing sound quality is great
Bad: no apps and games lacks wifi f.m signal is rubbish doesnt support alot of formats but deasnt software included to help convert
Comment: Samsung YP-P2 8GB Media Player
Right now, there's no doubt what the coolest gadgets of the moment are in the minds of the digital music-buying public. It's the latest touchscreen-driven devices from Apple. No matter what your preferences or which technological axe you may have to grind, you can't possibly deny that both the iPhone and iPod Touch are amazing examples of what can be done with a simple concept and great software and hardware design.
The big problem is that to get your hands on one of these you have to fork out quite a bit of cash. We all know how expensive an iPhone is - even before you get to the price of the obligatory contract - and those who don't want the phone still have to pay through the nose for the Touch.
But there is another way to get your hands on a sexy, touchscreen music player, and it's called the Samsung YP-P2. It's clear from the start that this is trying awfully hard to match the iPod Touch. It has a hard touchscreen with very little else in the way of controls on the front panel. It even looks the same, though the small circular element on the short edge of the screen turns out to be merely a status light, not a home button as it is on the Touch.
A closer look, however, reveals this isn't a straight rip-off after all, and in many ways it's the more practical music player. For starters, it's much smaller and more pocketable than the Touch. At 100 x 52 x 9.9mm and 85g it's not going to get into the teeny-tiny hall of fame any time soon, but it's a darned sight more svelte than the Apple device and it's put together just as well too. Though the screen attracts greasy fingerprints like a dirt magnet, it seems highly scratch resistant, and the rest of the device is extremely solid.
It has dedicated hardware controls for common functions, which is something the Touch lacks: volume controls are sited on the right spine, while the power button and hold switch are on the right, which just add to the usability of the player and mean the volume can be adjusted whether you're in menu or music view. And another feature missing from the Touch that you get here is an FM tuner. Strangely, though, there's no voice record mode despite the presence of an external microphone.
nightcrawler 16 April 2010
Good: Crisp and Clear screen resolution (480 x 272) Responsive 16:9 Widescreen Touchscreen Intuitive Control DNSe EQ Settings Bluetooth Portable Looks Great App Support Sounds awesome Good build quality Included earphones are good Screen Protector included
Bad: Does have software bugs that need sorting out Could use some more music options Could use more apps Touchscreen can be inaccurate at times No expandable memory Limited Format Support Lacks Wi Fi
Comment: The Samsung YP P2 is an excellent player in its own right, only let down by Samsung's proprietary garden and inability to take advantage of their player in certain situations. It offers a wide range of features and executes them quite well, even if it may ocassionally run into a glitch or two. The sound quality is among the best players I've ever heard and isn't that what we buy MP3 Players for? Bluetooth was also a very nice and unique addition, as were many of its prime pack options. The lack of Wi Fi can be forgiven for a player this price but what it does do it does well. The inclusion of tactile buttons is a nice plus and it looks sophisticated enough to make it worth carrying around with you.
The apps were a nice touch (including games, subway maps etc) but could have done more to be more useful.
It looks great, it sounds great and it's a great price. Only let down by its limited format support, lack of some music playback options, some glitches as well as the indirect method of deleting files, it's a player worth owning.
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
nightcrawler 16 April 2010
Good: Crisp and Clear screen resolution (480 x 272) Responsive 16:9 Widescreen Touchscreen Intuitive Control DNSe EQ Settings Bluetooth Portable Looks Great App Support Sounds awesome Good build quality Included earphones are good Screen Protector included
Bad: Does have software bugs that need sorting out Could use some more music options Could use more apps Touchscreen can be inaccurate at times No expandable memory Limited Format Support Lacks Wi Fi
Comment: The Samsung YP P2 is full of features, including App SupportPacking a text reader, a calculator, a dictionary (Korean firmware only), Games, an Alarm, Voice Recorder, World Clock, Address Book and a Subway Route Map for 24 major cities across the globe, the YP P2 is more swiss army knife than your standard player. However there are shortcomings. The games on offer, while fun won't keep you occupied for very long and it's clear that the instructions were not written by English speakers. There are 5 games available for this player and the potential is there but lack of developer support means there isn't a sleuth of entertainment on offer here (probably thanks to the YP P3). The Text reader is fairly accomplished, allowing you to zoom to different levels and intuitive use of the EmoTure software makes it simple to use. The large screen lends itself to being easily readable but again the lack of format support lets it down (.txt only) although on an MP3 player it can be forgiven. Many of the other functions are fairly basic, useful fo day to day life but nothing too extensive.
The Subway map feature is perhaps one of the most useful, including maps for 3 major continents and 24 major cities including London, Paris and New York complete with points of interest annotated and explained it is a very useful tool, but lack of written instructions can make it confusing at first.
The prime pack proves fairly useful but in some areas gimped by some shortsighted decisions (e.g. the Calender does not have task support and the lack of developer support means the app function is under utilised).
The YP P2 sounds beautiful and the included earphones are above the standard for many pack in ear phones that I have heard although you'll need to make use of the DNSe EQ settings to get the most out off them. With DNSe, the bass sounded well pronounced and electric guitars powerful and with presence although not enough to overwhelm other parts of the music. The rendition of Mirror's Edge's soundtrack Still Alive was warm and full bodied but the player doesn't quite match the atmosphere of the Creative Zen but it is awesome in its own right.
Album Art looks beautiful, provided you find an album art picture of high enough resolution. You are given 3 different visualisations but these don't react to the music that's playing and are a more a preset loop of animations plus an actual EQ. If that's not your sort of thing you can get the standard Album Art view or double tap the screen to get it in full screen together with album information. The YP P2 has you covered for music playback and options.
The DNSe Settings (Samsung's EQs) allow you to alter the sound of your music and if you intend to use the included earphones, I recommend you make good use of the DNSes. It is one of the best sounding players I've ever heard but if you want to get even more out of it you may want to purchase a set of Sennheiser or Shure earphones as the included ones aren't good at noise cancelling.
It's a shame about the lack of programmable play and the inability to edit or create a playlist on the fly. You either take your songs as they are (which is all of them) or take none at all. Yes, the player does have the option to make up to 5 playlists but these are prenamed and must be made before you start playing any music. It would have been nice to see an Add to Now Playing Option in the music library for every song or the ability to remove a track from a currently playing playlist. You could say this is counteracted by the ability to jump to your music library which is never more than one screen press away from the now playing screen and jump to a song that you want in less than 30 seconds, but it would have been nice to see a more seamless music playback option. The ability to rate your music tracks, but unfortunately Samsung felt it unneccessary as was the ability to do album to album play by different artists (you either play 1, all by 1 artist or none at a
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