Move over iPod... here comes Samsung

[N1LAF]

I have an iPod, no camera, and it is a neat, little device, easy to keep in the pocket. Two BIG marks against it, Apple policy, of course, is:

1. Inability to change the battery
2. Hove to use iTunes to access the dang thing.

Otherwise, it is a great little device.

Now enter Samsung Galaxy Player. Resolves the Apple problem.

Galaxy Player 4.2 has replaceable batteries, and you can access the device by USB cable, without a specific program. Really cool. Looked at the demo model at BestBuy. Nice. AND it has removable MicroSD memory, and to buy a module that allows USB hard drive access.

Built-in FM tuner.

The questions now becomes.... why buy an iPod when you have a Samsung Galaxy Player on hand???

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/mp3-players/YP-GI1CB/XAA

[X-Rated]

These have our crystals and timing devices in them. Another reason to get Samsung and not Apple.

[n2ize]

All I carry is a cell phone which I hardly ever use. When I go out I prefer to leave the technology and enjoy the sky, the trees, etc.

That said I hope Samsung offers a challenge to Apple. I never much liked devices that lock you into a specific piece of proprietary software, hardware, etc.

As far as changing the battery in the iPod, I believe it can be done My niece has an iPod and I recall her telling me she changed the battery. It involved some work and some soldering but she managed to get it done. I believe it uses a small LiPo battery somewhere inside the casing of the unit.

[NQ6U]

I changed the battery in my iPod. I opened up my old iPhone after I updated to a new one, too, just to see what it looked like inside. Apple may not encourage it, but it shouldn't be difficult for any ham.

[W4GPL]

I changed the battery in my iPod. I opened up my old iPhone after I updated to a new one, too, just to see what it looked like inside. Apple may not encourage it, but it shouldn't be difficult for any ham.I changed the battery in an iPad2.. there's a website.. iFixIt (I think?).. which has all the tips for fixing these Apple devices. They don't make it easy, but it's not impossible.​

[kf0rt]

I have an iPod, no camera, and it is a neat, little device, easy to keep in the pocket. Two BIG marks against it, Apple policy, of course, is:

1. Inability to change the battery
2. Hove to use iTunes to access the dang thing.

Otherwise, it is a great little device.

Now enter Samsung Galaxy Player. Resolves the Apple problem.

Galaxy Player 4.2 has replaceable batteries, and you can access the device by USB cable, without a specific program. Really cool. Looked at the demo model at BestBuy. Nice. AND it has removable MicroSD memory, and to buy a module that allows USB hard drive access.

Built-in FM tuner.

The questions now becomes.... why buy an iPod when you have a Samsung Galaxy Player on hand???

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/mp3-players/YP-GI1CB/XAA

Agreed on all counts. Got an iPod Touch here (2nd gen?). Had it awhile and I haven't broken the battery yet, but I hate iTunes -- what an obtuse piece of software that is, and Apple's known for "ease of use?" Y'know, it took me awhile to figure out that there's a "shake to shuffle" feature on that thing -- I'd be out mowing the lawn and it would start skipping. RTFM, I guess.

Just bought an Acer A210 Android tablet (yeah, I'm cheap) and my first impressions are very favorable. Looks like it'll handle everything I want for the beach excursions. MP3 player checks out, Kindle app works, Netflix works, Skype works even without headphones and external mic. Front facing camera is a bit of a joke, but it has a GPS unit built in. Added a 32GB microSD card to beef up the memory a bit. I'll stick with Nikon and Canon for photos, but the Acer even has a full-size USB host port that works with my pocketable SD card readers (this was a big selling point -- plug in an external hard drive, it works). Also has a USB slave port, so moving MP3's is a simple file copy from another computer. Doesn't appear to charge from the USB ports though, and that's a negative; requires a dedicated charger, but the battery life appears to be really good.

[WØTKX]

Use both the iPhone w/iTunes and Windows Phone w/Zune.
I rather like Zune, aka Xbox Player.

I use a Sansa Clip for skiing and rough use, best audio quality of all my portable players.
Cheap too.

[N1LAF]

Rob, like the Acer, Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus and up has the same ability with an add-on device ($19.95)

Galaxy Tab™ Adapter (USB)

This pocket-sized device turns your SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab™ into a USB host, allowing you to connect compatible USB accessory devices such as keyboards, mice, thumb drives and more to your Tab™. The adapter enhances the capabilities of your Tab, providing a solution for user-friendly removable data storage or the sharing of your favorite multimedia files with your Tab. Insert a USB mouse or keyboard to improve enterprise efficiency at the office or at home. Simply connect a USB memory stick or USB cable from compatible devices to the USB port on the adapter and then insert the adapter into your Tab. Available separately is the SAMSUNG 30-Pin to USB Charging Data Cable, providing the ability to connect your SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab device to your compatible host PC, allowing your Tab to become an external modem while also charging and syncing your data.

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab-accessories/EPL-1PL0BEGSTA?

[N1LAF]

Also, there is an App for the ipod that creates an environment/structure that is separate from the OS, accessible by a custom USB cable or wifi (ftp client)

fileapp.com

http://www.digidna.net/fileapp

[kf0rt]

Rob, like the Acer, Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus and up has the same ability with an add-on device ($19.95)

Galaxy Tab™ Adapter (USB)

This pocket-sized device turns your SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab™ into a USB host, allowing you to connect compatible USB accessory devices such as keyboards, mice, thumb drives and more to your Tab™. The adapter enhances the capabilities of your Tab, providing a solution for user-friendly removable data storage or the sharing of your favorite multimedia files with your Tab. Insert a USB mouse or keyboard to improve enterprise efficiency at the office or at home. Simply connect a USB memory stick or USB cable from compatible devices to the USB port on the adapter and then insert the adapter into your Tab. Available separately is the SAMSUNG 30-Pin to USB Charging Data Cable, providing the ability to connect your SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab device to your compatible host PC, allowing your Tab to become an external modem while also charging and syncing your data.

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab-accessories/EPL-1PL0BEGSTA?

That's cool, Paul, but as I turn into an old fart, I'm learning that "less is more." I actually bought a little device for the iPod Touch that plugs into the bottom of the Touch and reads SD cards. Nothing real expensive, prolley cost $20. And it even works, but is slow as hell and the small screens are too painful for any kind of photo work.

All hobby stuff here (have bigass i7 multi-screen desktops for work and homework). Prefer that actually, but they're not very portable.

Wife and I manage about two real vacations a year, and I guess connectivity has become an addiction of sorts. It's easy to take the laptop along for the driving trip, but when we go to Mexico, space becomes a real issue, and it's kind of getting out of hand. The goal is to minimize things. Less equipment, fewer chargers, etc. I should be ashamed that I even take this much crap on a vacation, but I take a fully equipped "photo bag" on these trips and I'd rather take pictures than surf the net. More into the cameras than the computers when I'm not being paid.

But, we do this to relax (y'know... beach bar, read books, kick back, forget about work for a bit). So, just looking for some consolidation. One device instead of two. The USB isn't really a requirement, but might be fun.

[N1LAF]

That is why I will be moving away from the iPod and moving toward this Galaxy Player. Same software, uses same hardware, common, and without the limitations of the iPod. Having both iPod and Galaxy Tab, the Tab is coming out ahead.