Samsung's YP-U2 reviewed

Well, there's not exactly a whole lot there to review (especially in the wake of the YP-U1), but CNET got their hands on a Samsung YP-U2 and put it to the test. It came through with a "very good" rating for its FM tuner, voice recorder, PlaysForSure support, but got dinged on the jack placement and shuffle-like 13 hour battery life. But you just can't beat that $70 price point, even if the flip-out USB plug was unfortunately replaced with a gimmicky LED-lit clear plastic cap.

[Via Samsung HQ]

[yanathin @ Apr 22nd 2006 12:10PM]

Something's aweful fishy about that shuffle picture. Why isn't the USB cap rounded? Not only that, but the cap just looks bigger than normal. Weird.

[Farris @ Apr 22nd 2006 12:16PM]

@yanathin:
I think the cap is the neck-strap variety, with the cord PS'd out.

[daviel @ Apr 22nd 2006 1:05PM]

number 2:
I agree.

This thing is SOOOO much better than the shuffle... FM, voice record, plays for sure... and only $70....
nice

[minus_273 @ Apr 22nd 2006 1:22PM]

#3

"This thing is SOOOO much better than the shuffle... FM, voice record, plays for sure... and only $70....
nice"


umm plays for sure means it does not work with itunes.. kind of useless. Its like a 220v device in the US. sure it might work somewhere but not with the standard without a lot of mucking around.

[tekdroid @ Apr 22nd 2006 1:23PM]

*apparently no USB Mass Storage compliance on Windows.
*no Ogg Vorbis support
*no removable batteries (again)

I think the "no non-Microsoft formats" support is in full effect, omitting Ogg Vorbis...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PlaysForSure

A recent court case harshly criticised the wording of a recent Microsoft licensing agreement related to portable devices, see "Judge blasts MS bid to monopolize music devices". The licence prohibited makers of portable devices, compatible with Windows Media Player, from using non-Microsoft audio encoding formats (Ogg Vorbis is an example). Microsoft indicated that the wording of their licence was poorly written due to an oversight by a junior Microsoft employee. Microsoft quickly amended their stringently worded licence agreement at the judge's behest.

[gbx @ Apr 22nd 2006 1:56PM]

Beats Shuffle and that is what is important. IMO a display is a must and here we have it and the price is right.

[matt @ Apr 22nd 2006 2:19PM]

but does it have the same frequency response and sound quality as the shuffle? the shuffle is the best sounding mp3 player i have heard so far.

[Sasha S. @ Apr 22nd 2006 3:03PM]

Looks like Samsung has again used korean rice-farmers as designers of their products (again).

This device is very technical in appearance, it is rather ugly and has no style whatsoever. Yes, they have crammed some functionality in there but at the cost of usability.

They obviously never heard of "Less is more" principle! Shuffle has it's merrit when you want to listen to shuffled music. However when you want more control - you need something bigger and easier to navigate - like Nano. Cramming extra functions into too small package is very stupid.

Shuffle is music device and adding radio to it would not improve it. It would degrade the whole experience. In most western countries airwave-radio is less and less about music and more and more about all the other crap: ads, annoying DJs, stupid guests and even more stupid phone-ins.

just my USD 0,02

p.s. Talking about usability. HEY ENGADGET GEEKS, make the input text box for entering comments bigger!

[gold @ Apr 22nd 2006 3:43PM]

The FM radio is an excellent feature, I love having it on my Creative. Even though I have 1750+ songs on the thing I get tired of hearing them over and over.

Sure most radio is crap but we do have one good station in Chicago. I know folks on the west coast have far better choices.

You gotta admire the engineers over at Samsung for packing in all those features at that price. But then I think all those 'wear around the neck style' players are embarassing.

[DM @ Apr 22nd 2006 4:13PM]

#4 minus_273
yea, sure this will require a lot of "mucking around" to get it to work, especially since it is mass storage compliant... [/sarcasm]

Moron.

[js @ Apr 22nd 2006 4:51PM]

[fanboy mode]

Of course it sucks. It's not an iPod.

[/fanboy mode]

[minus_273 @ Apr 22nd 2006 5:50PM]

#10 DM

"apparently no USB Mass Storage compliance on Windows."


not really. you're the moron.

[DM @ Apr 22nd 2006 6:15PM]

#12 where did you get your info from?

http://www.samsunghq.com/content/view/192/
"The YP-U2 features an inverted monochrome LCD display, MP3 / OGG / WMA audio playback, FM tuner, voice recording, USB mass storage support, and a 20-hour battery life."

http://www.dapreview.net/comment.php?comment.news.2797
"...a USB-pen to easily transfer files and tracks..."


please do enlighten us...

[minus_273 @ Apr 22nd 2006 7:24PM]

#13

It said plays for sure certified. Pays for sure devices do not necessarily have to have mass storage compliance since they use the media transfer protocol as well. Media transfer protocol is the new thing MS is pushing and will likely replace mass storage on plays for sure devices.
Thus, it sucks because it is plays for sure and there is no guarantee that it will support mass storage unlike an ipod which has to have that to operate cross platform without special drivers. While it might support it now, dont expect future versions to and dont be surprised if there is a firmware update the removes USB mass storage support.

[daveg @ Apr 22nd 2006 7:30PM]

Sasha S. re: radio

I don't see how the radio inclusion is going to degrade the whole experience. Its not like you're forced to use it. I quite like it, since as other people have said, you get sick of listening to your mp3's all the time and where I live, there are enough goodcommerical free radio which is worth listening to to keep me happy.

I'm a happy recent owner (about 4 days now) of one of these and they connect to both my Powermac and Linux desktops in usb mass storage mode. Don't know about Windows since I haven't got any to test on, although I noticed that it had some drivers for Windows 98 only, so perhaps the usb mass storage issues are limited to Win98 only.

In regards to OGG and WMA, it plays both (I didn't realise it played WMA files at all until I read this post, bonus!).

NB, I've bought this player in Australia, so perhaps there's some laws in the US that don't apply here that allow Samsumg to sell them with firmware that plays both formats?

[dhelle @ Apr 22nd 2006 8:47PM]

radio is nice feature, but I dont care about it. I bought an ipod radio remote. I never listed to it anyway except when the device is very new. I tried listening to the radio I just ended up changing stations to find the music that I want which most of them are already on my ipod. The sound on the radio cannot be compared on the sound quality of the mp3s. But again having a radio is better than nothing...

[Apple Funatic @ Apr 23rd 2006 12:24AM]

This is no competition for the Shuffle. It might have a radio, but with the Shuffle, Apple invented this amazing feature where it will randomly play your tracks rather than just playing them in album-order like everything else on the market.

Only Apple with their focus on usability could have invented an amazing feature like that; you have to wonder why nobody every thought of it before.

[iDZ @ Apr 23rd 2006 2:08AM]

Nice sarcasm, Apple Funatic. Of course Apple didn't invent the idea of shuffling. They just promote the fact that for one Gig of music, for one single playlist, not everybody needs a display. The type of consumers not savvy enough to read Engadget will often choose ease-of-use over specs-&-functions.
But i do happen to think the samsung player looks really sharp. I love my shuffle but i wish it didn't look like a pregnancy test.

[DM @ Apr 23rd 2006 3:19AM]

#14
look at devices such as the archos av500... while they are fully MTP compliant, they also support a usb mode that allows it to be set as a hard disk (obviously protected tracks cant be transferred in that mode, but its mass storage...)

[john @ Apr 23rd 2006 6:30AM]

The fact that some of you actually try and defend Apple's shuffle is PROOF that you're brainwashed and completly susceptible to believing that pure crap is actually somehow great. So the shuffle has the word "iPod' in front of it, this automatically somehow gives it the AOK in your eyes even though it is completely lacking in features, ohh but hey I'll just listen to my music out of order and probably never be able to call up a particular file if I want to! hey its cool that way! Wow! Obviously none of you apple fanboy morons would have ever paid any attention to this tampon mp3 player if it were made by, say Sony, even if it were 100% the same, just lacking the iPod name. And now, when a comparable mp3 player hits the market kicking the shuffle's usless ass in almost every way, all your criticism is secretly based on the fact that since its not Apple.. it sucks! I'm sure other manufacturers are just totally pissed that they werent first to stick a battery and a chip inside a white lego and call it an mp3 player, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway, it wouldnt have sold obviously, and the insane applers would have screamed "hahahahhaa omfg, you expect us to buy an mp3 player with no display? how are you going to find your playlist or anythign!!! OMGhi2STEVE JOBS!! lOlmAcBookPrO! ! !1

[dhelle @ Apr 23rd 2006 9:57AM]

This is a nice product specifically created to compete with ipod shuffle n could trash the ipod shuffle in a snap. but lets face it however feature pack this device is. It could never beat the ipod shuffle in sales it will not even get close to half the sales of ipod shuffle that have already been sold. Call the 52 million plus ipod users moron or what for all I care. Please create a nice product that could beat the ipod not only on fuctionality and features but on style, usability an user experience as well, so ipod user will have a choice in buying a better device or buy another ipod at a cheaper price due to tight competition.

[Jamar @ Apr 23rd 2006 11:56AM]

They're trying to push an Asian design (give us more and smaller-looks be damned) on an American market (bigger is better, and simpler too). This took off pretty well here in Shanghai-I see plenty of my friends with one. Heck, never seen a friend of mine with an iPod at school (well... one friend with a nano, but he always complains about the lack of storage space and battery life, and he uses his old CD walkman FAR more-he's french, and I go to a school with a majority of Korean students). Again, it seems that the iPod users are a bit lacking in the "early adopterhood" department, and that this trend might also explain the stone-age technology that the US is stuck with (or at least the strange allocation of radio bands)

[UK Video Baby Monitors @ Apr 23rd 2006 5:05PM]

That should beat an IPod shuffle, but IPod is the fashion accessory piece right now. $70 though, thats a bargain for everything its got. I know what I would go for between the IPod and the Samsung...

[Jeff @ Apr 23rd 2006 8:44PM]

iPod Shuffle is poor man's iPod.

[iDZ @ Apr 23rd 2006 11:22PM]

iPod Shuffle is also an iPod owner's other iPod. Don't wanna go running with a hard drive? An extra $69 and you've got your workout playlist in your tshirt pocket.

[Dman @ Apr 23rd 2006 11:49PM]

I thoroughly enjoy using my Shuffle and it is, in fact, my secondary iPod for when I run and exercise. I do not need a display, radio, or recorder for that. For those that do, this looks like a nice alternative, except for us incompatible Mac users.

Either way, they both fail to measure up to the Nano for display capabilities and style and the YP-U2, I doubt, has software nearly as easy to use as iTunes. But hey, I'm just a fanboy defending my ego, right?

[Will @ Apr 25th 2006 1:50AM]

The nano is also three times as big. Plus the nano isn't a jump drive as well. I'm assuming I can just drop a folder of mp3s on to this thing and it'll play it. that way, you don't have to use some gay ass iTunes software, that wont let you listen to your music on a machine without it. This thing has the shuffle beat in every way including style.

[fudgy @ Apr 25th 2006 5:47PM]

I just picked up one of these for my wife, it's awesome for the price. I just took it to a lecture for voice recording, and it works wonderfully. It's really easy for her to put music on there because it is usb mass storage and all you gotta do is drag mp3s into the music folder. Definitely a great buy.

[Mike @ Apr 26th 2006 7:06PM]

Just picked this up today for $66.49 at Best Buy (I needed a light weight unit for the gym)

It is very cool looking and sounds great!
The blue led in the endcap is neat and functional when trying to plug into a dark USB port (it can be turned off)
The screen is monotone but razor sharp. Songs scroll across nicely.

It works perfectly with Yahoo music service.

It works pefectly as a USB file storage unit.

The multiple equalizer settings let you fine tune to perfection.

We also have the Shuffle (brother's)
This unit beats the Shuffle in all respects except the ability to "shuffle"
The only con I see so far is the lack of armband for using at the gym. However add a lanyard and tuck it into your shirt and your good to go.
For less than $70 with FM tuner, recorder, screen, perfect synch with subsription service and flat out better looking than Shuffle -- you can see why this unit is a winner.

[Will @ May 6th 2006 11:39PM]

I finally picked one of these up a few days ago. I was very disappointed with the model they're selling in the US, the YP-U2JX. You have to use MTP transfers on an XP machine, which means you have to have WMP10 installed. AND the promised OGG support was missing.

However, when I flashed the U2JX with the Korean U2XB firmware, the promised UMS transfers, OGG, and a few new things were added. I like this because I have no use for MTP transfers, and a great deal of my music is in Vorbis format. Also it acts like a jump drive should when I plug it in to any machine. There is on problem though, it only seems to play the newer ogg encodes, which is probably why they took out support for the US release.

Now that I have it working right, I can't live without this thing. Its has the best sound reproduction of any mp3 player I've ever used, much better than any iPod. You really have to hear, it?s ridiculous. It does indeed have a shuffle mode (even without the Korean firmware). And so far the battery life is much better than the stated 13hours (with the LED Effect turned off).

[Brian @ Jun 17th 2006 8:50PM]

Will,

I have this player and I really was sold with the ogg capabilities. However, when I first tried to transfer my music, I found out, like many others that you must use Windows Media Player. I was wondering where could I get the Korean U2XB firmware so that I can play ogg files like you can. I'd really appreciate a link or something!

[Glenn @ Jun 19th 2006 5:15PM]

Has anyone found the center search box on the XP/pc software come up in Chinese even though the english version was selected (reloaded several times to verify) the file list and everthing else is in english. Have installed on another dell laptop very similar to this with no problems.

[Jonathan @ Jul 7th 2006 8:11PM]

Hello all. I picked up this device at Best Buy a week ago and love it! Some have reported having to use Windows Media Player 10 in order to sync their music files; I have had no trouble just dragging and dropping music to the player. It has worked just fine for me.

Some have also reported that the player works well with Yahoo's Music Service. I want to be absolutely certain that is does before I sign up for their service. On their player compatability list, the YP-U2 is nowhere to be found. So, would someone please confirm that there are no problems using the player with the Yahoo Music "To Go" service?

Thanks, and Rock On! :)

[Gordon @ Jul 10th 2006 6:24PM]

I bought the YP-U2 at Best Buy for $70. The next week it was on sale for $60, do I got my quick $10 back. I use it fine on my Mac with iTunes. I just need to use SyncTunes (www.nesfield.co.uk/synctunes/) to convert music from my AAC library to MP3 on the fly. Works like a champ!

[nubby @ Jun 16th 2007 1:02AM]

how did you make it work with your mac?
When I plug it into the USB port it does not show up in the finder. I tried synctunes, but it could not find the decvice.

[bZ @ Jul 28th 2006 3:29PM]

I talked with Samsung "tech support" who told me that the player will not drag and drop in Windows Explorer and only utilize MTP. he also stated that all new Janus devices are the same. The Sansa has an option to switch between UMS/MTP but these devices do not. Strange because i can get explorer when the device is connected to one PC and only MTP will work on another. Anyone have any hacks/ideas how to get this player thats looks like a USB key to work storing files?

[Larse @ Aug 5th 2006 8:47PM]

" it does not work with itunes.. kind of usless "

--brainwashing

[Dan @ Aug 29th 2006 4:00PM]

Regarding MTP vs mass storage: Came with firmware 1.016b, but I flashed to 1.301 from samsung.com / support / download center / then you must click on 'use the global download center'. Find the YP-U2XB product and firmware is there. It is a bit tricky to flash as you have to hold the reset button and play button for about 10 seconds (LED goes black and a found new hardware wizard appears) Firmware 1.301 adds OGG support, FM still active, MTP is gone and now acts as a mass storage device, navigation is a bit different (filename based only). Get 1.301 since the other versions may have FM disabled, etc. Do yourself a favour and turn off the LED and beep features. Warning, if you care, you will no longer be able to play protected media files!

[Matt @ Sep 2nd 2006 9:13PM]

I just bought the yp-u2 today (9/2/06). The link to the newest firmware (1.301) seems to have recently been removed. Does anyone have it saved so they could forward it to me? Does anyone have another link? I would love to use this device to its fullest potential, and that includes mass storage capability.

[thomas vesely @ May 29th 2008 11:39AM]

got one for xmas,great.but now it no longer operates in shuffle mode.what to do?

[thomas vesely @ Apr 25th 2009 12:26AM]

well the shuffle problem is no longer an issue.it burnt to the ground in the february fires here in australia,cheers..........thomas