Cowon S9 PMP unboxing and hands-on

Cowon's 16GB S9 may have just started shipping out yesterday, but we just acquired one of the 8GB models a day before it's expected to hit the rest of America. We're planning on spending a little time with this critter to give you our thoughts, but for now, we figured we'd let you toy around in the gallery below to get acquainted. Our first impression upon cracking open the box was along the lines of "wow, this thing is small... and light!" Maybe that zoomed in press shot we've been drooling over had our proportions all jacked up, but needless to say you won't have a tough time fitting this one in your right front pocket. Check out the images below for an unboxing and UI walkthrough that'll surely bring copious amounts of joy into your life.

Update: Full specifications list now posted after the break for easy reference.

Gallery: Cowon S9 PMP unboxing

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Gallery: Cowon S9 PMP hands-on / UI walkthrough

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[Ryan @ Dec 18th 2008 12:56PM]

Wow, that was fast!

Looks sharp...

[thatrotierkid @ Dec 18th 2008 1:09PM]

thats what she said

[Decoy @ Dec 18th 2008 1:51PM]

Enough with this joke!

[jivetrky @ Dec 18th 2008 3:36PM]

@thatrotierkid

She said it was sharp? Perhaps you should try some enhancement pills.

[Thats What He Said @ Dec 18th 2008 7:47PM]

no, thats what he said......

[Brian @ Dec 18th 2008 12:56PM]

this thing bwats the touch IMO, definate buy especially with that battery life.

I'm just wondering if it'll be able to take snowboarding...

[adam @ Dec 18th 2008 3:01PM]

it has a browser function, but the icon looked like a folder? i hope it does internet/is as good as touch with that respect

if not not worth 200+ dollars

[Landon @ Dec 18th 2008 3:14PM]

Because it's a file browser....not internet...

[imacmatt09 @ Dec 18th 2008 12:57PM]

Wow that kicks the iPhones ass!

[i.c. weiner @ Dec 18th 2008 4:19PM]

lolwut

[imacmatt09 @ Dec 18th 2008 12:58PM]

Wow he must have a multiple personality disorder.

[arash @ Dec 18th 2008 1:59PM]

dont forget that little pink pills every night,ok?

[drumdbeat @ Dec 18th 2008 2:14PM]

Unless that's the problem.........

[dev1brkr @ Dec 18th 2008 12:59PM]

thanks for the joy

[cruel cynic @ Dec 18th 2008 1:02PM]

I get paid tomorrow. I am ordering one. That is one hot little pmp. Thanks for all the images.

[Shugg @ Dec 18th 2008 2:23PM]

U get paid tomorrow ,. Make sure has a moneyback policy,.cuz this thing blows hard ,. No wifi browser .,accelorometer sorry ass interface no 30 pin adapter technology what u gonna dock it on ur home system or car ,.3.5mm..that is so yesterdays technology,. No accesories to use a remote control etc ..just another touch wannabee,.this is no "touchkiller",.it will tank hard here in the states ,.might do better in 3rd world country,.save ur money bro,.buy a storm, wait don't that blows too,.

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 18th 2008 2:27PM]

In Gaelic 'shugg' means 'fuckwit'.

True dat.

[Jorvay @ Dec 18th 2008 2:28PM]

Browsing the internet on your mp3 player is a fun gimmick for about 5 minutes. Surpurb sound quality combined with near-infinite format support (assuming Cowon hasn't strayed from previous offerings) is fun for hours and hours.

[Gnormie @ Dec 18th 2008 2:29PM]

@ Shugg
I really can't tell whether you're being serious or not... which is really quite worrying.

[Landon @ Dec 18th 2008 3:16PM]

Oh I'm gonna go with Bluetooth...you know...new technology. Forget wires, I like to be able to jump in my car and my stereo automatically syncs with my mp3 player. Or turn on my wireless headphones and I'm connected. Besides that Cowon has much better sound quality.

[Landon @ Dec 18th 2008 3:22PM]

2 more things....why would I want to use my mp3 player for the internet anyways if I already have my phone? What is the point in busting out multiple devices for that? And no remote accessories? Well...I guess I'll just use it as the remote while it's hooked up to my stereo via Bluetooth and it's in my pocket anyways as I move about the room.

[thegr8deprsion @ Dec 18th 2008 4:38PM]

I agree with Landon on this things bluetooth capabilities far trumping the iPod's docking abilities. The A2DP standard ensures quality sound even without wires, and the AVRCP allows you to use as a remote control, or have it remotely controlled, which is awesome. I just wonder if it transfer files through bluetooth like the YP-P2 can, not a deal breaker, but a handy feature nonetheless.

[pd @ Dec 18th 2008 5:31PM]

@ Shugg
How can it be an itouch wannabe, if it doesn't have the same features as the itouch (internet and the ever-so-important accelorometer)? It's mainly a music/video player with an amazing list of features that people who use their pmp's to listen to music will enjoy. If you think it's a touch wannabe because it's a touch screen; the S9 is the updated version of the Cowon D2, which was released before the iphone/itouch, and had a touch screen.
Moving on. The player looks nice enough, but I think I will stay with my D2, mainly because I can use a SD card with the D2. Let's hope Cowon can get some proper firmwire for it though.

[dale1v @ Dec 18th 2008 6:50PM]

I guess it's time to Shugg The Fuck Up, shugg.

[Kris120890 @ Dec 18th 2008 1:05PM]

Why no video.
It doesn't have to be first class HD camcorder just good quality. I'm going for the O2 instead though.

[thatrotierkid @ Dec 18th 2008 1:13PM]

http://www.youtube.com/v/LIUVkS1j_0Y&hl=en&fs=1

[Carpet @ Dec 18th 2008 1:15PM]

There was a post a while back asking "what was the best portable music/video/games player?".

Didn't a previous Cowon do quite well in that?

I know a particular group will be venting over it's appearance but this brand been delivering quality for a while, right?

[Sy @ Dec 18th 2008 1:28PM]

Who are you kidding? When I think of Cowon, I think of Sanyo or the other numerous 3rd rate electronic shops in Asia.

[Jeremy K. @ Dec 18th 2008 1:41PM]

Cowon has a smaller following in the "west" compared to apple or ms because they don't advertise here at all. Their devices also aren't tied to a music store and don't support drm. But now that Amazon.com and Rhapsody are offering music drm-free, it's a moot point.

I would much rather have a Cowon device because of their codec support, sound quality and price.

Cowon makes quality products that last a long time. I have my Cowon A2 from 2005 and it works great still. I use it nearly every day. Battery life has gone down, but not enough for me to buy a new PMP yet.

[melloncollie @ Dec 18th 2008 2:28PM]

Actually Cowon is a very reputable PMP maker.

[Sy @ Dec 18th 2008 2:54PM]

Hey Jeremy,

I hate to break it to you but iPods are not tied to the iTune music store and you can also transfer non-DRM songs on it. Apple is not forcing you to use the store and buy DRMed songs.

You Apple haters are so predictable.

[Gnormie @ Dec 18th 2008 3:12PM]

@ Sy
Congratulations for completely missing the point of Jeremy K's post, where he talked about hardware, build quality, advertising budgets, codec support and longevity you immediately jump on him for the software argument (which he himself admitted was a moot point)? Well I guess if you can't actually argue the point put forward a strawman right?

You Apple fanboy's are so predictable!

(See what I did there?)

[Sy @ Dec 18th 2008 3:53PM]

Gnormie,

Congratulations on missing the point about me correcting a misnomer most Apple haters repeat myopically. Guess what, I don't usually bring up valid points the other posters make. See what I did there?

Oh I notice, you have no problem with my response. You only had problems with what I DIDN'T mention. And yes, Cowon is still perceived as a third rate electronic shops by a large majority of the American public. That was all I was trying to get across.

[Kyle @ Dec 18th 2008 1:17PM]

the UI is kinda...ugly...

[imconsentsboy @ Dec 18th 2008 1:18PM]

press shots made this thing look way hotter.

[Decoy @ Dec 18th 2008 1:53PM]

Press shots make hamburgers look better.

[kr @ Dec 18th 2008 2:11PM]

Hamburgers don't need help looking beautiful to me.

[Eric @ Dec 18th 2008 2:16PM]

Didn't I see something about the UI being completely customizable?

[Ruben @ Dec 18th 2008 3:34PM]

What UI are you looking at?

[ogo @ Dec 18th 2008 1:18PM]

looks better in press shot.

[Eric @ Dec 18th 2008 2:13PM]

Yes... it's call retouching... just like all those pretty models in fashion mags... they don't look That good in Real life.

[VampireHunter Z @ Dec 18th 2008 1:22PM]

It looks good but 480x272 native rez is just too low. I already have that on my PSP.

[Gnormie @ Dec 18th 2008 1:27PM]

That's on a 3.3" screen so the pixel density is much greater then that of the 4.3" PSP Screen.

[mowpower @ Dec 18th 2008 1:24PM]

Looks pretty cool.

[Gnormie @ Dec 18th 2008 1:29PM]

I know feel much better about jumping the gun on ordering one of these :P The 'OH SHINY!' bit of my brain overpowered me, should be being delivered tomorrow.

Still looks fantastic and the UI ain't looking too shabby either.

[Welshie @ Dec 18th 2008 2:19PM]

If this is anything like my D2 - it will play AAC files, you just have to rename them to .mp4.

[batteryhq @ Dec 18th 2008 1:36PM]

Cnet says it wouldn't play AAC!? Fail. I will now not be buying. Didn't the D2 support AAC? I dont understand why someone like cowon wouldn't build in AAC support when they go to the effort of including APE. (re: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/digitalmusic/0,39029432,49300392,00.htm FYI).

[dale1v @ Dec 18th 2008 1:38PM]

AAC? hmmmmm Oh! THAT format ~_~

[Gnormie @ Dec 18th 2008 1:47PM]

Umm, why exactly would you want to play .AAC on this player? Apple is notorious for their low quality offerings from iTunes, and trans coding all your music from it's original format to .AAC doesn't help much with the quality either, so why would you buy the Cowon S9, a player from a company renowned for it's sound quality, then play 128kbps - 192kbps music through it? A player like this deserves lossless .FLAC/.APE/etc. and I personally can't stand anything lower then 240kbps ogg vorbis.

[Welshie @ Dec 18th 2008 2:23PM]

Damn, that above comment was supposed to go here.

"If this is anything like my D2 - it will play AAC files, you just have to rename them to .mp4."

On another point, it's a real shame they couldn't find room for some kind of expandable memory slot on this. This is one of the killer features of the D2.