Coby's MP836 hands-on

It looks like the plush gray carpet in the Coby booth at CES isn't the only thing that might make you stumble. Coby's flagship PMP here at CES is the MP836, and it's safe to say it rubbed us the wrong way. The device itself wasn't that horrible to look at, but the interface and general aesthetics were both major turnoffs. It'll be available in 4, 8, and 16GB variations when it does eventually hit the marketplace, but we couldn't get a solid MSRP from the booth staff. Be sure to check out our vids of the device in action and the gallery as well.

Update: Coby called to let us know that the MP836 we saw was actually a pre-production model, and the hardware and software were still being tweaked, which likely explains the glitching we see in those videos.

Gallery: Coby's MP836 hands-on: when 'not quite ready for primetime' is a gross understatement

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[dvsbstrd @ Jan 8th 2009 9:26PM]

Is this the same Coby that sells cheap, shitty electronics at CVS?

[ack154 @ Jan 8th 2009 9:38PM]

I can't think of any other... this sounds about right though. I've never owned any of their devices (and while that may not necessarily entitle me to comment about them) but this is pretty much the reason why.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 8th 2009 9:43PM]

I will say that COBY does make good headphones. Nice and loud with plenty of BASS response.

But netbooks, DAP's and other computer related things they should really avoid.

[STINK @ Jan 8th 2009 10:03PM]

Coby's the brand of electronics I'll take to work (manufacturing plant). If it gets stolen, who cares?

[asdfadfasdf @ Jan 9th 2009 2:18AM]

CVS?! They sure have moved up from selling cheap, rip-offs of sony headphones on Canal St. and flea markets.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Jan 12th 2009 6:38PM]

First time I saw Coby was when I was in a new york electronics store. I couldn't stop laughing at the copyright infringement.

Sony guts! Sony guts!

[Theo @ Jan 12th 2009 7:27PM]

Yes, it is the same Coby name. But it's not the same manufacturer. Coby ran out of money for a while, and lent their name to off-market, shitty electronics manufacturers.

[David @ Jan 8th 2009 9:28PM]

To be fair, anybody who would actually buy something as complex and fine-tuned as a touchscreen media player from the king of cheapass electronics knockoffs deserves what they get.

[DWilli @ Jan 8th 2009 9:31PM]

Is it really broken? Or is the chipped-at hole at the bottom of the device them feigning motion controls?

[DWilli @ Jan 8th 2009 9:32PM]

Nevermind, I see it was a reflection now. Can we at least entertain the joke for what it's worth? :(

[Esat Dedezade @ Jan 8th 2009 10:01PM]

Consider it entertained :)

[holycow @ Jan 8th 2009 9:59PM]

It'll be dirt cheap so it'll sell regardless of the touch response time and other drawbacks.

[Darren @ Jan 8th 2009 10:02PM]

Well, you can't expect a run-of-the-mill consumer electronics company to know anything about writing software.

[blehh @ Jan 8th 2009 10:05PM]

looks alot like my old p2...

[blehh @ Jan 8th 2009 10:07PM]

except bundled with a lot of fail

[gonintendo @ Jan 8th 2009 10:07PM]

iPhone killer!

[oh.ppie @ Jan 8th 2009 11:26PM]

I got one of these as a prototype.

The screen is actually not lackluster at all. Its pretty nice to look at, but its touch interface is lacking some quality. I'm sure the quality of the touch screen will increase over time. I actually think the entire player looks extremely nice and stylish, also considering the desirable price tag. I'm willing to bet that these are going to sell for under 100 bucks.

[oakie @ Jan 8th 2009 11:46PM]

"I actually think the entire player looks extremely nice and stylish, also considering the desirable price tag. I'm willing to bet that these are going to sell for under 100 bucks."

how can you say "considering the desirable price tag" and immediately follow it up with proof that you have no idea what the price tag will say?


as for "multitouch", i think they meant "you have to touch an icon multiple times to register an action". heh.

[oh.ppie @ Jan 9th 2009 9:08PM]

"how can you say "considering the desirable price tag" and immediately follow it up with proof that you have no idea what the price tag will say?"

I was estimating the outcome of the price tag. Coby makes generally cheap products mostly below $100. Why would this be any different?

[yrag @ Jan 9th 2009 12:14AM]

Hey Coby, GeoWorks just called from from 1990. They said stop making bad imitations of their icons and interface.

It's an ancient history joke people!

[terry @ Jan 9th 2009 1:30AM]

the irony here is that coby will be the one selling a lot of mp3 players once the market is so damn saturated, you'd be able to find a 16 gig for $10.00 at Best Buy.
Hell, it was just 18 years ago that a low end sony cd player was selling for $250.00 now coby has a version for $4.00.
Case closed.

[shugg @ Jan 9th 2009 1:42AM]

Wow, sounds like your the first official and only "coby fanboi" congratulations!!!!!!!!Dee Dee Deee!!!!!!!!!

[John @ Jan 9th 2009 2:26AM]

$40 for a CD player? that's still a bit steep man

[chickenator @ Jan 9th 2009 1:57AM]

where's my CobyPhone?

[Jeffro @ Jan 9th 2009 2:03AM]

I work in an electronics store. We have a saying. When one is really broke, as in one has no cash at all, not even spare change in your car, purse, etc...we say..."Your broke like a Coby."

Coby makes nothing good at all. Their headphones suck, their MP3 players are simply the worst thing to ever happen. We quit selling them as we had so many returns it was hard to ship them back. What a nightmare!

[Andre @ Jan 9th 2009 3:06AM]

There name doesn't deserve to be a homonym of the greatest basketball player of all time. Disgraceful.

[Zorque @ Jan 9th 2009 9:50AM]

He's also a rapist, so maybe it's fitting.

[bandigolo @ Jan 9th 2009 12:36PM]

^ he's no rapist, he just likes banging hot, slutty white women. If that's rape, then I'm guilty as charged, baby!

[FJ @ Jan 9th 2009 11:05AM]

Not bad. Remember is not a finished product yet. Coby has come a long way, it reminds me of Hyundai for some reason. To think that now even Hyundai can sell more cars than Detroit. Heck they could even purchase Ford if the wanted to. At least that's one American electronics company that's trying something cool. Zenith and Magnavox where r u now?

[bandigolo @ Jan 9th 2009 12:35PM]

For the love of christ, what do you guys expect from a company that is built on Trademark confusion.

COBY
SONY

same font, same color (usually), much different prices.

COBY is basically a legal (somehow), store-distributed, counterfeit goods manufacturer. You know the shit you can buy at the markets in Beijing? Yeah, that's COBY. I am appalled that they are even invited to CES.

[oh.ppie @ Jan 9th 2009 9:03PM]

Same color, same font?

Same color. Okay, that any almost every other company out there...

Same font...
No. Different fonts.

Coby BUYS designs from other designers. Those same designers SELL those same designs to OTHER companies. This is somehow copying?

[JS @ Jan 9th 2009 2:11PM]

Their headphones are pretty sweet.

And I went on Wiki and Coby is actually an abbreviation of its former name Cowboy Electronics. Perhaps they didn't want to sell only us Texans....who knows but get your facts straight.

So I saw this unit on the floor as well. This is actually a very sweet product for what it has to offer and, I am assuming, not $200+ for a 16GB version because I’m subsidizing an overblown ad budget, or making a social statement on the subway.

Jacob "Harry Potter" Sulman need to do better reporting: It's resistive touch screen. The booth staff I spoke to said so when I asked, as well as

Aside from that, their i-net radios looked pretty cool, as well as their digital photo frames, which sell well for us.

[Nadool @ Jan 12th 2009 11:59PM]

Wow you're serious aren't you? Well after you're done buying Coby shares on E-Trade hit me up. I have a bridge for sale, but for fear of everyone else finding out, I won't mention which one here. Not safe.

"It was founded by Young Dong Lee who owns 100 percent of its capital stock. Its name comes from deleting the "w" and second "o" in Cowboy.[3] Lee (born 1955 in South Korea) originally owned an electronics wholesaler called Cowboy.[4]

The company's original headquarters was in an industrial area of Maspeth, Queens. In 2008 it moved the world headquarters to Lake Success, New York. The former headquarters remains as a company warehouse.[5]"

Nowhere in there (or anywhere on Wiki) does it say that it's former name was Cowboy Electronics.

"....who knows but get your facts straight."

Can't believe I actually researched that...but there was something about that comment that had dumb written all over it.

[Jeff @ Jan 13th 2009 5:42AM]

Nadool, maybe it is because you stereotype Texans as dumb. Your own citing says the owner "originally owned an electronics wholesaler called Cowboy". That seems close enough, for all practical purposes, to "Cowboy Electronics", no?

[Blastar @ Jan 12th 2009 6:37PM]

I feel sad about the person who demonstrates this.
It must have been a very uncomfortable and embarrassing moment.