Samsung YP-MB2 appears at Korean e-tailer, specs and release date in tow? (update: first pics?)
By Sean Hollister 
posted August 2nd 2010 8:23AM
posted August 2nd 2010 8:23AM
Astute Samsung fans may have noticed an August 11th date circulating the web, and taken it to mean the company will then officially announce the Samsung Galaxy Tab. As it turns out, there's at least one more possibility: the YP-MB2 portable media player, spotted at Korean portal Daum and supposedly ready to launch on the very same day. While rumors surrounding the possible iPod touch competitor have swirled for weeks, all we knew for sure was that it was a GPS and WiFi-capable Android 2.1 MID with a four-inch Super AMOLED screen. Now, it looks like it could be everything we wanted in a PMP -- a Galaxy S missing only the bits that made it a phone -- and capable of decoding DivX, XviD, OGG and FLAC with that 1GHz Hummingbird processor. It's still unlikely we'll ever see it stateside with its T-DMB antenna inside, but if a pared-down version made to the US we'd be most happy to give it a try. Sadly, even the Korean version's just a particularly likely rumor for now, so you'll have to make do with optimistic thoughts and the leaked video below.Update: Samsung Hub spotted what might be the very first real picture of the media player at Korean blog, and sure enough it's looking nice and iPod-like. Spot a high-res version after the break.
It'll be interesting to pit this against the new ipod touch when it comes out in september.
@yeoldgreat1 It's too bad we can't even see the damn device though. What a stupid and pointless video. Does the cameraman suffer from MS or something?
@yeoldgreat1 People seems to forget that the majority of people don't want a phone that takes up half a pay check of most people along with a hyper priced data plans when you can get 50mb lines(and higher), free calling to at least 20 countries, and TV on top for $50 you can't get any cellular plan for that price. What good is having a Iphone 4 when you leave Europe or North America and limited sections of Asia since it is no good at being a phone.
So this is a very good deal and I would take this any day over a Ipod Touch since use some many formats and I am sure it will be drag, drop go about you business just like the Galaxy S is, and lets not forget alot of kids are not going to get a ultra expensive phone from mommy or daddy just for them to lose. So the options are PMP's and MIDS with a low priced Nokia(that can make calls no matter what position) to call with.
@TheOne Some people with iPhones seem to ALWAYS forget that.
And I haven't seen a cheap Nokia in a while... I need to start looking...
But why?
Why would i want a phone without the phone function so i also have to carry a real phone at the same time?
And before somebody mentions the iPod touch, i must say that i don't understand the point of that device either.
@GGG
Some people just want to run apps, play some music, watch the occasional video, play games, surf the web, but have little need for an integrated phone especially one that increases the price by ~$400 and/or carries a significant associated monthly cost.
With a BT headset, these "smart" PMPs also make a wonderful VoIP devices. While more complex than an integrated ear speaker for quick conversations, it's still an extremely flexible and extremely cheap alternative to a 'real phone' when around WiFi.
@GGG
obvious really -
1) I like my phone to be a relatively simple, and above all, cheap device, with a battery that lasts a week or more.
2) My typical phone use extends to about £5.00 a month - the cheapest smart phone rates are at best in the region of £20->£25 per month.
3) I don't see that portable internet is worth a £20 a month contract on top of my home internet. At best worth £5 on top of home internet, given the likely usage rate.
4) I like the idea of having all the other features of a smart phone, a GPS and WiFi enabled PDA/Music player if you like, but wouldn't even remotely consider them worth £20 per month. (and £20 is optimistic).
So you see,there's a lovely spot in the market for something like this.
@GGG More iPod Touch are sold each day than iPhones.
@GGG
Hmm, i guess that if you have no need for 3G internet there is no point in getting an expensive phone. It depends on how much cheaper the PMP is. But i'm just used to checking little things on the internet wherever i am and don't want to bother going look for a free wifi hotspot.
Then again my evil carrier just increased the monthly rate from 15€ to 19€ and decreased the internet allowance from 1 GB to 100 MB a month so i'll have to learn how to find wifi hotspots too :(
@GGG Might only a matter of time before something like the Yosion Apple Peel comes out for this.
I'd love one of these.
Might be cool for the kids... but meh. This is why we buy smartphones.
Have Samsung included a really good media player?
The stock Android one is awful.
@Sicarius123
The video player included with the Captivate (AT&T's Galaxy S) is mediocre imo. Xvid avi's are slightly jerky compared to Rockplayer which is completely fluid (using a Cowon S9 as a side-by-side comparison which is also totally fluid). Also if you shutdown the phone, it loses your spot in all videos, unless you add manual bookmarks which is tedious.
@j3ff
In that case it seems pretty pointless to have a media player that comes with a bad media player.
As boring as the current iPod software is, it works well.
@Sicarius123
Though I've not used it, I know that the music player on the galaxy s is not stock and has actually had very good reviews.
@Sicarius123
Samsung does make good music players. They have many here in the states that are really good. However if this is anything like the music player in the galaxy series then its decent at best.
@Sicarius123 it's not as bad as j3ff says, I've had nothing but positive experiences with mine it plays Xvid and Divx files really well ,with subs to boot, infact with the leaked Froyo Test Rom I checked out recently improved the interface and made it a lot cleaner.
Also Rock player is a free app on the market so you can always it instead. The music player and sound quality are also top notch.
BTW have you seen a S-AMOLED in person , it blows away any other screen for Video hands down. makes even the retina display look outdated in regards to Video, Coupled with a good pair of headphones it's like your own personal Pocket home theater.
iPhone:iPod Touch::Galaxy S:YP-MB2
SORRY, THERE ARE NO POSTS TAGGED TDMB. YOU SHOULD TRY SEARCHING INSTEAD. lol
@icepop77 lol I just tried after reading your post
Capitals ftw
@dreamerkm yeah, that's what you get when you click the tag link for T-DMB. I copy/pasted that directly from Egadget.
@dreamerkm http://www.engadget.com/tag/TDMB/
@icepop77 so unprofessional
This is good. Though they if have no HDMI output, no front-facing and HD cameras, no full video and audio codecs support, then it might be a sad thing.
I think they should sell one unlocked with a 3G and 4G data sim card slots for less than $50 more, basically the unlocked Galaxy S should be sold at $300 instead of $500.
@Charbax
It clearly has a front facing camera but it's unlikely to be HD.
And since it's running Android you can pretty much add any codec support you want provided someone has written a codec for the format you want (your free to code your own if they haven't).
I bought a 1st gen iPod Touch and I have been quite happy with it. It's the first Apple device I have ever owned because I'm such a cheapskate I refuse to pay boutique prices for my hardware. This could be very interesting.
@Charbax :
Galaxy S has front facing camera, great video/audio Codec support and they will all probably make it to YP-MB2 as well. Samsung is also making a Mini-USB to HDMI cable for the Galaxy S.
As for price of Galaxy S, if Apple is selling iPod Touch and unlocked iPhone with so much price difference, then why not samsung?
@ArhcAngel You can't install codecs in Android, it's not part of the Android part, it's deeper software and hardware integration that Samsung has to provide. Though they definitely seem to have better codecs support than Apple and better than other Android manufacturers, still it might not be complete. For example, does it support MKV h264 high profile 720p at full bitrates, and support storage of such files larger than 4GB or does it not. That is the worldwide web standard for HD video downloads on the web, so it would be important to support it.
@DarthGeek j3ff said in the previous comment that the media player is mediocre. Which is it? Does it playback all DivX and XviD files with full bitrates, with up to 720p resolution, with b-frames, Advanced Simple Profile, with AC3 audio, support for srt and sub subtitles, support for dual-audio files? Does it do H264 in MKV container high profile 720p and full bitrates? All those things are required for codec support to be good.
@Charbax
It plays a third of my 720p x264 MKV's (mostly tv shows & movies) with picture but no audio, another third with audio but no picture, and the rest play fine.
Let's hope this is actually released in the US unlike the Viliv P3, a similar device announced at CES seven months ago.
The name of this thing is killing me... Do we know why it's called the "Tab", and does the name have any relation to the keystroke or the cola?
If their is a MP3 version of this I'll trade my ZUNE HD in for that baby.
@Inspector Gadget80 That's what this is. PMP=Portable Media Player.
I'm a big fan of Android except for one aspect: Media playback. UI and features are just really lacking. Even the market replacements are barely better. Could be just my HTC Hero I hope... and while it works as a music player for me ultimately, iPod did kick so much more ass in that department.
In fact this phone is on sale in Europe a few months already...
http://www.vipmobile.rs/private/postpaid/mobile-phones/sphone-powered-by-android%E2%84%A2.1005.html
Looks like an old Apple product to me.
http://blog.naver.com/ejqnfnr1/60112160402
Live an unblurry pictures can be found here:
http://blog.naver.com/ejqnfnr1/60112160402
It reminds me of a Palm Pre
I would get the EPIC 4g and this too. I don't expect the EPIC to have the audio qualtity of and MP3 player, I expect this to have it. Plus I like to keep my music and phones separate. even if they have built in mp3. I also like to have internal memory instead of a SD card slot to put music in. It also fun to have a lot of gadgets
Why is it that Microsoft is the only company with enough balls to compete with the iPod? The Zune sells well enough to be profitable. I don't understand why that isn't good enough these days. Sony and Samsung should stop putting these devices out in Asia exclusively (or only bothering to market them there) and bring them to the US at competitive prices to shake up this fucking monopoly Apple has.
Personally I have a Zune 120 and I love it. It uses the really quality Zune Software (much more so than iTunes in my opinion), has a great interface on it, has a 3.2" 4:3 screen (which is huge with that aspect ratio), has support for sideloaded XNA games, and has built in Wi-Fi and FM radio. Compared to the iPod Classic it's infinitely better, especially when I only got it for $200.
However, I'd be inclined to switch in the near future. Just give me a compelling device with great specs, great features, and a great user interface. Maybe this could be it, but if it never comes to the US I'll never know.
@kenny goo zune HD 2? with a shared marketplace with WP7?
@The Geek
I'm more a fan of Android than iOS or Windows CE, which is why I wish we could get a PMP version of the Galaxy S. And while the original Zune HD is nice, that screen is honestly too small. The 3.2" display on the Zune 120 is actually bigger than the 3.3" screen on the Zune HD because of the aspect ratio difference. The 120 is 1.33:1 (4:3) while the HD is 1.76:1 (give or take 16:9 widescreen). The wider your screens get the larger the horizontal size needs to be.
In other words, the 4.0" OLED display on the Galaxy S is very, very tempting, and Android pretty much seals the deal on that.
I would buy one; I have an ipod touch and wanted and android pmp and those amoled screens are amazing