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Episode 575: Reply to all

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Zune vs. Samsung

After having a day to reflect on Microsoft's latest Zune offering, I began to think that perhaps the iPod vs. Zune battle is a little too obvious. Whether the iPod's position at the top of the MP3 player food chain is deserved or not, history has shown us that it will likely stay there. The real question is, "As the holidays approach, which MP3 player will come in second place?"

When it comes to interface and killer features, the challenger that Microsoft should really keep an eye on is the yet-to-be-released Samsung YP-P2 I reported on back in August. Although Samsung hasn't released pricing information yet, things could really heat up if the YP-P2 can get close to the $149 and $199 price points of the iPod Nano and Flash-based Zunes. Not only does the YP-P2 offer a 3-inch touch screen and built in Bluetooth, but it also has the advantage of not being Microsoft. Honestly, after Apple's successful "I'm a Mac" smear campaign, it's tough to convince people that Microsoft makes cool gear (unless you've got Halo 3 as bait).

We've been able to dig up two videos on YouTube that demonstrate the interface for both the Zune and Samsung YP-P2.… Read more

Zune vs. Samsung

Welcome to my first post on the newly relaunched MP3 Insider blog. I'll be updating this blog regularly with MP3 player-related rants and predictions. If you're a fan of the MP3 Insider podcast I co-host with Jasmine France, you'll probably enjoy this blog as well. I wanted to start with something classy, but instead, let's get the ball rolling with a juicy product smackdown.

After having a day to reflect on Microsoft's latest Zune offering, I began to think that perhaps the iPod vs. Zune battle is a little too obvious. Whether the iPod's … Read more

T-Mobile unveils Samsung SGH-T539

T-Mobile and Samsung today announced the new Samsung SGH-T539. Also called the Beat, the SGH-T539 is a middle-of-the road flip phone with a relatively ordinary design and a feature set that pushes music to the forefront. On the exterior you'll find music controls and a green ring-shaped speaker while inside are a music player, Bluetooth, and voice dialing. Call quality was fine but the music player was unremarkable, particularly for a phone called the Beat, and the controls weren't terribly user-friendly. It's no Nokia 5300 Xpress Music to be sure, but it's still a decent phone … Read more

The Armani phone, ready for its close-up

Now that we've unburdened ourselves of several snide remarks about the Samsung-made Armani phone just released in Milan, it's only fair that we point to some photos of the hyped handset so you can judge for yourself. It's not that it's an unattractive phone, by any stretch--it's just that the Armani pales next to the ultra-high profile of the iPhone and even LG's Prada handset. And then there's the price: It's reportedly expected to go for 650 euros initially, or almost $920--over $100 more than the Prada and making the iPhone look … Read more

The phone I detox with

From the iPhone to the BlackBerry Curve to the Nokia N95, what cell phones can to do is mesmerizing. New advances seem to appear hourly.

So it's kind of fun to mention Samsung's t429. It's a basic, plain, simple phone by today's standards. But it more than does the job. Call quality is clear, buttons are easy to push, and it seems to weigh little more than the latest dollar coin the government keeps trying to get us to use.

The VGA camera is adequate, setting up your contacts is simple, and battery time is excellent.… Read more

Armani phone is officially underwhelming

Yawn. The Armani phone has been officially released at Milan Fashion week, but it hardly lived up to its posh surroundings.

The Tri-band phone Samsung is manufacturing for the designer was more pret-a porter than custom couture, as predicted earlier, having already been seen on the market (gasp) before the official unveiling. The specs, according to Pocket-lint, include a 2.6-inch QVGA display and 3-megapixel in a 0.4-inch-thick handset, along with a matching Bluetooth headset and leather carrying case.

The offering was expectedly underwhelming by comparison to, say, the Prada phone that generated much buzz before its release. But … Read more

Samsung's sexy printers offered exclusively through Apple

Remember those sleek, luxe Samsung printers our U.K. counterparts reported on earlier this month? Well, we found out today (via Engadget) that they are being offered exclusively through Apple stores (both retail and online) until January 2008.

The single-function ML-1630 mono laser function is going for $200, while the multifunction SCX-4500 (also mono) costs $300. While the looks of both models are revolutionary (a pretty printer--imagine that!), the specs are pretty standard: 17 pages per minute for both prints and copies; 600x600 dpi prints; USB connection only. We're working on getting review units in, so check back with … Read more

T-Mobile announces Samsung SGH-T429

T-Mobile today picked up another slider phone with the new Samsung SGH-T429. Features include a VGA camera, a speakerphone, instant messaging, personal organizer applications, a voice memo recorder, text and multimedia messaging, and Bluetooth. The slider style is similar to the Samsung SGH-T629's design; it has the same thin profile (0.6 inch) but the SGH-T429 is two-toned blue instead of silver. The tri-band (GSM 850/1800/1900) handset is available for $49 with service.