Up to this point, there has not really been a direct competitor to the iPod touch. Since its original release in 2007, it has continued to dominate the portable music market with millions sold worldwide. Despite Jobs saying that the it was training wheels for the iPhone, the iPod touch has really grown into its own. Recently it has stepped out of the shadow of the iPhone and moved beyond the iPod line. Users can listen to music, watch movies, and play their favorite games anywhere. Not many other devices do this. Most tech companies have basically decided that this is lost territory. While companies like Motorola, and Amazon have focused their efforts on the tablet market, combating the iPad, Apple has roped of this section of the market. No one dares to cross the line? that is until Samsung decided to make a device of their own.
Recently they released their own portable media player, the Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0. This is the first device that could potentially rival the iPod touch. So, of course I got my hands on one and for the past couple weeks, put it through its paces. Keep in mind that I am an avid iPod user but I am going to try and be as unbiased as possible.
Screen:
The first noticeable thing on either of these devices is the screen. This is one of the primary factors when picking out a phone, and it is not any different with music playing devices. The iPod touch of course sports a 3.5 inch Retina Display that just looks absolutely amazing. It is always crisp and has an incredible viewing angle?from the sides it?s near 180? and the top and bottom are about 170?. The pixels are so small that the eyes cannot distinguish one from another.
The Galaxy Player?s WVGA screen is really not as nice. Edges on text are not nearly as smooth and sharp and the viewing angle is slightly worse. However, the Samsung has much more screen real estate. In fact at 5 inches, the entire iPod touch can nearly fit on the Player?s screen alone. This makes watching YouTube more enjoyable and the web experience is closer to that of a desktop. Because of the large screen on the Galaxy Player though, things seem just a little blown out of proportion.? I think there is a reason that phones do not go this big, because 5 inches feels like a small tablet. Beyond screen size, Samsung?s device is less responsive and accurate. When typing, my fingers, although the screen is so much bigger, never seem to hit the right keys. (More on this later).
Overall I?m going to have to say that the iPod wins this round. Its retina display is brighter, sharper, and more accurate. You might be thinking that bigger is always better, but even though it only has a 3.5 inch screen, it feels more comfortable in the hand and provides for a better user experience.
iPod touch: 1/Galaxy Player: 0
External Hardware:
Hardware is the next thing I look for in a good product. The number of buttons, where they are located, and how esthetically pleasing the device is, are all key factors. To begin with, the iPod touch is has some great hardware. Apple keeps buttons to a minimum and gave it a sleek metal back. The 30pin connector and headset jack are located on the bottom while the top has the power/lock button. The volume controls are located on the side. The front of the device has only the screen, camera, and the home button. The iPod touch is definitely for those who prefer a minimalistic look.
The Galaxy Player 5.0 has quite a different build. The back is all plastic and it has two speaker grills. At the top of the device is where you will find a MicroSD card slot. On the right side, you get a power button and a volume rocker and located on the bottom there is the headset jack, microphone, and microUSB port. The front of the device has the screen, front facing camera, and 3 capacitive buttons?menu, home, and back. There is also some sort of earphone grill, but I can?t figure out what it is for, because it is not a phone? The Galaxy Player?s, face reminds me a lot of previous versions of the iPhone, as it sports a silver bevel.
I actually prefer the Player?s 3 buttons as opposed to the iPod?s one. Having a dedicated back key took a bit to get used to, but it is surprisingly convenient. I like how the buttons are not physical keys either, because it makes the front so sleek looking. The only problem is that they are only on, when the device is unlocked, so unlike the iPod touch, you can only wake the device with the power button. This isn?t a huge deal, but out of habit I try to press the home button to wake it. The microSD slot was not a bad idea either; because the Galaxy Player only has 8GB of storage, having the ability to expand to is really great. I also prefer the plastic back opposed to the iPod?s metal one. Yea it?s plastic, but the iPod?s back is a scratch magnet (and probably the worst decision Apple designers have ever made). I am able to set it down without worrying about getting about a million scratches. ?The Samsung also has two speaker grills on the back. Because the touch?s speaker is internal, it is not as loud and clear.
Due to the dedicated back button, the better speakers, and the harder-to-scratch back, the external hardware winner is, in my opinion, clearly the Samsung Galaxy Player.
iPod touch:1/Galaxy Player:1
Overall?Aesthetics:
Neither of these devices look bad. They each have something going on for them in terms of form and style. I am putting all function aside and just judging on pure looks. Shallow? Yes, but I think appearance does matter.
The iPod Touch is a thing of beauty. With its slim form factor and its sleek steel back it represents everything that is Apple. It is so pleasing to look at with its all black front and?iconic single?button. The Apple logo on the back completes the package. The iPod is one of the best looking devices on the market.
This being said, the Samsung Galaxy Player 5.o is no ugly ducking. It is not as thin as or small as the iPod, but surprisingly, there is not that big of a weight difference?81 grams. The Galaxy player does have a silver bevel around the edge, which in my opinion, it could do without. It also has the silver Samsung logo on the front which takes away from the sleek black. The back edges are rounded though, making it comfortable in the hands.
I am going to have to give this one to the iPod Touch. I just don?t think there are many devices out there that can beat an Apple device. They are so pure and simple and I could stare at it for hours.
iPod touch: 2/Galaxy Player: 1
Internal Hardware:
Everyone always says it is what?s on the inside that counts. Of course I am talking about the processor, the battery, and the other bits and pieces that go into these two devices, but the saying holds true. ?How long can I get on a single charge of the battery? How fast is the processor? Things like this are always important to me.
The iPod Touch has Apple?s 1GHz A4 processor (underclocked to 800MHz) and 256MB of RAM. While it is not the fastest processor on the market, applications load quick enough and Apple?s version of multitasking is made possible. As far as the battery goes, the iPod has a lithium-ion battery that Apple says lasts anywhere from about?7 hours (continuous video playback) to?40 hours (music playback). The Touch also has a gyroscope and accelerometer which are primarily used in gaming. Lastly, it has flash storage ranging from 8-64Gigs.
Samsung?s device has the 1GHz hummingbird processor and double the RAM at 512MB. Things load fairly quickly, but it is not a landslide over the iPod. Some applications?like Angry Birds?load faster on the iPod where others?like Facebook and Dolphin Web Browser?are quicker on the Galaxy Player. The GP has a Li-Polymer battery that Samsung claims gets 8 hours of video playback and 60 hours of music. In my personal experience, the battery lasts about as long as I do in a day. I charge it every night before I go to bed, and it lasts late into the night the next day. It also does seem to have a longer standby time than that of the iPod Touch. The Galaxy Player only has 8Gigs of internal storage, but with the SD card slot, it is expandable up to 40. Like Apple?s device, Samsung also put in an accelerometer and gyroscope; however, they also added a compass and GPS. The GPS is a really great feature for traveling. I can load the Google maps, and it will give me turn by turn directions. This is something that the iPod is lacking and definitely needs.
I think I am going to call this one a draw. The Galaxy Player has a faster processor on paper, but in my actual tests, it was not that big of a difference. And while it also has a GPS, this is not a make-or-break feature. Both batteries last as long as I need them to and although the Player?s battery lasts longer, the iPod does charge a bit faster. It can charge to 80% in about 2 hours whereas the Galaxy Player takes FOR-EV-ER.
iPod touch: 3/Player Touch :2
As you can see, these to multimedia players are fairly equal. One maybe have a better quality display, while the other may be bigger. The iPod Touch charges faster, but doesn?t last as long as the Galaxy Player. Samsung?s device has a faster processor and more RAM but Apple uses some sort of magic to make the Touch just as fast.
Final score for part one: iPod touch: 3/Galaxy Player: 2
Stay tuned for part two, where I will take a look at the cameras, media playback, and software. If there is anything specific you want me to look at, leave a comment below or send me a tweet @TiP_Bryce.
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