Samsung P2 Review

The P2 is made by Samsung and is a portable music player. It has a 3" screen and offers support for WMV and MPEG4 video files, MP3, WMA, AAC, and OGG audio files, and JPEG pictures. It supports SVI and TXT files as well. It is available in 3 colors; black, white, and burgundy. The 4GB model comes in at $149 and the 8GB costs $179, although they can be found for cheaper prices at various online retailers. Some things to note are that the P2 comes with a free 3-month warranty extension once registered at Samsung's website, and it is currently only PC compatible.

Physical Features

The P2 sports a 3 inch 16:9 widescreen display that displays vibrant colors with a 480 x 272 resolution. It feels very sturdy to hold and is comfortable to grip. The device has a play/pause button which doubles as the power button, a hold switch, and dedicated volume controls. It also has a mic on the bottom to the left of the connector and a reset button on the back. It does attract fingerprints, but they can be easily wiped away. The P2 is prone to scratches, however they don't jump out to the user like the iPod's shiny back plate. It is aesthetically pleasing although it's obvious that it's a reflection of the iPod touch. It's slim at just 0.4 inches, but not thin enough to worry about snapping it in half.

Audio

The P2 has fantastic sound quality and has a nine band custom EQ. It has support for album art and sounded impressive when paired with decent headphones. Clear highs, rich mids, and enveloping lows make this thing a joy to listen to.

Video

The screen has a 480 x 272 resolution, and pictures and videos look crisp. Although the 3 inch screen may look appealing on paper, the 16:9 display makes it better suited for watching shorter videos in my opinion. Though movies looked great, they looked too small for my tastes. The screen really is vibrant and excellent for watching videos and viewing pictures.

Software

The interface on this thing is killer and one of the best interfaces on a touchscreen device. It's clean, simple, and easy to use. There are three standard menu styles: Cosmo, Matrix, and My Skin, and users can also download custom interfaces with the Emodio software used for transfering media to the P2.

Although the interface is facile, the screen is inconsistent with its responsiveness. To be fair however, the BlueWave firmware updates do improve the overall feeling of the software. The P2 has a built in FM Radio with presets, and also support for stereo Bluetooth. The P2 can hook up with Bluetooth speakers or transfer files to another Bluetooth capable device. In the Prime Pack section, the user can store and view texts, set alarms, look at the calender, find contacts in the address book, look at the world clock, calculate mathematical equations, record audio with the built-in mic, and find subway routes. Overall, the software is feature packed and has a lot to offer.

Battery Life

The P2 has a battery life of around 25-30 hours of music and 5 hours of video.

Special Features

A nice addition is the ability to answer and call people on your P2. With the tiny microphone at the bottom of the P2, the user can call and answer people on their P2 as long as their phone is bluetooth compatible and connected to the P2. You can hear calls through the earphones.

Conclusion

Overall, the Samsung P2 is a great option for those who want a touchscreen device that has abundant features, provides a pleasant listening experience, and won't break the bank. With the Bluewave firmware updates, Samsung has made the P2 a mobile monster and a good alternative to the iPod touch.

Verdict:

Alternative to iPod touch with loads of features and great audio quality albeit a smaller screen and less mature software.

Pros:

Great sound quality

Lots of features

Answer calls through Bluetooth

Affordable

Crisp Display

Battery life

Cons:

Not the best for watching full-length movies

Interface not always responsive

Lack of audio formats

Not Mac compatible

8.5/10

* I wrote this review about 7 months ago so some of the the things may be outdated. I updated the review to keep it current but please let me know if some things are incorrect.