Video: Samsung P3 PMP hands-on

We tried to get hands-on with the P3 PMP right after the Samsung event, but poor lighting and mass crowding prevented us from getting anything really usable. But fret not because we headed back to the company's booth to seek out the 3-inch WQVGA player with haptic feedback among the nauseating amount of HDTVs. The walk-through we were given paid specific attention to the P3's stereo Bluetooth capabilites as well as the touch-based interface. We came away pretty impressed with the polished UI and the smoothness of the user experience. Check out the device in action after the break and our gallery of hands-on shots as well.

Gallery: Video: Samsung P3 PMP hands-on

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[Jonathan Ziemer @ Jan 9th 2009 7:52PM]

i'm up against the speaker tryna take on the music it's like a competition me against the beat i wanna get IN THE ZOOOOOONE

[OutrightLie @ Jan 9th 2009 7:52PM]

It's destined to fail unless they can convince third-party companies to make accessories for it. That's why Zune is so far behind iPod. It's not that one device is any better. iPod has the mass integration with other components (speakers, cars, etc) and huge selection of compatible accessories.

[KAIKAI @ Jan 9th 2009 7:56PM]

"iPod has the mass integration with other components (speakers, cars, etc) and huge selection of compatible accessories."
which can easily be used with the zune or any other pmp but..people are stupid....and when it says ipod compatible
they think its only compatible with the ipod.....

[Jeremy K. @ Jan 9th 2009 8:03PM]

ipod accessories are really silly. People are tempted to buy a shitty speaker system because it has a dock for their ipod. Please... Speaker systems with ipod docks are usually overpriced and sound like crap.

Here's a concept: Buy some powered speakers with a line in. Now you've got an omni device that can play with any pmp!

[Andrew @ Jan 9th 2009 10:22PM]

See a line in doesn't offer what true iPod integration offers. The ability to control the device through their equipment. This is nice in the car to be able to do it without fumbling with the iPod and the small screen. Or for people with a tad higher end equipment, not just crappy speakers with a line in, the ability to control it through the devices remote. Also, iPod integration allows for the iPod to charge since the connector for the integration is through the dock connector.

[Quikboy @ Jan 10th 2009 1:07AM]

Zune has lots of accessories and such: http://www.zune.net/en-us/mp3players/accessories/default.htm

Albeit there's not tons like the iPods, there just isn't a lot of frivolous ones, and most iPod accessories are similar in what they do anyway.

The reason why you think the Zune may be "destined to fail" is because there's too much young people out there will always stick to what they know best: iPod. Even if something comes out that is better, they won't pay much attention to it because it's not their favorite Apple brand, or they'll find it hard to get out of their iPod ecosystem. There are people that have bought DRM material from iTunes, and it won't work on their device, and they don't know how to do so.

Also, the Zune had a rough start for its first time out on the market, and a lot of opinions from people who still won't even try a new Zune are based on the original. Oh, and that it's from Microsoft, which is a company we're suppose to find uncool and avoid. Not to mention how the media portrays iPods, and then how the media portrays Zunes. It could go on forever, unless MS creates some new Zune that really does outdo the iPod Touch, and other such touchscreen players.

[Jeremy K. @ Jan 9th 2009 8:00PM]

Doesn't impress me much. 5 hours for video is pretty bad.

The Cowon S9 really pwns this one in every aspect. Of course no haptic feedback, but that's a little silly anyway.

[Boards of Canada @ Jan 9th 2009 8:16PM]

come on... my Ipod video only do 2h of video... and the screen is super small.

[Jeremy K. @ Jan 9th 2009 8:18PM]

The S9 gets 11.

[ProfessorKaos @ Jan 9th 2009 8:12PM]

All I had to read was samsung, and the words PMP, Cell Phone, and Media Player, immediately lost credibility. Not trying to troll, but samsung has never been an amazing brand for said items. Few exceptions but generally not whiz bang such as LG for cells, and Archos for PMP.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 9th 2009 9:29PM]

WTF are you sayng dude?
Have you ever heard of the Samsung Omnia (i910)?
I have had one for the last 3 months and it's the best smartphone around bar none.
I also have (for work) an HTC touch HD, but when I use it I often miss the genial mini mouse trackpad of the Omnia , or its 5mpx camera /videocam with flash, or many of its unique features.
Touch whiz also achieves the incredible goal of making Win mobile 6.1 a pleasure to use on a touch screen , and being much lighter than touch flo does'nt slow the OS one bit.
I also hear that the innov8 has beaten Nokia at its own simbian game.
It's the first Samsung phone I have owned but a company that can produce such a perfect device as the Omnia deserves all my unbounded respect (and yours too)

[boomsilent @ Jan 10th 2009 12:15AM]

sorry to bust this guys bubble, but the omnia is pure ass. its actually only good if you are coming from a treo or 'regular' phone. im a touch pro-sprint owner and the difference in the screen is night and day. the omnia's screen is uuuugggllly, looks like its only 64 colors or so. useless to talk about the interface. yuck.

the design of the unit is weaksauce at best. cheesy feeling plastic abounds on this phone. since the screen is so weak, and the processor none too fast, it has that instant turn-off quality.

sorry man, just try to call em as i see em. that omnia is nothing to look at, nor does it demand any respect.

[noyp @ Jan 9th 2009 8:13PM]

I totally love that song!

[csmity @ Jan 9th 2009 8:17PM]

how can you give your products credibility by loading your demos (i assume) with that stuff?

[firefs @ Jan 9th 2009 8:20PM]

ok, I really don't understand why the buttons are on the other side of the headphone plug, when you put your mp3 player in your jeans/pocket most people have the headphone plug towards the head/opening of your jeans pocket....

wouldn't it be easier to have the buttons on the side of the headphone plug?

[jupiterthunder @ Jan 9th 2009 10:42PM]

The P2 had these on the side. I'm guessing, part of that decision was thinking they didn't want ports and buttons on three sides combined with the decision to keep the speaker away from the microphone to limit feedback. I'm just guessing. I'm a big fan of the P2. I'm pretty near sold on the P3. Would like more than five hours of battery life for video, but that's no deal breaker. The only time I'd find myself needing more video, I'd be in the car and have alternatives (since the P2 could not be charged and used at the same time so I assume P3 will be the same). I hope the scrap the hoop-jumping needed with the video format. The P2 required a .svi format that really just a .avi encoded with specific parameters and renamed.

[R @ Jan 9th 2009 8:29PM]

Sadly, the P3 will fail in the US because they'll only offer the 8GB version just like they did with the P2.

I wish Samsung would realize that people actually do want full featured high capacity flash based players, that isn't an ipod.

[syndrical @ Jan 10th 2009 3:18AM]

Smarty pants - they did offer a 16 gig!!
Well I know the y did for sure in Canada

[Waveblade @ Jan 10th 2009 4:26PM]

I don't see any for the US

[Alex @ Jan 11th 2009 4:12PM]

You are a dumb shit, haven't you read anything about this device. It will have a capacity up to 32 GB.

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

I was interested until looking at the video - the demo girl couldn't get the touch feature to work most of the time ..

[jupiterthunder @ Jan 9th 2009 10:44PM]

With the P2, I had the same problems at first. But once I became accustom to the way it responded, it wasn't an issue at all. And by not an issue, I mean, I didn't have to think about how I was touching it. It became second nature to operate.

[Link2877 @ Jan 9th 2009 8:32PM]

Wow, dose this lady know what the hell shes doing? shes seems pretty lost, I mean I've only watched videos of the thing and I probably know more about it then she dose, and shes holding the damn thing in her hand. Still pretty cool PMP thou it's probably going to be my mp3 player soon.

[Tyler @ Jan 9th 2009 8:34PM]

i think the new sony nwz-x1000 is everything that i wanted the sammy yp-p3 to be. the chick operating this thing sounds dumber than a brick, but to her credit, the player is very unresponsive. there is no compelling reason to buy this player over the sony or an ipod touch.

[TechLovet @ Jan 10th 2009 2:45AM]

No sd expansion; not interested

[the real Brad @ Jan 9th 2009 8:47PM]

Aw, when I first saw the screenshot, I was like, nice Apple-like interface; then I noticed how bad the touch detection was in the screen; all my friends had iPod Touches, so when they just hit pow and it works and I'm sitting there pressing it a thousand times? No.

[Alex @ Jan 9th 2009 9:11PM]

It's actually that she doesnt know how to use it. and she is pressing in random places that are not supposed to do anything.
I recommend viewing this video series..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_13Y5567dz4

[sLY @ Jan 9th 2009 9:16PM]

Yeah I wish the touchscreen was capacitive as they seem to be more responsive.

[electron @ Jan 12th 2009 10:33AM]

@ sLY what hte heck are you talking about??? it is a captive touch screen....

the lady in the vid had NO IDEA what she was doing....

[Alex @ Jan 9th 2009 9:14PM]

Um.. it says up to 32 G.. what are u looking at?

[shugg @ Jan 9th 2009 9:35PM]

outright lie .,speaks the truth here.,just look around ipod/iphone remote controldocks, car integration on a global scale. this man is right, destined any mp3 to not be global dominator.,do u think this will kill ipod/iphone.,????

[fucker @ Jan 9th 2009 9:47PM]

stfu
holy shit yes the iPod does have market saturation and it is mostly because they were early into the game and teens like the convenience of itunes because they don't have credit cards! zune has the marketplace with either a) the zune pass or b) pay per song(like iTunes, but i prefer the zune pass) so it is most likely to take on iPod as soon as a touch rival comes out.

[bill cant fart @ Jan 9th 2009 9:46PM]

That lady makes me want to tape a kitten to a wall.

[fucker @ Jan 9th 2009 9:47PM]

should we be scared for you...?

[bill cant fart @ Jan 9th 2009 10:21PM]

@(expletive)

DON'T TRY TO STOP ME!!!

[blasha @ Jan 9th 2009 10:00PM]

how is this competing with the iPod touch?

it has no wifi nor a web brewers, no?

[Jeremy K. @ Jan 9th 2009 10:18PM]

Who said ipod touch?

[fucker @ Jan 9th 2009 10:19PM]

it competes because it plays video and music and games on a fairly large tough screen.

[fucker @ Jan 9th 2009 10:20PM]

u said web brewer...

[Joo @ Jan 9th 2009 10:02PM]

When is the release date?

[blasha @ Jan 9th 2009 10:24PM]

i think around spring

[iKurt @ Jan 9th 2009 10:24PM]

See how easy it is for not copying the design of Apple products? Everyone should take note of Samsung.

But the iPhone and iPod Touch is still the best DAP ever.

[blasha @ Jan 9th 2009 10:28PM]

i love my iphone, but that doesn't mean i can't try anything new.... i'd love to play around with the OS on this P3!

[blasha @ Jan 9th 2009 10:26PM]

browser*

LMAO

[z0e_v3v @ Jan 9th 2009 10:46PM]

i saw those pict and i only found 8/16/32gb
how bout 4gb that 1?

[zipykido @ Jan 9th 2009 11:40PM]

I wonder when they're going to release pricing info. I want to get one for my birthday, not sure if I want a 8g or 16g yet.

[rocky @ Jan 10th 2009 12:04AM]

I am not impressed AT ALL, the touch screen was not responsive at all and the user interface is so damn crap, you have to keep going to the setting and dig deep to change it to headphones or speaker, with the ipod touch, it automatically changes when you have headphones plugged in or not. Another thing is that there is a HUGE logo "Samsung" in front of the device which just fails. The haptic is nice but with the crap touchscreen, its gonna vibrate when you select sumthing but it doesnt actually go the the place you selected. No full album-art YET, no app store for instinct or P3, cheap quality PLASTIC screen AGAIN and cost almost the SAME amount as an iPod touch. And no accelorometer.

[ilh @ Jan 10th 2009 7:11AM]

The default option is to detect headphones...but you also have the option to change to speaker if they're plugged in, so what's wrong with that?
There is full album art...but you can have it display a load of visualisations and other stuff if you want.
So what if it's PLASTIC, at least it's not a scratch magnet.
Who gives a flying toss about an accelerometer?

[zipykido @ Jan 10th 2009 7:10PM]

There's a glass coating on the screen not plastic which means that it won't scratch as easily. Also that lady really didn't know how to use it.

[funyun2 @ Jan 10th 2009 3:45PM]

This may have some things that the ipod touch doesn't, like bluetooth and a built-in voice recorder, but it's missing the two best things that the touch has: The amazing web browser and the app store.
Also, the UI looks sluggish and a little unresponsive.