Samsung 4.2-Inch Galaxy Player

by Samsung

Product Features

• OS: Android (Version 2.3.5 Gingerbread)
• Wireless Internet (WiFi: 802.11b/g/n)
• Memory Capacity: 8 GB (Expandable w/SD Card)
• Display Resolution: WVGA (800x480)
• Camera (Front: VGA/Back: 2.0MP, AF)

› See more product details

Product Description

Style: 4.2" screen

From the Manufacturer

Enjoy games, music, videos, and more on the go with the Galaxy Player 4.2. This portable media player sports a 4.2-inch screen and front-facing speakers, making it ideal for playing preloaded EA Games like FIFA 12 and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. A built-in gyro sensor intensifies your gaming experience and SoundAlive technology enhances sound effects and music. The Galaxy Player's built Wi-Fi allows you to access the web without incurring monthly service fees, and it is powered by Android 2.3, Gingerbread for optimal performance. Additionally, dual cameras make the Galaxy Player ideal for video chatting or capturing photos and videos.

• Designed to be fun for all
• Connect and share with your friends
• Multimedia powerhouse

Designed to Be Fun for All

Enjoy Preloaded Games on a 4.2-Inch Screen

With a 4.2-inch screen and front-facing speakers, the Galaxy Player 4.2 is an ideal portable solution for gamers. It even comes with preloaded EA Games like FIFA 12 and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. The Galaxy Player's built-in gyro heightens the realism of your gaming experience.

Access Over 450,000 Apps

The Galaxy Player 4.2 gives you access to both Google Play, which has more than 450,000 apps, and Samsung Apps, which offers apps designed just for the Galaxy Player. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, the Galaxy Player allows you to access the web, music, videos, apps, and more without any monthly service fees.

SoundAlive Technology for Optimal Sound

The Galaxy Player 4.2 features dual front-facing stereo speakers and SoundAlive, a Samsung audio technology that delivers spacious sound, deep bass, enhanced tone, and exceptional clarity. It also makes automatic adjustments to the sound quality by analyzing the source and customizes sound for games, movies, or music.

Connect and Share with Your Friends

Dual Cameras for Video Chat

The Galaxy Player has a 2 MP rear-facing camera and a VGA front-facing camera. Using a Wi-Fi connection, you can conduct video chats with your friends one-on-one or as a group and instantly share content and images.

Bluetooth Enabled to Use as Handset

You can use the Galaxy Player's built-in Bluetooth capability to pair it with your phone and use it as an additional handset.

Social Hub Keeps You in Touch with Friends

The Galaxy Player comes installed with Social Hub, a Samsung service that enables you to sync your contacts and calendar events with sites like Google, Yahoo, Windows Live, Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. Using push technology, the service delivers emails, calendar notifications, and social network updates instantly. As a result, you can stay connected more easily with friends and family members.

Multimedia Powerhouse

Android 2.3, Gingerbread for Fast Performance

The Galaxy Player 4.2 features a 1 GHz processor and is powered by Android 2.3, Gingerbread for fast performance--whether you're browsing the web or enjoying music, photos, or videos.

Adobe Flash compatibility gives you access to more videos, games, and other rich content online. Additionally, you can use the Galaxy Player's microSD card slot to add up to 32GB of additional data storage or easily transfer music and picture files.

Manage Games, Music, and Videos with Ease

Transferring and playing media files is simple with the Galaxy Player's drag-and-drop functionality, and the Kies Air app lets you manage all of your multimedia content in one place.

Click to enlarge

Share Videos and Photos on the Big Screen

Using AllShare--Samsung's content-sharing service--you can play movies, music, and other files from your Galaxy Player 4.2 on any DLNA-compatible TV. Simply connect the Galaxy Player with your TV through the AllShare interface. Share photos from a recent trip on your HDTV or watch your favorite movies at a friend's house.

Product and Warranty Information

The Galaxy Player 4.2 measures 4.89 by 2.6 by 0.35 inches (H x W x D) and weighs 0.25 pounds. It is backed by a one-year warranty.

What's in the Box

Galaxy Player 4.2, earphones, USB cable, travel charger, battery, and quick start guide.

Product Description

This multimedia player offers an enjoyable entertainment experience anywhere you go thanks to its active, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. Running under the Android 2.3.5 engine, this media player offers exceptional UI experience and fully integrated services such as Google Maps, Youtube, GPS, Google Play and Samsung Apps. Get the latest news bites on your favorite social network sites, access all your favorite media files from over 450,000 apps available with Google Play and Samsung Apps and enjoy rich music and gaming in a one trendy, portable device. Connect to your favorite media using the Samsung YP-GI1CB/XAA Galaxy 4.2 Media Player.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 70 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Even better than I expected May 22, 2012

By Barryem

Style Name:4.2" screen|Amazon Verified Purchase

It arrived this morning and I've been playing with it all day. I've been using the Galaxy Player 4.0 and I got this one to replace it because of the slightly larger screen and up-front speakers. I was hoping this wouldn't be too big or heavy to be comfy in my shirt pocket. Very surprisingly, it's the same size as the 4.0 and it's both thinner and considerably lighter.

I'm particularly surprised at the lightness because it has a larger battery and, according to their specs, quite a lot longer battery life. That also influenced my decision to buy it. Of course I haven't tested that yet but so far I've found Samsung's specs to be reasonably close.

They've improved the lock screen so that it's easy to flick it away. With the 4.0 the lock screen was so clumsy I changed to a pattern to unlock it, not because I cared about security but because it was just easier. This one has fixed that nicely.

Another nice surprise was how fast it connects to Wifi when it wakes up. The old one wasn't slow but this one is about twice or three times as fast connecting.

It feels great in my shirt pocket. The little bit larger screen is just what I was hoping for and the speakers are a big improvement over what was an already good speaker.

There are three minor disappointments. I thought I was buying a white one and it's black. I'm not really sure if a white one is available, but that's not important enough to return it. Also the home button is a physical button instead of a capacitive button. I may decide that I like that in time, but if I'd had a choice I'd have chosen a capacitive button. And the last and most disappointing thing is that I can't change the 4 items in the banner at the bottom of the screen like I could on the Player 4.0. I'm sad about that.

Edit: I found that by going into Applications and then hitting Menu and then Edit I'm able to change the items in the task bar at the bottom of the screen. This thing keeps getting perfecter and perfecter. :)

All in all though, this is a significant improvement over what I thought was already a great little device. I wasn't sure I'd like it better than the 4.0 but it's a lot nicer. I'm really pleased with this thing.

Before I got the Player 4.0 I was using an Ipod Touch. Both of these things are a huge improvement over the Ipod, which was itself a pretty nice device. Electronics just keep getting better and better. :)

Edit: I just got the spare battery I ordered and charged it and all is well. If anyone is interested it's a Samsung phone battery EB484659VA. Even Samsung service or parts people weren't able to give me that number. I had to get it from the battery that came with the player. Amazon does have them. A seach on that number will find it for you.

Barry

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Android Alternative to the iPod Touch May 19, 2012

By R. Angeloni VINE™ VOICE

Style Name:4.2" screen|Amazon Verified Purchase

Samsung has released four different Galaxy Music players: the 5.0, 4.0, 3.6, and now the 4.2-inch Galaxy Player model. Running Android's 2.3 Gingerbread, the Galaxy player is an excellent alternative for someone looking to escape the limitations of an iPod.

So what's to like about the Galaxy Player 4.2? An expandable micro SD slot lets you expand storage of the player from 8 GB to 40 GB with a 32 GB card. The 4.2 also comes with a replaceable battery, which means it doesn't become a paperweight when the battery no longer holds its charge. Display resolution is not as bright as an iPod but more typical of an Android phone. The 4.2 inch screen is the right size for me. Videos from You Tube are sharp. The 5.0 is probably too big to tote around in a pocket and the 3.6 would probably be too small for me. Internet browsing is quick. I ran an Internet test against my Third Generation iPod Touch and when going to sites like Google and Yahoo the Galaxy player was about twice as fast as the iPod.

The 4.2 comes pre-loaded with lots of apps as well as two games ("Need for Speed" and "FIFA 12"). Of course, with an Android device you also have access to hundreds of thousands of apps in the "Google Play' or Amazon App store. Other features include Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, FM radio, and multi-format playback of numerous audio and video formats, which means I can "drag and drop" AAC format music from my iTunes folder on to the Galaxy Player, Camera (front and rear) is below average at only 2 megapixels but I didn't buy this for the camera (my phone has a better camera) but as a MP3 music player. A 2 megapixel camera is fine for uploading photos to the Web (to sites like Facebook) or for 4 x 6 prints. Resolution will not be as good if you try to print 5 x7 or 8 x 10 photos.

The stock music player on the Galaxy player is fine, with the Samsung SoundAlive audio system producing better sound than an iPod Touch, but I downloaded two apps, Equalizer and Poweramp, to improve the sound even more. With these two apps, sound is completely customizable, with many presets (Jazz, Rock, Classical, Dance, etc.) and an equalizer that allows me to totally control my music and how it sounds. Getting music on to the Galaxy player is as easy as drag and drop, or you can use Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc. Drag and drop worked fine for me, and, guess what Apple, album art actually shows up on the Galaxy player, something iTunes, and my iPod Touch, can't seem to pull off with any consistency. The Galaxy player also has a built in speaker with the grill in front, so if you put the player down the sound will not be muffled.

Overall, I am very pleased with the Galaxy 4.2. It sounds great (which is most important to me) has an FM radio, replaceable battery, and micro SD slot. I also love the fact that I can improve and customize the sound either with the stock player or by downloading apps like Poweramp or Winamp. I highly recommend the Samsung Galaxy 4.2 if you are looking for an alternative to an iPod Touch.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The 4.2 is a perfect replacement for PDA and more July 5, 2012

By L. Saul

Style Name:4.2" screen|Amazon Verified Purchase

My life centered around my Palm PDA for several years until that broke down and I was bewildered that nobody made PDAs anymore. I use a cheap pay-as-you-go cell phone so I didn't want a smart phone. The iTouch looked good except it provides no way to back up to an SD/microSD card, which is an absolute deal-breaker for me since a major use of the PDA was to keep notes when I am traveling (e.g. in the wilderness w/ no WiFi). (Also I developed a grudge against Apple after they banned Flash from the iDevices.) So for several years I have been keeping a $5 calendar book in my back pocket, and writing trip journals on scraps of paper, then type them into computer when I get home.

Found out about the SGP 4.2 from David Pogue's column, and was surprised that the other Galaxy Players had been around for some months without my knowing. After owning the 4.2 for several days I am blown away by its capabilities.

-Replaceable batteries!! A rarity these days. Perfect for those who take notes in the wilderness... EDIT: I ordered the "Samsung ET-CGPK003GSTA Battery Charger Kit for Conquer 4G D600" and it works great. Original Samsung product, originally intended for one of their phones, but it seems the same "standard" battery is used on multiple Samsung devices. The battery that comes with it is exactly the same as original battery for the SGP 4.2, same size and battery number (EB484659VA). The cord that comes with it also fits in the SGP 4.2 microUSB port so can also be used as a backup direct power cord for the 4.2. EDIT 2: When ordering batteries, it's hard to know if you'll get a genuine one or a knock-off. Someone recommended "Anker® 2 x 1500mAh Li-ion Batteries for Samsung Exhibit 4G... " from Amazon. I am using these now and they work great on the 4.2.

-Battery life seems OK - probably about 6-8 hours; actually less than I would guessed, though I don't have another device to compare it to.

-Swappable microSD card! I will use this to back up during trips. Unlike the Palm devices, the SD doesn't just stick out the top of your device, which protects the connections from lint, but also makes it less convenient to replace (you pry open the flimsy back).

-Language learning: Wow!! You can use this thing to practice speaking a second language; just use the microphone to enter text (e.g. in the installed Memos app) and Google's software figures out the words, or Chinese characters which is my interest; and it evens knows which character (shi4 = to be, vs. shi4 = market) to use depending on context. Wow, and wow. This works in Spanish, too (and lots of obscure languages available). The point is, you can practice speaking and the positive feedback is seeing the intended words appear. I can see this transforming language learning in a few years...imagine having a rudimentary conversation with your device. Also with the free Pleco Chinese dictionary (provides flash cards, etc.) I am in heaven.

-GPS: I have played with this a bit locally and it seems to work comparably to my Garmin Nuvi for navigating. Quite a good value in one device. At one point I drove into an area where the map hadn't downloaded when I had set up the navigation in my Wifi zone, and the map got blurry, but still somewhat usable, which was interesting. I'm sure if you go far enough the map will eventually just end. Google lets you pre-cache maps, which should let you use the GPS even w/o internet access. I am excited to try this & will add comments after I do. Navfree looks to be the open-source GPS tool of the future, but currently it doesn't offer the countries I travel to so I think Google pre-caching may still be the best option. EDIT: Google pre-caching works, but when the software auto-updates it will delete your cache. Maps With Me seems a more reliable solution.

-FM radio: It works great - an unexpected bonus. You need to use the earphones for this to work, or attach to external speakers (I guess they serve as the antenna).

-Text entry/edit: So far I am liking TouchPal Keyboard and Jota Text Editor. These were easy to download from Google Play (free). QuickOffice comes with the device but is starterware, lacking features. Memos is too simple for handling large documents. Automatic word completion helps speed things up, but interestingly, I find the microphone the preferred way to keep notes now; may lead to some awkward situations as I look for a private room (EDIT: Voice dictation is one of the coolest features of the 4.2, but one of the biggest shortcomings is that it only works when you have WiFi connection). EDIT: MessagEase is the fastest solution. Excited to see it is available for Android. (I used to use it on Palm PDAs.)

-Cameras: I wasn't expecting much, but these work fine. They seem good enough as a back-up for a dedicated camera, or for Skype, etc.

-File transfer: Very convenient. I use Macs and you just plug the device in with USB, and drag & drop files. I also tried the installed Kies Air, which works via WiFi, without the plug. It worked, though it uses an awkward web interface. Note: A nice touch is that the USB cord is the same cord used to charge the device with the power plug; very elegant. (The power plug is nothing but a plug with a USB port.)

-Bluetooth pairing: Pairing devices works. There is a free app Bluetooth File Transfer to exchange files w/ a laptop when you have no WiFi, but I haven't gotten it to work yet (probably software is needed on the laptop). It's amazing this PDA has four communication systems (bluetooth, wifi, GPS, FM) for this price!! EDIT: Bluetooth File Transfer works great, you just have to allow Bluetooth Sharing in the Mac system preferences.

-Web browsing seems fine. And it runs Flash! I am a Flash developer so it was a thrill to see my stuff displays just fine. People who denigrate Flash don't realize that it still a great tool for sophisticated games and simulations.

-Touch response is good. I use a Ringbo screen protector.

-Art: Sketching on the go is another thing I've always wanted to do with my PDA. The Palms were pretty clunky for this. One reason I have never bought an iDevice is the interface is meant for fingertips, and the styluses are pretty clunky. I was waiting for a true handheld art device. (Digression: The best portable art device is the Samsung Series 7 Slate, but that is a full Windows PC for > $1K.) The Samsung Galaxy Note seems the best option for handheld sketching at this time, but it is > $500 and is a phone; I'll probably get one, or its best successor/competitor, if they offer a WiFi version in a couple years... EDIT: Sketchbook Mobile is incredible, has gorgeous brush textures in full version, worth the $2; just get used to pinching to zoom in a lot, and you can add detail to compensate for the clumsiness of sketching with your fingers. Highly recommended (though will never replace the accuracy of stylus input on more sophisticated devices).

-Voice recorder: Believe it or not, I seriously shopped around for a dedicated voice recorder a while back (the good ones were expensive - $50-60 I think?) Well, the 4.2 has an installed voice recorder app that works great. So there's yet another gadget I don't have to carry around. Recording quality seems passable - I'd give it a 6 out of 10. There is a slight background hiss.

-Music listening: The internal speakers on the front side seem great to me. Earphones seem great too.

The only negative is the shortage of accessories...Hopefully more cases will come out. Ideally, I'd like a slim shell/bumper to hold it in, plus a padded case to protect from rain and drops when not in use. EDIT: Spent an hour trying on cases at a Best Buy and found this soft vinyl one that fits about perfectly: RocketFish HTC Evo 4G Soft Shell Case (RF-WR542). The fit is perfect, but I had to slice off a mm of vinyl from the port at bottom for USB plug to fit. (EDIT: Also had to do surgery w/ razor blade to make room for earphone, but perfect now.) The camera slot is *perfect* for the 4.2 because it just clears the camera enough to avoid obscuring it, but provides an overhang that offers a little protection. There is a small hole at top for antenna, which doesn't bother me. EDIT 2: This actually makes a great place to attach a hand strap which makes it much easier to carry around safely; highly recommend doing this. Also bought RocketFish Leather Hip Case for larger-sized handsets (RF-UL2BL); the device plus the vinyl shell fit perfectly inside it. Nice rigid protection for tossing it in a backpack, but it has open corners where water could easily get in. CaseLogic makes a 5.75" x 3.5" x 1" neoprene camera case that is a pretty good fit, although the zipper hugs the device a bit snugly (with the vinyl shell on); this seems better protection from rain.

EDIT: Setting up corporate email (Microsoft Exchange) was a major hassle. It simply did not work with the 4.2's built-in email software. But TouchDown trial version works great -- syncs email promptly -- so I will probably pay for the full version ($20).

All in all, it's an incredible device, and if you were a fan of PDAs you'll be delighted at how far things have evolved.