Samsung's "Shuffle"

WPW_Feedbot · #1 (**permalink**) 10-24-2005, 07:00 AM

I've mentioned the Samsung YP-U1 before, and I had great hopes for this Shuffle knockoff. I like my Shuffle for a lot of reasons -- portability, ease of use, integration with the software I use for my larger MP3 player (an old 20-GB 3rd-gen iPod).

But the lack of a screen on the Shuffle kills me -- not because I want to see what's playing now (I know all the songs I've got on there), but because I want to choose what plays next. Ever want to hear just one song? Try finding it in a list of 200 without a screen. Ever want to have two distinct playlists to shuffle through rather than just one (say, one playlist for the gym and one playlist for the commute)? On the current Shuffle you can't do that -- but on a Shuffle with a screen you would be able to.

But after playing with the YP-U1 for a while recently, I have to say I wasn't massively impressed. Yes, it answered the need for a screen -- but the implementation of the screen and the buttons wasn't as good as it could've been. Apple says this is an inherent limitation of devices this size -- and I agree the size makes it somewhat difficult -- but still, I think Samsung can do better with the screen and buttons.

It seems like CNet was thinking the same thing -- see their review here. The YP-U1 rates a 6.9, while the Shuffle scored a 7.3. I also don't expect Apple to add a screen to the Shuffle anytime soon -- they've always been masters at carefully segmenting their iPods not just by price and capacity, but also by features -- and even a basic screen would probably encroach too much on the Nano's territory.

Bottom line? Neither device is perfect -- and hey, I don't expect a perfect device for under 70 quid -- but the Shuffle is marginally better. I guess the answer to my two-playlist dilemma is to just go buy another Shuffle....

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