Samsung YP-Z5AS 4 GB Digital Audio Player (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked this little number up about a month ago and fell in love with it right away, and you will too.I was actually considering the iPod Nano, but the Best Buy sales associate suggested this instead.What sold me on this was the fact that it was thicker (read: MORE DURABLE!) and had a longer battery life.Comparing this and the Nano on display, this looked far and away to be the sure fire winner.

The Z5 uses flash memory, which means lightning fast transfer of music from your PC.Flash memory is also more durable than hard-drive based memory (which is found in the standard iPods and the now-retired iPod Mini) because with flash memory, there are NO moving parts.Battery life is advertised as 35 hours.I don't know if it really lasts THAT long, but it DOES last a long time.I plugged this into the stereo system at work 2 nights in a row for 8 hours each night with no battery charging in between; started with a full battery and after the second night, the battery was still half full.The metal casing and the screen are both very durable, but you may still want to consider purchasing a protective case for added protection, as I did.

Some people have made some comments about the controls.Yes, they are different than the iPod, but you'll settle right into them in a hurry, and I have had no problems with them.Samsung also features a dedicated volume control located on the right side of the case--very nice!The Z5 also displays album artwork and photos.

The Z5 comes with earbuds, which are acceptable (I mean come on, they're earbuds--what do you expect?).[See my update below].Also included is a USB cable.I also picked up an AC power adaptor into which you plug the the supplied USB cable, so you can charge the Z5 or run it on AC power if you're away from your computer.

Definately go for the Samsung Z5--you won't be disappointed.

UPDATE 10/5/06:This thing is still working as good as the day I bought it new.Recently updated the firmware to version 2.37 US, though none of the added features with the update are of any use to me.I have all but abandoned the Samsung earbuds that came packaged with the device - the bass was too high with those buds.I currently float between my Sony 828 earbuds (available at most retaliers for around $10, and the Phillips "Virtual Surround" buds (usually between $15-20), just because those suit my taste better.You may find that other brands and/or models of earbuds/headsets work better for you.

UPDATE 4/24/07: Still kickin' after more than a year!The case is starting to show the usual signs of wear, but the device still works perfectly.In the meantime I had purchased a Creative Zen 30G, simply because of its larger capacity and video capabilities, and it was promptly returned to the store after not even a week due to its user unfriendliness (it worked fine, though).The battery life on my Z5 is still as good as it ever was and has not begun to diminish (as these batteries do eventually).Firmware updates--I think we're at version 2.47 now--have done even more to enhance the product; I update every time new FW is posted on Samsung's US website.

UPDATE 12/12/07:Well Christmas is fast approaching so I thought it was time for another update.The Z5 is still kickin.The Z5 casing is showing the usual signs of wear (I have the DLO "Jam Jacket" but don't always use it), but the thing still works perfectly and battery life is as good as ever.There are a few occasional gremlins lurking around with the way Windoze Media Player 11 reads the files on the device, but this is entirely a WMP and not a Z5 issue.I'm approaching the 2 year mark with this thing and I'm sure it will see me through to the next update when the time comes.

UPDATE 1/8/09:I swear, this thing is built like a tank!It continues to amaze me, now going on 3 years!Still chugging along perfectly!Really considering upgrading to a new player with more capacity, because my digital music collection has far surpassed 4 GB.....and 14 GB......and 24 GB.But that would be the ONLY reason for the upgrade.

I have had this player for over a year, and I still absolutely recommend it 100%.It was without a doubt the best $250 purchase I ever made, though the price has dropped significantly since I bought it the day after it came out.You will not be disappointed.

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Product Description:
The 4 GB flash memory Samsung YP-Z5 digital audio player is a great choice for carrying your music collection with you wherever you go. But it also works seamlessly with PlaysForSure online music stores and subscription services such as MTV's Urge, Napster, Rhapsody, and Yahoo,

The YP-Z5 supports online music stores such as Urge, Napster, Rhapsody, and Yahoo. allowing you portable access to tens of thousands of songs downloaded from these services. It features compatibility with MP3, OGG Vorbis, WMA, and WMA-DRM10 (digital rights protected), JPEG image viewer, a long lasting rechargeable battery for up to 35 hours, and a 1.8-inch color screen.
Weighing in at just 2 ounces, this ultra-thin, elegantly crafted player has a durable aluminum body that prevents scratches and smudges and offers large tactile buttons and a multi-directional touchpad. It also features an intuitive and visually delightful GUI (graphical user interface) designed by former Apple iPod software designer Paul Mercer.
The brightly colorful 1.8-inch LCD displays album art, and you can also show off photo slideshows from transferred JPEGs (while music plays) and even customize the screen's wallpaper with your favorite picture. It features eight EQ presets and Samsung's proprietary DNSe portable 3D sound technology (with three 3D settings plus a user customizable setting). You can choose to shuffle all tracks or only within a certain artist, album, genre, composer, or playlist. Other features include browsing by database (artist, album, genre, title) and timer settings for the display's backlight and sleep mode. It connects to PCs via a USB 2.0 connection (cable included) and it's compatible with Windows XP SP1/SP2 systems with Windows Media Player 10 software.
The Samsung YP-Z5 uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.

What's in the Box
4 GB Samsung YP-Z5 flash memory digital audio player, earphones, USB cable, installation CD-ROM, and printed operating instructions.

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