Samsung EX1 review - DigitalBuyer

Following is a review of EX1 posted by DigitalBuyer.

http://www.digicambuyer.co.uk/cameras/samsung/ex1_review

Review & Image: [Haptic ST10] Samseung digital cameras are also Haptic! - Preview

Here are some images of Samsung ST10 digital camera review.

For more images, please click:
http://www.segadget.com/entry/383

Product Review: Samsung Mobile Beam Projector, MBP200

When I saw MBP200 that Samsung recently developed, I was so surprised. MBP200 was too small to believe that it was a beam projector. I have never seen such a small but powerful and convenient projector. I think MBP200 would be the world smallest handheld beam projector.
Even there are more features that made me surprised. MBP200 has also the functionalities of MP3 players, DivX players, DMB players, and file viewer.

Let’s discover the mobile beam projector, MBP200.

Package



The carton box was made of hard board and looked valuable.

There are many necessary components in the pages.

They are the beam projector, two battery packs, charger, external memory card (microSD card), screen stand, DMB stand, stereo earphone, VGA multi adapter cable, USB data cable, A/V cable, portable pouch, and user’s guide.

Screen Display
To compare with my 52” LCD TV, I placed MBP200 to view the screen on the wall next to it.

As you can see, the screen is much larger than the 52” LCD TV. The manual says that the maximum screen side is 50”. However, making it larger did not hurt my eyes. The focus button helped me to adjust the screen view.

The distance between the wall and MBP200 is about 10 feet. The more distance apart the larger view area you can get.


Appearance
I took some pictures in various views.

MBP200 is on my hand. You can see how small the projector is.

I compared it with a normal ball point pen. MBP200 is much smaller than a pen.

The left side shows the slide button for the power on/off and hold keys.

On the front side, there are the microSD card slot, earphone jack and the slide button for adjusting focus.

The right side has the DLP lens that shoots the display.

The back side has the USB/Data slot, built-in speaker and the DMB antenna.

The top side is composed of the TFT LCD screen and touch pad and click buttons on the bottom.

The bottom side has only the battery cover to replace battery.

Screen Stand
Do you know what this is?

This is the portable screen that we can get anytime anywhere. The screen is just a letter size paper that we use for printing. Using the screen stand, I attached a letter size paper to the stand so that I can easily watch the projector views.

This is the view when the letter size paper has removed from the screen stand. The view displays on the wall behind the screen stand.

Presentation
MBP200 support various file formats. The supported documents are Adobe PDF (pdf: 1.2 ~ 1.7), MS Power Point (ppt, pptx: 95 ~ 2007), MS Word (doc, docs: 97 ~ 2007), MS Excel (xls, xlsx: 95 ~ 2007), Text (txt, asc), Web Pages (html, htm, mHtml), Windows Meta Format (emf, wmf), Handgul Word Perfect (hwp: 97 ~ 3.0, 2002 ~ 2007).

Video
Since MBP200 is a beam projector, not only presentation files but also video files can be played. MB200 works like a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player) device. The supported video formats are AVI, ASF, MPG, MP4, WMV, and SVI. The video CODECs are MPEG-1/2/4, DivX, Xvid (720x480), WMV9, and H.264 (640x480). Audio CODECs are MP3, WMA and AC3. The Caption format is SMI. The frame rate is 30 fps.

Pictures

The supported picture formats are BM, JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, TIFF, and TIF.
Using the “File Viewer” menu, pictures and document files stored in the memory can be displayed through the LCD screen or beam projector.

Main Menu

The “Main Menu” is composed of Music, Video, DMB, File Viewer, Setting and Projector.

Using the “Projector” menu, the view screen can be changed from the LCD screen to the beam projector or vice versa. Also, MBP200 can be connected to a cell phone that supports TV-Out feature, or a laptop/PC to watch through a large screen.

Samsung made the user interface so simple and easy to navigate.


Music
Samsung has released so many MP3 players in the world market. MBP200 has also the MP3 player features. The supported music files are MP3, WMA, OGG, and AAC. The audio CODECs are MP3, WMA, EAAC+, OGG, AC3, WAV, and BASC. Channels are stereo when using earphones, and mono when using the built-in speaker.

DMB
DMB stands for Digital Multimedia Broadcasting. DMB is available in Korea and some countries. MBP200 supports terrestrial DMB so that TV channels and digital radio can be played when the service is available.

MBP200 can be a portable TV. Just stretch out the antenna and turn on the DMB feature.


Specifications

General Specification
- Model Name: Mobile Beam Projector (MBP 200)

- Memory: 200MB Built-in
microSD card: Up to 2GB, microSDHC: ~16GB
(Some memory cards may not be supported due to the characteristics of memory cards)

- LCD Size: 2.2"
- LCD Resolution: QVGA(320*240)
- LDT Type: TFT LCD
- Color: Black
- Battery Type: Li-Ion 1480mAh
- Mobile TV: Terrestrial DMB
- A/V Input: D-Sub(VGA), Composite(NTSC) with Stereo Audio
- Projection: 5~50" HVGA(480*320)
- Supported Files:

Music
- Audio : MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC
- Audio Codec : MP3, WMA, EAAC+, OGG, AC3, WAV, BASC
- Channel : Stereo
- Equalizer : 5Bands (Rock, Live, Dance, Pop, Club)
- Built-in Speaker : 1W Mono

Movies
- Video Files : AVI, ASF, MPG, MP4, WNV, SVI
- Video Codec : MPEG-1/2/4, DivX, Xvid(720x480), WMV9, H.264(640x480)
- Audio Codec : MP3, WMA, AC3
- Caption File : SMI
- Frame Rate : 30fps

Pictures
- BMP, JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, TIFF, TIF

Documents
- MS Word(doc, docx) / 97 ~ 2007
- Hangul Word Perfect(hwp) / 97~3.0, 2002~2007
- Adobe PDF(pdf) / 1.2 ~ 1.7)
- MS PowerPoint(ppt. pptx) / 97~2007
- MS Excel(xls, xlsx) / 95 ~ 2007
- Web Pages(html, htm, mHtml)
- Text (txt. Asc)
- Windows Meta Format(emf, wmf)

- Speaker Output: 1W Mono Speaker
- Earphone Output: 70mW 3.5Φ Stereo Earphone Jack
- Output Frequency Range: 20 Hz ~ 20 KHz
- Playback Time:

Music: 11 hours
Movie: 6 hours
DMB: 6 hours
Projector: 1 hour and 20 minutes with one battery pack (2 hours and 40 minutes with the provided two battery packs)

- Temperature: -10 ~ 40 ‘C
- Weight: 160 gram
- Dimension: 107.3 x 48.8 x 19 mm


The Projector Distance (cm) and the Screen Size (W x H in cm)

Distance between projector and screen : Estimated display dimension

- 20 cm : 10.6 cm x 7 cm
- 40 cm: 21.1 cm x 14.1 cm
- 80 cm: 42.3 cm x 28.2 cm
- 150 cm: 79.3 cm x 52.8 cm
- 200 cm: 105.7 cm x 70.4 cm
** As the distance between the projector and the screen gets farther, the brightness becomes darker.

Major Features
- 3D Sound: DNSe
- Image Viewer (Zoom, Slide Show)
- Slide Show
- Photo Viewer
- Phote Zoom In/Out
- Auto Caption Display

Additional Features
- Removable Hard Disk Drive:
Without any USB thum drive, you can use MBP200 as a removable USB disk to upload and download files.

- Firmare
www.yepp.co.kr provides the latest fimware to upgrade the functionality.

- EmoDio
EmoDio is a content management software for the YEPP devices. The latest music, video, moview, language and education contents can be downloaded through EmoDio. (Contents may not be supported depending on the device types)

- EmoDio Auto Lyric Support
Lyric can be displayed while listening music.

- Multi-codec support
Various types of CODECs can be supported. The supported files are specified above.

- File Navigation
Similar to the Windows Explorer, you can navigate the music files easily.

- Library Feature
Using the ID3 Tag in the MP3 files, the file information can be arranged and sorted conveniently in terms of Genre, Singer, Album, Title, etc.

- Multi-Language Support
Various languages can be displayed such as lyrics, titles, etc.

- Playlist
avorite music fiels can be stored in a playlist.

- EmoDio Playlist
Using EmoDio, music files can be stored in a playlist to play in my favor.

- USB2.0
sing USB2.0, data can be tranferred in a fast way.

System Requirements
- Pentium 300 MHz or more
- USB 2.0 Port
- Windows 2000/XP/Vista/WMP10
- DirectX 9.0 or more
- 100MB or more hard disk space
- CD-ROM drive (2x or more)
- Display resolution1024X768 or more

Pros and Cons

Pros:
- Compact size and sleek design (high glossy material in black)
- Portable (small and light weight)
- Powerful beam projector (best for 50” display but can make it larger)
- Useful for sales persons to present sales information
- Useful for watching movies with fiancé privately
- Useful for studying lectures in video clips
- Can watch TV channels through DMB
- Can enjoy music
- Can read contents of various file formats including MS Word, PPT, Excel, and PDF


Cons:
- Projector playback time is only 1 hour and 20 minutes with one battery pack. This can be OK since there is a charger, and two battery packs are given that make 2 hours and 40 minutes of total playback time.
- If the LCD is a touch screen, it would be much better to navigate menu.

Conclusions
While reviewing MBP200, I was thinking that I would not need to purchase individual PMP to play video clips, MP3 players to play MP3 files, DMB players to watch DMB TV channels and even a big beam projector to show presentation files.

MBP200 is the perfect device with all-in-one in terms of the functionalities and the portability. I believe that Samsung’s MBP200 would be a sensational device for sales people and outdoor use because it is extremely portable and powerful beam projector to enjoy multimedia functions including video, music, picture, and documents. MBP200 would be useful for entertainment anywhere anytime.

Samsung Camcorder Sweeps Away Italy

I found an interesting topic in The Digital Times, one of the popular Internet sites of newspapers in Korea.

The topic of the news was "Samsung Camcorder Sweep Away Italy." Following is a translated information of the news.

Using a famous world soccer ball player, Samsung Electronics has become No. 1 in the digital camcorder market in Italy for the first time, and started to take over the European market. Samsung mentioned on July 8, 2008 that Samsung took the first place for two consecutive months in April and May in the SD camcorder market which took 96% of the digital camcorder market in Italy.

This was the first time for Samsung to become the first place in a country in the digital camcorder business. Specially, in case of LCD TV category which is now the #1 business of the world, Samsung became #1 in the LCD TV market in Italy in 2005. With this as a momentum, Samsung took over the Europe market and finally became #1. Although the camcorder category has not yet become the top business currently, Samsung was sure that, like the LCD TV case, the Samsung's digital camcorder business would grow as the top business if Samsung attracted European consumers of very difficult tastes by providing a sensitive design and star marketing. According to GfK, a market research organization, the market share in quantity in the SD camcorder category in Italy from Jan. to May this year was listed as Sony took 29.9%, Samsung 28%, JVC 16.1%, Cannon 14.1%, Panasony 10.5%, etc.

However, in April, Samsung took the first place for the first time with 29.1% market share that was 1.2% more than Sony's. Then, Samsung also took 28.8% market share in April that was 1.4% more than Sony's. With the help of the SD camcorder market, Samsung reduced the market share gap to the No. 1 company in all digital camcorder market in Italy to 0.1%.

The main reason that Samsung could become the top in the camcorder market in Italy was analyzed as, since last year, Samsung used a star marketing strategy such as using Louis Figo, a famous soccer player, as a model.

Mr. Park, a director of Samsung Electronics, said that "Samsung camcorder has been getting a great attention from consumers in Italy which is well known as the hometown of Fashion.", and "Samsung will get more attention from the Italian consumers by providing such marketing activities for its full HD camcorder and other new products."

IT News

Below are highlights of the latest IT news:

HDTV News:
· CNET – Photos: Extremely sexy tech (LN52A750) - http://www.cnet.com/4326-13938-6625933-2.html?tag=ss_thmb
· TWICE - Panasonic Adds LCD TVs To 'Concierge' Program - http://www.twice.com/article/CA6574675.html?nid=2402
· CrunchGear - Sony to boost production of TVs with FED technology - http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/07/02/sony-to-boost-production-of-tvs-with-fed-technology/
· Electronic House - LG Introduces “Frameless” Plasma TV - http://www.electronichouse.com/article/lg_introduces_frameless_plasma_tv/
· Yahoo! Tech - Most viewers sticking to their TV sets despite online video popularity - http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/hughes/32778


HDTV FYI:
· Engadget HD - Samsung to include free Foxtel iQ2 HD DVR with flat-panel purchase - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/samsung-to-include-free-foxtel-iq2-hd-dvr-with-flat-panel-purcha/
· HiddenWires - TDVision Systems Showcase Optimum HD-3D Stereoscopic Experience (Samsung mention) - http://hiddenwires.co.uk/resourcesnews2008/news20080702-03.html


Blu-ray / DVD / Home Theater News:
· CNET - Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray Player review - http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/samsung-bd-p1500/4505-6463_7-32815244.html?tag=prod.txt.1
· Engadget HD - Sony's $400 BDP-S350 Blu-ray player shows July 15th ship date - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/sonys-400-bdp-s350-blu-ray-player-shows-july-15th-ship-date/
· Engadget HD - Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-ray players start to see the light of day - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/panasonic-dmp-bd50-blu-ray-players-start-to-see-the-light-of-day/
· TG Daily - PS3 expected to remain the driving force behind Blu-ray sales - http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/38213/113/
· Engadget HD - Blue Ray Technologies opening America's largest Blu-ray Disc mastering facility - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/02/blue-ray-technologies-opening-americas-largest-blu-ray-disc-mas/
· Gizmodo - Toshiba's Internet Connected DVD Download DL Seems Like a Bad Idea - http://gizmodo.com/5021306/toshibas-internet-connected-dvd-download-dl-seems-like-a-bad-idea
· Philadelphia Daily News - Jonathan Takiff: The latest buzz on Blu-ray - http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/jonathan_takiff/20080702_Jonathan_Takiff__The_latest_buzz_on_Blu-ray.html
· Engadget HD - Blockbuster CEO to Studios: Make more copies of Blu-ray films - http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/07/01/blockbuster-ceo-to-studios-make-more-copies-of-blu-ray-films/


MP3 Player / PMP / Camcorder News:
· The New York Times - A Fresh Start for iRiver (Samsung mention) - http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/a-fresh-start-for-iriver/?hp
· Yahoo! Tech - Flash-based Ibiza Rhapsody: A good thing gets better - http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/24399
· Engadget - Creative's Zen X-Fi player gets right with the FCC - http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/creatives-x-fi-player-gets-right-with-the-fcc/
· Gearlog - Getting the Most Out of Your Low-End Camcorder - http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/getting_the_most_out_of_your_y.php
· Gearlog - DIY: A Macro Lens and Microscope for Your Flip Mino - http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/diy_macro_lens_and_microscope.php


Home Appliance News:
· CNET - KitchenAid's energy-saving refrigerator has bottom freezer, advanced controls - http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13553_1-9970548-32.html
· SlashGear - The Jot Dry-Erase Refrigerator - http://www.slashgear.com/the-jot-dry-erase-refrigerator-0112337.php


General Industry / Trade / Competitor News:
· Gizmodo - Apple Orders a Few Flash Chips...Like 50 Million of 'Em (Samsung mention) - http://gizmodo.com/5021394/apple-orders-a-few-flash-chipslike-50-million-of-em
· Gizmodo - Sony Goal: 90% of ALL Our Products Networked By 2010 - http://gizmodo.com/5021343/sony-goal-90-of-all-our-products-networked-by-2010
· TG Daily - Verizon: "Steve Jobs has no monopoly on innovations" - http://www.tgdaily.com/html_tmp/content-view-38205-128.html
· TWICE - Blockbuster Nixes Circuit City Deal - http://www.twice.com/article/CA6574996.html?desc=topstory
· TWICE - Panasonic Makes Imaging Promotions - http://www.twice.com/article/CA6574866.html

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Samsung BD-UP5000 and Audioengine AW1 reviews

HDTV Magazine provided an excellent review of the Samsung BD-UP5000 combo Bl-ray and HD-DVD player, and Audioengine AW1.

http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/podcast/2008/02/hdtv_and_home_theater_podcast_248_-_samsung_bd-up5000_and_audioengine_aw1_reviews.php

Samsung YP-U3 Featherweight Media Player Packs Haymaker Sound

By Danny Dumas January 25, 2008 5:08:06 PMCategories: Media Players, Reviews

It’s almost criminal how much hot, steamy gadget action you can get for less than a hundred clams. Take Samsung’s new YP-U3, a pack-of-gum sized audio player that has 2GB of flash memory, FM radio, data storage, LED display, EQ controls, and voice recording for all those brilliant Web 3.0 ideas you get while riding the bus.

The U3 is so small and light that you could damn near lose it in a shirt pocket. And you might want to keep it there, because its gaudy color choices — our review unit was a loud fluorescent green — and plastic-on-plastic build quality won’t win over fashion-conscious shoppers. Looks can be deceiving, though, because the U3 has some cool tricks up its sleeve: a retractable USB 2.0 connector slides out the bottom of the player and the flat-surface navigation buttons are super touch-sensitive. The menus and features are a breeze to figure out (thankfully I had no RTFM incidents along the way) and the LED has a groovy bright-blue display. The voice recorder activates with the flick of a button, and the mic is surprisingly sensitive — I was able to capture clear dialogue on a TV from about ten feet away. The earbuds are cheapo and produce a thin, tinny sound (I blame it on Apple, for setting the Crappy-White-Earbuds standard), but when I hooked in my trusty Grado SR 80 cans, the audio had plenty of depth and detail.

It may not be as elegant or stylish as the iPod Shuffle, but for about the same coin the U3 gives you double the memory, more features…and kitschy colors visible from 200 feet! —Christopher Jones

WIRED Lots of bang for the buck, and flash memory means snappy playback and good battery life. Tiny form factor is great for outdoorsy, Ironman types. Sliding USB connector is handy, and eliminates cables.

TIRED Easy to accidentally hit the touch-sensitive buttons, so the Hold button is a must – but then you can’t advance tracks. D’oh. Only time will tell if plastic case can hold up to the rigors of portable play. And why no FM recording?
$90,

samsung.com