The YP-T9 is a small, sleek, and appealing player, on first sight. It's quite attracting with its black finish and the glassy feel to it. It's also very thin. But, is it really worth its price? We're about to find out.
The TYP-T9 arrives in a nice case which quite compliments it. However, there is not much in it. A set of mediocre headphones (more about them - a bit later), USB cable, software CD, and the player itself of course. Seeing as the player is BlueTooth, I expected to find a set of Wireless BlueTooth headphones, that would match the player's high price. However, I was disappointed to find out that Samsung had thrown in a pair of simple headphones. They do look sleek and match the player's appearance, however; their sound quality is not impressive and the earbuds that come with them do tend to fall. Eventually, after one day of use, I lost them when they fell. I was also disappointed not to find a charger in the package. The USB cable is the charger. Also, the USB cable is not standard, which means that if it gets lost or broken, it's going to cost you quite a fortune to replace it.
The player's interface is nice. The flash animations contribute to the player's feel. Especially I find the player appealing with the orange colour set. You can customize the interface as much as you want, yet the menu will stay the same. There are quite a lot of features, besides the media player. There is a file browser, picture viewer (that is a bit slow, in my opinion), recorder, FM radio (and a recorder), movie player, games, phone book, and BlueTooth. The BlueTooth allows you not only to use a pair of BlueTooth headphones without the need for bulky adapters, but also allows you to connect to mobile devices, transfer files, and you can even have phone calls with it! Yes, you can connect to a cell phone and talk through your player. Although it's not really useful, it's cool!
However, I found the navigation controls a bit lacking. The back button, which I expected to find on the front, was in the side of the player, and really uncomfortable to reach, especially with one hand. Same for the Play button and Menu button. The front keys feel solid, but as said, they lack a Back button. If you're looking for good interface, you better get an iPod.
The music quality is great. You have multiple equalizers, which you can adjust. The player , however, doesn't support Loseless formats besides WMA loseless, which is a shame. The player interface is quite comfortable, and you can customize it. It has a very clear and crisp display that is visible even in daylight.
As for the video - I was impressed. Although the screen is small, the videos I've loaded into it (with the Samsung software) were very crisp and viewable, despite the small size of the screen, which is also very bright.
The battery life is impressive, and it matches Samsung's factory data. I haven't tested the exact time but the feel is that it really holds for a long time.
As for other aspects of the player: the radio reception is OK, and amongst the cool features in the radio I especially liked the Sensitivity Adjustment, that configures the player's sensitivity to FM signals and allows you to 'filter' radio stations with bad receptions. The recorder is OK, too, but the microphone is not really great. There is a single touch record button which is handy. The screen tends to get scratched. I highly recommend getting a case for it (Samsung don't provide any with it). Belkin sell it for about 40 dollars, and it provides a good protection for the player.
Overall, the player is a good choice if you need a big sized Flash Player, with a good screen. However, it's high price doesn't justify buying it, and I suggest going for Creative's products, which are of greater quality even if they demand a bigger investment.
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