Samsung debuts "wellness", transparent AMOLED players
updated 12:10 pm EST, Tue January 5, 2010
New IceTouch, MyFit players offers new features
Samsung on Tuesday unveiled two MP3 players designed with a transparent touch AMOLED display and customized "wellness" applications. The new IceTouch (YP-H1) features the world’s first 2-inch, full color, transparent Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) touch-screen display; it includes functions for DVD-quality video and studio-quality audio playback, photo browsing, FM FM radio, and portable storage, while the MyFit (YP-W1, pictured) features the what the company calls "wellness-promoting technology" that claims to help users monitor stress level, fat thickness, calorie intake and burn, and exercise effectiveness. Both players will be on display at CES (Samsung booth #11026).
In addition to the full-color transparent AMOLED touch screen, the IceTouch features a high-performance CPU and Samsung’s own “TouchWiz Sweep” interface, which is designed to provide a comfortable grip and give users "new options" for interacting with their player, although the company provided few details. The device also brings new 5.1-channel sound enhancement technology and broad support for codecs (MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AAC, M4A, WAV and MP3HD) along with video playback (MPEG4, WMV, H.264, Xvid and Divx) files. According to the company, the player also continually analyzes and adjusts audio levels to reflect the producer’s intended sound.
Samsung says the AMOLED screen casing is constructed using a dual-injection molding process and tempered glass that results in a smooth, durable and scratch-proof surface. The IceTouch ships in white, but can also be individually customized through separately sold color skins in pink, blue, purple and gray; it will be available in the first half of 2010 in both 8GB and 16GB capacities (pricing not announced).
The MyFit offers wellness management tools, such as stress and body fat levels and customized workout guides. The device features what it claims are the world’s first fat and stress sensors located on the top of the player are used by an embedded exercise management program to keep people on target with their fitness goals. A built-in accelerometer automatically tracks calories burned while jogging and users can record their caloric consumption per meal with the included food calorie database. Other wellness applications built into the MyFit include a water intake manager and smoking cessation utility.
The portable music player also offers an FM radio tuner and Samsung’s DNSe 3.0 sound enhancement technology, which it says helps to overcome the inefficiencies and limitations of compressed audio files to generate a more realistic stereo sound. Media playback includes high quality compressed and lossless audio formats, such as MP3, WMA, OGG, and AAC, as well as MPEG4 and WMV video formats.
The 16GB IceTouch and 8GB MyFit will be available in the first half of 2010, although pricing was not announced.
