Samsung YP-U6AB U6 4GB MP3 with FM Radio and USB Slide - Black

My old MP3 player had been starting to play up so I wanted a new one for Christmas. I looked around and was torn between this one and the Sony NWZB153B B Series Walkman 4GB. I think, in my own opinion, I have the better of the two.

If you're in the same predicament here's my reason why I choose this and why I think it'll help in this review to help you make up your own mind.

1 - I had the build in slide USB connection. Granted so does the Sony however there isn't a cap to lose. Which is easy by all accounts. I check this out before hand in my local Currys store and the cap is easy to remove. I like something to have a firm fit and it's just a little too easy to remove. Where as the U6 has the slide USB connector. It's brilliant and has a great positive lock at the end, which you can feel under your thumb.

2 - Aluminium body. this feels great and give it a high quality build finish. The Sony feels great too but there's a bit too much plastic

3 - Display. The display is good as well. It's small but that's not a bad thing (battery life will not be as affected). It has a four line display with is sufficient to see what you're doing in the menus. Plus it's colour. I appreciate this isn't a deal breaker but you can add your person touch to it (text colour and even a little popcorn character which greats you when you turn on the device, and is present if there album art is missing.... oh did I mention you get the album art on the small screen too?)

4 - Easy to use. If you've ever used a USB flash drive then you're already qualified enough to use this. You plug it in, your computer recognises it and you can drag and drop in albums from your harddrive. It's so easy. you don't need a cable which you do with other mp3 players (iPods), you don't even need to install any fancy or hard to use additional software either. Although you can use Samsung's Kies software. I'd recommend not using this though. It's not that Kies doesn't work or it's hard to use... but why complicate things when it's really not that hard to drag and drop music on to it. I already use Windows Media Player or the Zune player software which recoginse the player but it's just a step that's not needed. Open up your music folder and drag the albums in that you want to play. This wasn't a huge deal break as the Sony player does the same but it's definitely something to consider if you're after a iPod nano or something like that. If I'm at a buddies house and they've got some new music I can put in on my Samsung U6 in seconds. If I have any other device I might needs cables or compatible programs

If you're not bothered about having an app for that, or being able to view pictures and watch movies, or you just want a simple to use, player that just plays music then I feel this little Samsung U6 is great. It's recommend it to anyone

NB. the ear phones are ok... I'd buy some different ones though. I have the Sennheiser CX 300 II ear puds and the work a dream. The SoundAlive software on the play helps to create a nice warm bass. I didn't mention this before but I also think the sound from the U6 is better than the Sony (it's also better than my old Creative Zen and iPod Nano)

ps sorry for any spelling mistakes

Rather than reiterate the well reasoned existing reviews of this player, I will concentrate on why I find I am using it.

Sometimes it is nice to have something that I can just slip in my pocket, not worry that it contains everything about me and also did not cost the earth.

For the real aficionado I dare say the software has shortcomings but for me to be able to carry around dozens of albums, listen to the radio, audio books or even record a few reminders is quite enough. There are times when I become fatigued by sheer versatility and prefer a simple pen knife to a Swiss army knife.

The fact that it is one piece (USB connector slides out) avoids the bane of my life - tops that come loose and/or extra charging cables. It can also be used just as a USB drive (and it was not so long ago that this capacity of USB stick would set you back the equivalent).

Ironically, this unit is seeing more use than my Itouch simply because I have less of a tendency to treat it with kid gloves and as a result carry it round with me more.

There is a fuller manual than the tiny supplied leaflet but you need to boot up the installed .exe file and view it on your pc. This gives a good run through for someone at my level (who has only just discovered that to rip does not just mean to damage).

My player also came packed with a leaflet for a 50 free track offer from Emusic - DRM-free (enabling playback on any MP3 player) - if this (Samsung) offer is still current it makes the package a real bargain.

I agree with other reviewers that the weak link at this level is usually the earphones and a separate good quality set from the likes of Sennheiser is a good investment. With premium earphones the sound quality of the underlying unit is good. In an ideal world I would like Bluetooth connection for a headset and perhaps some of that Apple style finesse but Uber elegance can tire after a while and this is a good, honest, sweet item of kit.

I don't think I will ever lose my awe at just how much can be packed into a tiny unit and the value for money represented by this type of unit, so maybe I am easily pleased. I do recommend you to read the other reviews because collectively they have provided a more thorough and well informed analysis from differing perspectives.

The recent spread of iPhone, Android phone and other smart phones has dampened the popularity of mp3 players. However, many still prefer portable mp3 players over bulky smart phones when it comes to listening to music. The same for me. This is especially more so when I go out for a walk or jogging. Then, the smart phones feel quite heavy and big. While searching for an affordable mp3 to listen to music, I came across U6 from Samsung and bought it.

The biggest strength of U6 is its petite size - the length of a finger. It's so slim and light (only 34g) that I can hang it around my neck without feeling the weight. Also, the body made of aluminum is very sturdy yet classy. The embedded USB port eliminates the trouble of having to connect to a separate data cable. The USB port is a sliding type, which is different from the typical cap type.

With U6, if you press the user button while the music is playing, you can use the function that you set up at `Setting->User Button'. This is a button that allows the users to define a function that they use the most frequently. You can select among Study Mode, SoundAlive, Play Speed and Play Mode. Also, if you press the user button for long, the voice recording function is turned on. (If you press the button while listening to the FM radio, the radio, not your voice, is recorded.) Its performance is good enough that you can use it as a voice recorder.

With SoundAlive, the 3D surround stereo delivers a much more dynamic sound. You can set eight different modes including Concert Hall, Big Bass and Vocal, thus giving a totally different feel to the same music.

One of the unique functions of U6 is the fitness mode that helps the users to exercise. Before using the fitness mode, if you input your accurate weight and select among the types of exercise such as walking, running or yoga, the player calculates the calories consumed and time lapse.

I bought the product without expecting that much (being a low-end product), but it surely has strong value for money. Maximum portability, sophisticated design, high quality sound and convenience all combined in one mp3 player. I strongly recommend U6 to anyone looking for these features. The excellent quality ensures the best music experience.

Samsung YP-U6AB U6 4GB MP3 with FM Radio and USB Slide - Black