Samsung YP-T9 review

Bluetooth stereo – surely it’s the way forward for portable media players? Without the burden of wires, you can spin The Shins latest while flinging your locks with the gay abandon of a shampoo advert. Here to deliver that dream and compete with the iubi Blue is Samsung’s new video-playing T9.

Something’s missing…

In theory, the T9 concept sounds great. Get those Bluetooth headphones out of the box and…hold on, there aren’t any included. Boo. Instead, you need to stump up around £50 for some Bluetooth buds, like Sony Ericsson’s HBH-DS970. It’s not a great start.

Once you’ve strapped on your new cans, though, the music rocks – only Sony’s new NW-A805 beats it in this department. Even the bundled wired buds sound good. The big downside, though, is that the Bluetooth function doesn’t work with the radio or when you’re watching videos.

Tiny cinema   

Still, it’s far from the worst video player, even with the disappointing lack of wireless audio. Select a video and the player switches to landscape mode, the 1.8in screen banging out a rich and detailed image. Fast-moving action can cause a touch of image break up, but nothing too major.

It’s a user-friendly player too. The software is above average, and the user interface is very slick and intuitive. Our only major gripe is the side location of the back button, which makes one-handed control tricky.

The T9 is certainly no Archos when it comes to a portable video experience. But its combination of tiny dimensions, stereo Bluetooth and user-friendliness make it a unique and charming new offering.      

Use it with…

Stuff Essentials – In-ear headphones