Samsung Galaxy Muse, shaped like a skipping stone, on sale for $50
Conventional wisdom has it that smartphones are rapidly becoming the equivalent of high-tech Swiss Army Knives – everything from cameras to e-readers to credit cards to video game systems to MP3 players fits neatly inside. But that doesn't mean plenty of manufacturers aren't still pursuing purpose-built, pocket-sized devices. Consider the PlayStation Vita, the Amazon Kindle, or the Apple iPod.
Or look to the Samsung Galaxy Muse, a pint-sized music player the size and shape of a skipping stone. The Muse, which is on sale now through the Samsung site or online retailers such as Amazon, is priced at $49.99 – on par with the $49.00 Apple iPod Shuffle. The device comes in two color schemes – white or blue – and packs 4 GB of memory and a clip on the back to attach to running shorts or the collar of your shirt.
But best of all, at least for folks who already own a Samsung smartphone, may be the ability to sync tracks between devices.
"Users can get their music on the Galaxy Muse by simply downloading the Muse Sync app from the Google Play marketplace or Samsung Apps," Samsung reps wrote in a press release. "After connecting Galaxy Muse to the Galaxy S III or Galaxy Note II via the included connector cable (USB to 3.5mm headset jack), users can sync the songs they want and leave their phone behind."
In plain English: You'll be able to cart over tracks and playlists from your Galaxy smartphone to the Galaxy Muse with a tap of your finger.
In related news, Samsung has released a new, Android-powered Galaxy Camera. The machine is pricey – 500 bucks – but if you're looking for a wired camera, writes CNET's Joshua Goldman, you could do much worse.
"Outside of its relatively high cost of ownership and average point-and-shoot picture quality," Goldman notes in a mostly positive review, "the Samsung Galaxy Camera definitely delivers the shoot-and-share experience of a smartphone with the features of a compact camera."
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