The Samsung YP-U1ZB has a fixed 1GB of non-expandible flash memory, and that capacity will store anywhere between 280-350 MP3 songs depending on the compression levels you opt for. The whole thing weighs a feathery 30grams, and can double up as a voice recorder or USB flash drive for moving files about thanks to a flip-out USB2.0 jack. That full-sized USB jack ups the convenience factor greatly, and we really appreciate not having to worry about loosing any caps because there isn't one with the YP-U1ZB.

While the voice recorder capability is nice, yet its muffled sound quality is no replacement for a dedicated digital voice recorder. If you seriously need a device for that purpose, what the YP-U1ZB offers up won't be satisfying. Similarly, while the unit will readily act as a 1GB USB flash hard drive whenever you need it to, logic dictates that its flash memory will more often then not be completely full of music files.

Plugging the Samsung YP-U1ZB directly into a computer without having to go digging for adaptor cables is really nice, but again anyone who seriously needs USB file storage is going to be better served by getting a dedicated device. So essentially, while the Samsung YP-U1ZB fulfills a couple roles more than capably, it's an MP3 player first and foremost, so don't forget that.

An FM tuner is the one feature we missed not having with the YP-U1ZB. A radio is a much better feature to tack on than a voice recorder... awe phooey.

The internal Li-polymer battery pack offers up to 13 hours playback time, and is only recharged by plugging the YP-U1ZB into a computer USB slot. If you don't have a home computer to do this with on a regular basis we'd recommend you look for a player which runs on AA batteries. At some point in the distant future the Li-polymer battery will loose its punch, but there doesn't appear to be any mention in the documentation if servicing will be available from the manufacturer in that respect. To that effect the company states: "The rechargeable battery is a consumable item and its capacity will decrease gradually."

Samsung Media Studio takes on a Windows Explorer-like appearance that allows users to mange MP3 files, drag and drop them onto the YP-U1ZB, encode MP3 files from CD's at up to 320kbps, and create play lists. The Media Studio includes a built in MP3 player console, so users can listen to their catalog of music on the computer. A 'device status window' tells you at a glance which songs are on the YP-U1ZB when it is connected, and how much storage space remains. It's a good program that enhances the usefulness of the YP-U1ZB, so positive marks on that front.

Ultimately, the black 1GB Samsung YP-U1ZB MP3 player we tested in this review, which retails around $129CDN ($110USD / £63GBP), is a good basic portable music player. Sound quality is no better or no worse than what we're used to through ear buds, and if you just need a Gig of storage for your favourite songs the Samsung YP-U1ZB fills the order.

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