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Samsung’s YP-K5 scored Stuff brownie points when it arrived in our office last winter for one main reason: it was original. Sure, the slide-out speaker was gimmicky, but it was something new in a world of Nano clones, and for that we were grateful.
Now Samsung has followed it up with perhaps the least surprising move in consumer electronics. It’s removed the speaker from its cult hero, and launched the resulting wafer-thin player as the YP-K3.
Nano clone
We hate lazy comparisons with Apple’s gorgeous Nano, but here it’s unavoidable. The K3 has virtually identical dimensions, the same vertical layout and a slightly larger 1.8in OLED screen. It’s a good look, but won’t win any awards for innovation.
Luckily, things get more interesting when you press the power button. Immediately, the familiar blue, touch-sensitive buttons and minimalist menu logos glow, and some personality shines through. The interface is no iPod clickwheel, but it is attractive and, most importantly, a breeze to use.
Napster buddy
Like thoroughbreds from the Creative and SanDisk stables, the K3’s main attraction is support for PlaysForSure subscription services.
If you’re not already tethered to iTunes, plundering the Napster to Go library and filling up your K3 is a great alternative. Frustratingly for heavy listeners, though, the 8GB model isn’t available in the UK yet.
Can it compensate with astounding aural performance? Almost. The K3 comes very close to matching the Nano’s sound quality, with only a little detail and bass missing at higher volumes.
As usual, a little investment in some Sennheiser MX550s to replace the lacklustre bundled pair helps. One slight annoyance, though, is that the volume resets to halfway every time you turn it off.
Radio star
A little extra value is squeezed into the K3’s size zero body with the addition of an FM radio and JPEG photo viewer.
As you’d expect, the teeny, low-res screen reduces holiday snaps to a fuzzy mess, but the radio reception is excellent whether you’re on the move or in the office. The battery also lasted only a little under the claimed 25 hours.
What we have here, then, is a covetable player with legitimate claim to being a Nano for the anti-iTunes brigade. The K3 lacks a killer punch – the YP-Z5’s battery life or the YP-T9’s support for stereo Bluetooth, say – but it does the simple stuff well and offers distinctive, minimalist cool for a wallet-friendly price.
Use it with…
Stuff Essentials – In-ear headphones
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Comments
romiow
6 years ago
Full Review (add image) http://romiow.blogspot.com/2007/02/k-3_22.html
romiow
6 years ago
K3 Yepp YP-K3 (2GB) from Samsung is an ultra-slim, ultra-light stylish MP3 player in laminated black. You can carry it around anywhere, and easily use it with its touch-pad. DNSe, an original technology of Samsung used to build K3, also ensures the high quality of the sound it plays. Yepp YP-K3 (2GB) is the product for you who appreciates the pleasure of music and values stylishness in everything you do. Sensuous Design Yepp YP-K3 MP3 player from Samsung conveys a sense of deep luxury and sophistication, as it is covered in luxuriously laminated black. Yepp YP-K3 is a proud work of art you can have as your accessory, sure to draw to you the attention you deserve anywhere you go. Exceptional Mobility Yepp YP-K3 MP3 player from Samsung measures 44 x 96 x 6.95mm (width x length x height) and weights 50 grams. It is a perfectly portable, mobile device you want to have. Various Codices Accommodated Yepp YP-K3 MP3 player from Samsung plays files of various formats, from MP3 to WMA and OGG. It easily converts between different types of music files you would like to play. Soul-moving Sound The Digital Natural Sound Engine (DNSe), an original technology of Samsung that is provided with K3, will make you feel as if you were in the middle of a live concert hall every time you play music. The natural tone and clear high pitches the DNS3 plays will make you feel as if you were surrounded by a home-theater system along with EP-100 earphones that emphasize the lively mid- to low pitches. FM Radio Functions You can store up to 30 of your favorite stations on your K3 and listen to them whenever you want. The automatic preset function automatically stores up to 30 radio channels that can be found all over the given FM radio region, so you do not have to struggle to find your favorite radio station every time you want to listen to it,. High-Resolution Color Screen The 1.8-inch color OLED shows images of high resolutions as well as texts with improved functions and performance. You can view your favorite photos and videos anytime anywhere, just as lively and action-filled as they are. Alarm Function You can use your K3 as a small clock, and set your alarm to wake you up with your favorite tune every morning. Touch Pad The four-direction touch-pad that can be easily operated with light finger-tip touches enables you to use the variety of menus and functions K3 provides with ease. Dotted Screen The dot-shaped, blue lighted OLED that lights up each time a menu is viewed emits the mysterious blue light. These dot-shaped lighting helps you find the menu you want even in dark places, while also boosting up your style. Multi-tasking K3 is a multi-tasker: it allows you to view your photos, listen to an FM radio station, set a screensaver image or alarm, while you are listening to your music. Long-lasting Hours The built-in lithium-polymer cell used for K3 can play up to 25 hours of music without stop after being charged once. Because K3 uses a 24-pin charger that is the same as the one used to charge cellular phones, you can charge K3 easily using your cellular phone charger as well. USB 2.0 You can send your data at an incredibly high speed using the USB 2.0., which you can also use as a removable disk.