8.8

Samsung YP-K5 (4GB) MP3 Player

With every man and their dog owning an MP3 player, developers really need to throw a curve ball into the market if they are to get their share of the market and with the YP-K5 (4GB) MP3 Player, Samsung have really thrown a curve ball with not only a colour screen but also FM radio and both MP3 and WMA file formats.

The first thing you will notice about the YP-K5 is the sleek design that measures at an incredible size of 42 x 90 x 11mm which is definitely designed to give the iPod Nano a run for its money. The screen size is also a whopping 1.7 inches and add in an FM tuner and you have a really classy looking piece of equipment.

The menu system of the device which is powered by touch sensitive controls is extremely user-friendly and innovative. Match that with professional PC software and who really needs iTunes which will definitely slow your system down.

The software also comes with an inbuilt screen saver which allows for animations, a clock and even photos. The main music menu allows the user a plethora of options such as artists and playlists to name a few of the options, needless to say even the most technological challenged users will have no difficulty in mastering the operating system.

Another impressive feature of the device apart from its rather relative tiny size is that the device comes with built-in speakers which is generally a rarity for MP3 players and I must admit that the sound quality is rather impressive without it sounding too tinny or forced. Once the speakers are out, the YP-K5 jumps into landscape mode which is a clever little idea.

Apart from the in-built speakers, the YP-K5 comes with a pair of earbuds that is probably on par with the iPod stock standard earbuds which is quality from start to finish.

The FM tuner worked quite well on the YP-K5 that picked up all FM stations from our beloved Triple J to a variety of local FM stations. This is really a great addition that more companies should use with their MP3 devices as sometimes you just want to listen to the radio rather than your large myriad of music.

Another bonus feature of the YP-K5 is that the device can also be used as an Alarm Clock that will pleasantly wake the user with your own music. It should also be noted that the YP-K5 allows for around 30 hours of music playback or 6 hours if the integrated speakers are used.

The only downside to the YP-K5 is that the MP3 player does not support video which is a real shame but then again, even on the iPod Nano, the screen is just a little too small to really enjoy video playback so for those considering a toss up between the YP-K5 and the iPod Nano, it definitely comes down to video versus FM tuner.

In conclusion, the Samsung YP-K5 is definitely a great piece of hardware that comes with an exceptional lithium ion battery (6 hours with the speakers or around 30 hours with the earbuds) that is also incredibly small. My favourite aspect of the device is the ability to use it as an FM radio and also the control system on the device that is matched by an innovative animated menu system. Definitely worth checking out!