Last October, Samsung launched its new ambitious MP3 player designed to share music. Named K5, the new MP3 model from Samsung was instantly surrounded with criticisms on its big size, brick-like look, and inability to play video files.

Here, certain criticisms on the big size and brick-likeness of K5 were not completely undue. Korean consumers in general prefer MP3 players of compact and slim sizes (plus all the fun and exciting functions). As a result, Samsung decided to launch K3 in February, a model made by removing the speaker set from K5.

In that case, is K3 merely another K5 without its bulky speaker? That is not so, I can argue. The code letter given to each line of MP3 players from Samsung symbolizes the common characteristic linking all the products in that line. ‘K’ here means the MP3 player’s ability to enable the user to share music with others. Consequentially, Samsung has also decided to provide a detachable, exterior speaker set for K3 as it did for K5.

I am pretty sure you have seen many photos of K3 already, but we will go over some of those images in the following section.

Given its speaker, K3 looks perfect to carry around in your back-pack when you are out hiking or climbing a mountain. The speaker ensures the same sound quality as its predecessor used for K5. As you can see in the photo above, the external speaker set for K3 can be used only by K3. I had some people complain about the fact that the speaker is not provided in the basic package. It would be better for Samsung if it provides another type of package that basically comes with this speaker.

Before we go over K3 in minute details, let us remind ourselves of some representative features with the photos we have seen before in our Photo Gallery with matching descriptions.
First, let us have a look at the specifications.

• File Formats Accommodated: Music (MP3, WMA, OGG), Photo (JPEG), Text (TXT)
• Additional Function: FM Radio
• Memory: 1GB (only in black), 2GB, 4GB
• Color: Black
• No. of Playing Hours: up to 25 hours non-stop (at MP3, 128kbps, Volume 15, with no sound effects)
• Earphone Output: 20mW/each (16Ω)
• Size: 44 x 96 x 6.95mm
• Weight: 50g
• Screen: 1.8-inch full color OLED
• Interface: touch pad + emotional GUI = super simple

The image above is a representative photo image of the slim K3. Many have commented that the device looks even ‘charismatic’ when it is turned off.

Here is the bottom part of K3. Beginning with K5, Samsung has located the earphone terminals of its MP3 players in their bottoms. You may be already familiar with this idea: Ipod is known for its earphone terminal location as well. Such location of the earphone terminal helps to prevent the user from being annoyed by the earphone lines when using his MP3 player.

What you see here is the right side of the device. One button serves both to turn on and off and to hold the device. I remember hearing that Co x has applied for a patent for such buttons, which is puzzling because this type of button is found even with the PSP from Sony.

The image here is the view of K3 from above. I love the siding of the device. K5, on the other hand, lacked such detailed design finish.

Here’s another view from above. The top and bottom parts are finished in slight curves, which make it difficult to attach the screen-protective film layer. These curves also make the film layer easily detach from the device.

Now, let us have a look at the menus of functions.

Here’s the music menu, the most basic of the functions an MP3 player provides. K3 has a screen bigger than that of K5. Thus, K3’s icons look more squarely, whereas K5 features icons that look a bit stretched in sideways.

This is the view of the FM radio function. I use this function every morning because I have to take a bus and a subway. I have fallen in love with the clear sound quality K3 provides. I only wish K3 would have been able to record the songs I hear on the radio as well.

Here’s an image featuring the Photo menu. You can now view your photos in a 1.8-inch screen, slightly bigger than that of K5. I rarely use this menu, however: K5 and K3 are at their best when they play music or radio.

Here’s a photo of Text Viewer function, which is not found in K5. I’m not a designer of this product, so I do not know why Samsung did not include the same function with K5. I do not use Text Viewer often, though. If it’s not such a big trouble for Samsung in terms of specifications, I would like to see the company include this function in K5 as well.

This is the settings menu, another basic menu of functions. K3 does not have many functions. Thus, the options offered by this menu are also limited.

First is an image of comparison between K3 and T9. T9, which was also marketed emphasizing its slimness, cannot really compare to K3 in terms of slimness. See the image below and you can see K3 is only about 2/3 thick as T9. T9, however, offers much more functions.

Next is the comparison between K5 and K3. You can clearly see the difference in thickness. Without that bulky speaker, K3 is only one-third of K5 in terms of thickness. Do you see that last design finish around K3 I mentioned earlier? Compared to K3, K5 looks even duller.

The image above features K5 (elder brother) and K3 (little brother) playing music together. K5 boasts of solidness a trustworthy elder brother might have.

We have briefly looked at K3, which is planned to be marketed in February.
We will soon have a more detailed review of K3.
Until then, stay tuned.

There was an informal gathering for discussion for celebrating the launching of T9 at Park Hyatt Seoul on 8th of September, 2006.
become the topic of conversation, it seems to prepare such gathering to present the truth of rumors by Samsung.

Then, I will take you to the site of T9 informal gathering for reviewers.

This is the appearance of the entrance.

This is the scene at a dinner time.

There were many bloggers, reviewers, reports and related people.
You can see the steak on the table which was a main dish.

This is the scene of the stage.

Speaker from Samsung

T9 and Bluetooth car audio, DEH-P9850MP of Pioneer.