Samsung’s K5 flash-based MP3 player resembles a chunky, 106g phone. The touch controls are as simple to operate as they are basic – the graphic equalizer, FM radio, alarm clock, play mode and radio offer little configuration. The 1.7-in OLED screen makes navigating clear but too small for usefully-viewing photos. Transferring 700MB of music took (respectably) under four minutes (3.1MB/s) via Windows Media Player 11 (USB 2.0) and the battery lasted an excellent 32 hours. The earbuds sport leak-proof protrusions which enhance bass response. They’re loud, but we did feel sound was very-slightly muffled. Of most note are the integrated twin 750mW speakers which take up half the player and are activated by a sliding action. Sound is impressive for the size and resembles a transistor radio’s (note battery life drops to six hours). A 4GB version costs $469 meaning both versions are more expensive than Apple’s nano. However, with WMA (and WMA-DRM) support, great looks, features and simple operation many
will find it attractive.