Samsung's K3 reviewed -- "so sleek, it's illegal"

We've seen Samsung's K3 in product shots, pre-release gropes, and out prowling the floor at CES. What we haven't seen until now, is a proper, full-on review of the tiny flash audio player. Fortunately, CNET Asia just corrected that in their usual good, bad, bottom-line review style. Their verdict? The player is sweet, but not tasty enough to warrant an editor's choice rating. Still it pulled a "Very Good" 7.7 of 10 points for its design which is "so sleek, it's illegal" (whatever that means) and "above average" battery life tested at 26 hours 50 minutes while looping 240MB worth of MP3 tracks. The new Media Studio software -- dubbed a "gorgeous" blend of iTunes and Sony's SonicStage -- didn't hurt the rating either. The only real nits are the K3's "smudgy surface" (read: attracts fingerprints) and its proprietary cable. Otherwise, it's one hot piece of DAP which we can already attest to.

[Thanks, Samsung Fan Boy]

[Nij @ Feb 21st 2007 10:17AM]

They finally did it. After years of trying to make products that are "so sleek, they should be illegal", Samsung has made a product that is so sleek, it actually is illegal. Now we'll never be able to buy it in North America. Thanks a lot, Samsung, you stupid obsessive bastards, for ruining everything for us.

[Josh Warner @ Feb 21st 2007 10:28AM]

There is nothing gorgeous about SonicStage. In fact, SonicStage is so fugly that Apple should sue CNet Asia because they tarnished Apple's brand name by mentioning SonicStage in the same sentence as iTunes. I'm not even an iTunes user/iSheep carrier, and that "blend" has chills running up and down my spine.

And they aren't good chills.

[TJ @ Feb 22nd 2007 7:47PM]

everyone agrees sonicstage is a POS.... but they're talking about media studio, not sonicstage......

[craig @ Feb 21st 2007 10:29AM]

I wonder if they also ding the iPod nano for smudgy surfaces and its proprietary cable?

[Chris @ Feb 21st 2007 10:30AM]

Good question

[PDubNYC @ Feb 21st 2007 10:45AM]

I wonder if you have come up with a new response in the last year. Apple addresed that smudging issue when they released the metal-cased Nano.

Proprietary adapter, on the other hand, you've got a point, albeit a really, really old one. I was wondering how long this thread could go without someone bitching about Apple. Thanks for answering that question so promptly.

[Nabil @ Feb 21st 2007 10:39AM]

Finally someone has the aesthetic design smarts of Apple(which is Apple's only selling point).

[craig @ Feb 21st 2007 11:05AM]

"I wonder if you have come up with a new response in the last year. Apple addresed that smudging issue when they released the metal-cased Nano."

Of course, prior to that the nano didn't have "smudgy surfaces" or scratch problems if you were to take the word of certain "experts". By the looks of this picture, the design of the Samsung is similar to the current nanos so it's hard to believe that smudginess is all that different between the two.

"Proprietary adapter, on the other hand, you've got a point, albeit a really, really old one."

Yet still completely valid. Considering Apple's had the proprietary connector "problem" for so long, what have they done about it? Why would Apple get a pass and Samsung get criticized? I say that Apple should license the dock connector and make it a standard. Why not since they already charge accesory makers a fee for supporting it?

"I was wondering how long this thread could go without someone bitching about Apple. Thanks for answering that question so promptly."

Are you suggesting that the comments aren't valid or appropriate? There are plenty that will remind us of Apple's dominant position in the mp3 player market, so why should criticism of a competitor not equally apply to them? Since when is a perfectly valid comment a "bitch"? I think you're just a little too sensitive to facts.

[septi @ Feb 21st 2007 10:49AM]

How about inventing something new?! It's always the same... Apple chooses a product that's "in" (MP3 Player, PDA/Mobilephone...), makes it better and envelopes it in a brand new design. And suddenly, the design is set and kind of standard, and progress of inventing is stopped until Apple decides to publish something new.
Think! Think! Think!

[v_dogg @ Feb 21st 2007 6:20PM]

yeah i know exactly what you mean. why does apple get to choose whats the next design.

[Mrfreezie @ Feb 21st 2007 10:55AM]

Lol, that's something I don't get about CNet. They will go on and on about the product, saying what's good about it, and say something like there isn't much wrong with it.. Then they give it a low score for no reason.

"This is the perfect computer, it actually will be the fastest computer for a lonnng time, that's why we gave it a 6.4!"

[KilgoreTrout XL @ Feb 21st 2007 11:10AM]

It looks gorgeous, but am I missing something?

Isn't 240 MB pathetically small?

My 30 gig vid iPod is by no means perfect (I've never been too thrilled with the UI on iPods), but the fact that it currently has 4,213 of my favorite songs on it is a /big/ plus.

[Wonderer @ Feb 21st 2007 11:28AM]

It has 2gb of storage, read the article sometimes.

[KilgoreTrout XL @ Feb 21st 2007 11:14AM]

Oh.

The "TINY flash audio player."

I'll go remove the mud from my face now.

[Sam @ Feb 21st 2007 2:33PM]

@KilgoreTrout

I believe that the 240mb reference was to the amount of "storage" it chewedd through before the battery gave up, not the devices capacity as you are implying.

[E @ Feb 21st 2007 11:33AM]

"I say that Apple should license the dock connector and make it a standard. Why not since they already charge accesory makers a fee for supporting it?"

I say Apple, Sony, Samsung... All of them, stop with the proprietary BULLSHIAT and just use a simple f-ing usb/firewire. Memory stick, meh, as if there aren't 30 other memory options.

It's so stupid it's infuriating. The money they waste making this crap could be put into actually making it better. You have to figure that the couple bucks per unit it costs to add and develop that crap could actually be spent on features, or better software.

See what happens when you let the bean counters get involved? They F up every product in one way or another.

[thetinguy @ Feb 21st 2007 2:07PM]

Actually it is much better for them to have proprietary cables. Think about it. After losing you cable for an ipod it cost $20 to get a new one. If everyone used USB then i could go to staples and pay $2 for a new cable. Proprietary cables are a win for mp3 player companies, but they are a loss for consumers.

[shimman @ Feb 21st 2007 12:43PM]

nice, and it would have been even better if it had a carbon fiber shell. not sure why all mp3 makers are use smudgy shells (sammy, sony, apple etc.)

i hope loading mp3 files won't require that software

btw, sammy, don't try to be a sony by using proprietary cables

[Veritas II @ Feb 21st 2007 1:22PM]

I have several Sony devices that have standard connection cables (USB) while I have only one device (iPod) that uses a proprietary connection cable.

[sosdan @ Feb 21st 2007 12:56PM]

I still don't get the whole proprietary cable bashing nonsense. I've really never used an mp3 player that didn't use a proprietary cable (iriver, creative, samsung, sony, and now zune). I mean, if using non-proprietary cables are so great, why am I not seeing them in major dap developers?

Also, to the average consumer, do you really have so many mp3 players and other usb devices that carrying or having a cable for each device is so utterly painful?

[Nobuyuki Idei @ Feb 21st 2007 1:16PM]

Weird, my Samsung has a standard USB cable.

[thetinguy @ Feb 21st 2007 2:07PM]

Why didn't this get editor's choice? The ipod also has a smudgy surface and a proprietary cable, but it gets an editor's choice.

[Ignacio @ Feb 21st 2007 2:43PM]

"The ipod also has a smudgy surface"

No, the comparable iPod (nano) *doesn't* have a smudgy surface. It has an anodized aluminum body, unlike Samsung's K3 (smooth surface). It's porous to the touch and it definitely doesn't get smudges, unlike the old nano.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodized

[j3oomerang @ Feb 21st 2007 4:49PM]

where is the A2DP?

[Tim @ Feb 22nd 2007 8:06AM]

Ive had my K3 (4Gb variant) for over a week now and it is a gorgoeous bit of kit, but some will say looks aint everything!!!. But the K3 has both because the software is a breeze to use, great FM reception and the sound quality is also awesome. My only issue is that due to the touch screen controls you can accidently activate other controls, but maybe its because i have a fat thumb.

Samsung has produced an MP3 player with all the functionality you need and makes your mates green with envy with its sleek design.

Glad i didnt follow the crownd and get a ipod!!!!

[TJ @ Feb 22nd 2007 7:48PM]

the nano gets an editor choice with an 8. something and the samsung gets a 7.7 with better stuff? even CNET Asia got bribed by apple and dell... jeeez...

[gmbowen @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:20PM]

The "proprietary cable" thing kills it for me. I've learned to never buy things with those....d'ya hear me you manufacturer's? Do ya? Huh? Huh? I don't buy e-toys that use proprietary cables (I bet others don't either)....when you travel the odds of losing them are too great.

[�COM-4 @ Mar 2nd 2007 11:41AM]

Wow a TOTAL ripoff of the Olympuse mrobe 100 and iPod Nano.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0410/mrobemr100-big.jpg

[Armi @ Aug 21st 2007 9:28PM]

This Samsung Yepp-K3 is definitively a slice of delight, its an awesome product,I love it... but please I need help... on a terrible mistake I put my Yepp in my pocket with my keys and unfortunately they scratched this beautiful invention. Do somebody knows how can I get rid of the scratches? i feel terribly guilty. Hope you can help me. Thanks.