Samsung YP-K5

At first glance, the Samsung K5 appears to be a stylish and light 1GB MP3 player, with a gorgeous blue LED control panel and a 128 x 160 photo-capable display. But it has a trick up its sleeve: with a flick of the thumb, a hinged 1.5W speaker slides out, turning the K5 into a surprisingly loud portable sound system. DRM-protected WMA files are supported, and browsing tracks is simple once you're synchronised with Windows Media Player or the supplied software. The headphones are decent enough, and there's even an alarm so you can wake up to a particular track or FM radio station. The K5 has its faults - the touch-sensitive control panel is a fingerprint magnet and isn't kind to chubby digits - but with satisfyingly loud output it will comfortably fill a small room with sound, a fact that will surely haunt tired commuters everywhere.

Author: David Bayon