The Samsung K3 is basically a K5 sans the speaker. However, the K3 now has an optional add-on speaker going by the name of DS200. The speaker has a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery. The official specs on battery time are not yet disclosed, but based on tests of the K5 I would estimate it to be around 6 hours. It should be available sometime in March and retail for around $50.

Also from the K3 news department… The K3 will be released in two additional colors: lime and red. These will be hitting the shelves in March and May, respectively.

More photos from CES 2007 below.

Looks like the rumblings we heard earlier this month about a downgraded Samsung K5 may very well be true.

Information about the upcoming YP-K3 is coming at us at a very slow trickle, but it seems the DAP will so far feature a 1.8-inch OLED and FM tuner. Nothing to get excited about yet, but assuming this isn't a concept photo, it's decent-looking in a candybar phone sort of way. Basically, it's just a K5 without the speakers, but it's still thin and shiny. And that's gotta count for something.

If this is an actual product photo, then official word (including full specs and answers to the ever-important "What's the storage capacity?" and "How much does it cost?" questions) from Samsung is definitely imminent.

[Engadget | more photos at GenMP3]

Just in time for Black Friday, Samsung has cut the prices on its most popular digital audio players, the YP-K5 and YP-T9. The K5 received a $30 slash from $260/$210 to $230/$180 for the 4GB and 2GB models, respectively. The T9 got a similar cut: 4GB for $180 (previously $200) and 2GB for $130 (previously $150).

These new MSRPs are great, but we recommend that you head over to Amazon for an even better deal. The 4GB K5, for example, is only $207 through Office Depot.

[Crave]

Could Samsung already be working on a successor to its YP-K5 digital audio player? Folks on the rumor mill think so. According to a "reliable Korean source," the guys at GenerationMP3 are reporting that the YP-K3 will be a speakerless, scaled-down version of the K5. Already given the ubiquitous "iPod Nano killer" title, the K3 will likely have the same features as its higher-numbered sibling and come equipped with at least 4GB of flash memory.

Only time will tell, of course, but we hope Samsung adds something new to the mix. Removing the one element that made the K5 unique and worth buying and then replacing it with nothing doesn't sound like a good idea to us. In any case, stay tuned for more as it develops.

[GenerationMP3]

Samsung has recently been cranking out some decent players into the market, one of them being the Nano-competing Z5. The newer K5 is an exceptional twist on the MP3 player, providing a set of external speakers that allow you to unhook your ears from sometimes confining headphones. The K5 is flash based and currently comes in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities with all of the standard MP3 player features: MP3/WMA audio playback, JPEG photo viewing, FM radio, and alarm clock.

Even though the K5 has a fairly standard set of MP3 player functions, what sets it apart from the rest is the innovative design and external speakers. The K5 is a niche player and is not for everyone, but for that niche, Samsung hit the nail on the head by creating something very unique.

Several weeks ago, we reported on the fleeting appearance of a mysterious Samsung DAP on the company's German site. Today we have confirmation not only that the YP-K5 player is most certainly real, but that it's going to hit stores on September 15.

Our pals at Gizmodo recently got their hands on the device, and they have tons of pics and even a short video (!) to prove it. Other than the addition of an FM tuner, customizable alarm clock, and JPG support, there's no real surprise in the specs department. As we suspected, the 1.7-inch OLED sits beside a touch-command controller that seems to be pretty responsive.

All we really wanted to know more about were those built-in speakers shown in the earlier leaked photos. It turns out that they're mounted on sliding rails behind the player and produce impressive sound at decent volumes. Battery life in speaker mode is an acceptable 6 hours; plug in some earbuds to increase that to a whopping 30 hours.

The YP-K5 will be available in black and pink (yes, you read that correctly) for $210 (2GB) and $260 (4GB). No word on pricing for the 1GB model, but $180 max wouldn't be a bad guess.

[Gizmodo]