Presently there a number of MP3 players produced by Samsung to cater for the expanding flash memory market. Of these, the T9 is the single player to adopt a completely tactile approach.

Incorporating aspects from predecessors in the line of T players as well as the standalone Z5, the T9 attempts to touch base with a variety of multimedia functions, support it with constructive features, combine them in a simple interface, and wrap it with an attractive and portable design. Let’s take a look at how well these aspirations have been fulfilled by the Samsung T9.

What digital audio player these days isn't available in an 8GB model?

If you asked us yesterday, we would've said that Samsung's YP-T9 and T9B are one of the only major hitters not playing in the big boys' park with the Creative Zen V Plus, Apple iPod Nano, and SanDisk Sansa e280. Ask us the same question today, however, and we'd say that the park is about to get a bit more crowded.

Unfortunately, it seems that only the Bluetooth-toting T9B will get to play. Information is a bit sketchy, but it looks like the Bluetooth-less T9 (the one available in the U.S.) may be keeping the benches warm with all the other devices that max out at 4GB.

[AVING USA]

The Samsung T9 and T9B DAPs sure are getting a lot of love these days. It was only last week that the players got the iLuv iss277 alarm dock to nestle in, and today they were introduced to the upcoming iLuv iss314 speaker dock.

The globular 33-watt iss314 features a subwoofer, sub output, 3D sound, and auxiliary input. A remote control may be included with the speakers, but if it's not, the T9(B) can be controlled using the playback buttons that form the bottom of the circular dock. An odd-looking system, for sure, and one that will cost about $150 whenever it's released (most likely in South Korea).

[AVING USA]

We've seen a speaker dock built for a Samsung DAP before, but this is the first time iLuv (commonly known for its love of iPods) has been behind it. And according to the company's CEO, it won't be the last.

The iLuv iss277 is an alarm clock speaker system designed specifically for use with the YP-T9 and T9B flash players unveiled a few months ago. The system comes with a Bluetooth dongle so that the Bluetooth-enabled T9B can wirelessly stream its melodic contents from across the room. Both players can also be docked for charging and full integration with standard alarm clock functions.

Available in early February, the iss277 can become a South Korean bedside fixture for about $204.

[AVING]

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]

The last time we talked about the Samsung YP-T9 was when it made its debut on the FCC filings website. Fast forward a few months and the T9 and its Bluetooth-enabled T9B brother, in all their phone-looking glory, have officially been released in China.

Since the FCC is such a spoiler site, there aren't any real suprises in the specs department. The 4GB players feature a 1.8-inch display, support MP3/WMA/OGG audio and MPEG-4/WMV/AVI/ASF video files, and include a handful of preinstalled, unnamed flash games. Samsung is sticking to its FCC claim that the nonremovable li-ion packs enough juice for 30 hours of music playback and has modified its video playback time to 6 hours. Impressive indeed.

Even though our Chinese pals already have their hands on the YP-T9(B), we still can't find any info on pricing or whether/when we'll see the players in the U.S.

[CNET Asia via Engadget]