The new MP3 players being released for the summer season are focusing on upscale, sleek designs and sophisticated sound.

	The summer season of MP3 marketing is getting hot with new models that boast fashionable designs and various functions. Samsung Electronics’ K3

Many Korean companies making the portable listening devices folded last year, unable to stand competition from Chinese firms able to produce lower-cost products. The ones that did survive have learned not to focus on price competitiveness alone.

	Hyunwon39s Cubisto

Many MP3 players with LCD screens are going for slimmer, smaller, interfaces and are supporting more robust audio formats.
Atree’s slim bar-type music player, the UJ10, supports various types of music files and comes with a voice recorder, FM radio, image viewer and digital multimedia broadcasting receiver. The device has a 2.2-inch liquid crystal display panel that supports video clips.

Samsung Electronics’ Yepp K3 also looks like a cell phone, and supports FM radio and image viewing, although it can’t play movie clips or digital multimedia broadcasting.
Yesterday, Samsung released a portable speaker for the music player, available in a range of candy colors.
The speaker has a separate battery so it can be used outdoors, raising playing time from 25 to 48 hours.

	Sony Korea’s “Walkman” MP3. Provided by the companies

K3 has its own high-quality digital sound engine, which has stronger bass and a three-dimensional sound system. The player doesn’t have a liquid crystal display panel, instead using a 1.8-inch organic light-emitting diode panel.

A little more edgy in terms of design, Hyunwon’s Cubisto from its mobiBLU music player line looks like a small die “buffed up” to seem more like an expensive accessory than a digital gadget. The latest release is encased in leather, adding to the svelt factor.

Foreign MP3 player makers are also concentrating on sound and design. Sony Korea recently unveiled the Walkman NW A800 series, which comes in four colors, each wit a different texture.
The latest models have upgraded audio and video features compared to previous ones.

By Wohn Dong-hee for JoongAng Daily