From the looks of Samsung's YP-Z5, an ultrathin, 4GB flash MP3 player, it seems that taking down the Apple iPod Nano could be the name of the game at CES 2006. The YP-Z5 measures 3.5 by 1.6 by 0.4 inches (the Nano, by comparison, measures 3.5 by 1.6 by 0.27 inches) and features a 1.8-inch LCD capable of displaying photos and album art. Below the screen is a square touch pad--an interface that's quickly becoming not so unique--surrounded by a square, clickable ring that features a menu button, fast-forward and rewind controls, and a play/pause key. I'm not exactly fond of the champagnelike coloring the YP-Z5 appears to have in this photo--luckily, the player actually comes in attractive silver and black. And the casing is made out of aluminum that's supposed to prevent scratching and smudging--a good thing, for sure. In addition to MP3, WMA, and JPEG files, this MP3 player supports OGG audio files and is Janus compatible, so it'll work with on-the-go subscription services such as Napster To Go. The rechargeable battery is rated for 24 hours, which is good but not jaw-dropping. Features such as an FM tuner and a voice recorder are absent.

Article discussion: Samsung takes aim at the iPod Nano with the YP-Z5