Sony's XDR-M1 DAB FM Walkman
By Ryan Block 
posted March 8th 2005 7:35AM
posted March 8th 2005 7:35AM
Maybe you know DAB, maybe you don't (i.e. maybe you don't live in America, maybe you do). As broadcast TV is to ATSC HDTV, analog radio is to DAB—it's what Sirius and XM are dreading, because it's got all the benefits of sat rad with far fewer drawbacks. And really it was only a matter of time before Sony released a DAB Walkman—the XDR-M1 tunes digital and FM, has a four line display, 10-hour playback, in-line remote, all in a 2.3 x 3.1 x 0.8-inch package. Too bad they're one step behind; where's the time shifting?
One drawback to DAB in the US is you still get the same cut & paste crappy broadcasting as with the analog system.
Way to go! Upgrade all you want! A chocolate covered piece of sh!t still tastes like .... well, you get the picture. Or, maybe you dont..
I don't know bout the usa, but here in good ol blighty (that's the UK), DAB is becomming the desired way to listen to the radio.
I have to agree that the commercial stations are all the same (i.e. crap, even if chocolate covered) however the BBC bradcasting is second to none, and with DAB I get a lot more BBC stations, such as comedy and talk shows.
Having played with most of the current personal/portable DAB players, this Sony is the smallest, best looking piece of kit with the usual Sony build quality.
Like it or not DAB is one technology that has been of a benifit to me and others, I just hope that its here to stay.
Engadget might like to check the list countries with DAB coverage before getting all smug. Especially since they used the word "know" rather than "can receive"... that should bring most of the Engadget tech geeks into the fold and the numbers up.
Great.
But DAB isn't broadcast in the USA. At all.
See "HD Radio" for the digital radio delivery method for the USA. So buying one of these, unless you intend to use it in Europe or a major Canadian city, would be a complete waste of cash!
And I'm not so sure cirius and xm are worried too much about a system that doesn't broadcast to their market ;)