Sony NW-HD5 20GB Network Walkman

by Peter Rojas posted Apr 5th 2005 at 10:39AM

It hasn't been officially announced yet, but a page for Sony's new 20GB NW-HD5 Network Walkman has turned up on Amazon.co.uk. The new digital audio player is set to come in three colors (silver, red, and black), and is listed as not being in stock. We did a little digging and found something about a June release date on another retail site, but we're not sure how reliable that info is, and we couldn't find any other specs for the NW-HD5 like size or weight or battery life. Click to see a couple more pics.

[Thanks, Matthew]

Sony NW-HD5 Network Walkman

Filed under: Portable Audio

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

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Greg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

i think the nw-hd3 is much sexier...

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n8 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

That's a shame. Their old 20g was a beauty. This one's just "eh."

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douglas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

i have a digital camera that reorients the screen automatically which ever way you turn it. I wonder if that's what happens there. If so, that's a pretty cool feature.

other than that, i hate to say it (since i love my ipod so much) but this is nice. those buttons look awfully sticky though.

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encosion @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Not too shabby... But as soon as you reach 10Gb you're going to start struggling to navigate with buttons... If you can't come up with something better than Apple's clickwheel, just licence it from them for pete's sake!

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Shmee150 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

I think that sony need to make the buttons sensitive to how hard you are pressing them like on the PS2 to control the speed that it scrolls down, damn that would be better than waiting ages which it seems like on some of these players.

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Pedro @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

neat... but will it play UMD movies?

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Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

It looks smaller than the iPod (at least length-wise) - which is good if true. Otherwise, though, it looks like Sony's finally wised up and just plain copied the iPod form factor, if not its patented control scheme. The big failing here looks like the use of basic buttons for navigation, which will be a huge pain in the butt with long lists of albums, songs or artists.

Sony seems to be getting closer but is still not quite there yet with the hardware... and as long as they're forcing Sony Connect on people, buying one of these would be pretty pointless.

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Ken Kutaragi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Shmee150:

About 3 months after the launch of the PS2, Sony made an announcement to developers telling them no NOT use the pressure sensitive features of the buttons. They found that the more the buttons were used, the less sensitive they became and were no longer reliable.

Pressure sentitivty is a bad idea for buttons, expecially where precision is needed.

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semi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

i'm a sony fan
its sucks compared to nw-hd3
infact it just sucks!

where is the colour screen? MemoryStickport?photos?movies?

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n8 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Jeff: copied the iPod? Just where are you getting that idea? It's not like Apple invented MP3 players, or that form-factor. Take a look at the RioPMP300 -- one of the first MP3 players ever.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000JBAT/102-3743780-6457717?v=glance

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anonymous @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

The silver model looks good.

Though maybe I'd prefer orange letters on a black background for some reason on this, circa old computer monitors.

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All Music Site @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

It looks cheap.

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Hassan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Even though I am an ipod fan I think this player look really sweat. The design is quite good to and its size seem to be small. I wonder what the price will be.

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Hannes Wolf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

If you want more detailed info on this device, just look at my blog at http://TeddyTheBear.blogspot.com
BTW: I posted the information on monday evening!

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skidoo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

HD2, HD3, HD5, all the same thing as HD1 different box.
I think the HD1 is the best of the lot, best looking and best quality.

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Victor Healey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Note 30 GB HD below

NW-HD5 Network WALKMAN announced by Sony
Story posted: Apr 6, 2005, 09:00

The new Sony NW-HD5 (NWHD5) 20GB hard disk digital music player delivers a staggering 40 hours [1] playback on one battery charge and carries up to 13,000 tracks[2]. The Sony NW-HD5 also features the most innovative interface yet seen on a portable music device and comes in stylish colours of black, silver, and red.

The Sony NW-HD5 offers full support for playback of MP3 and ATRAC3Plus digital audio tracks.

A seven-line large LED window with bright backlight combined with the novel concept of the "follow turn" feature of the display, delivers real intuitive operation. The display graphics shift and change position depending on how users hold the NW-HD5 Network WALKMAN to provide smooth visibility. This 'follow turn' feature uses G-Sensor technology to automatically detect the horizontal or vertical position of the device and consequently changes the position of the display graphics as well as that of the function buttons.

Sony's renowned Stamina battery life provides almost two days of continuous playback. The battery is replaceable and easily accessible from high street stores and can be replaced by users without the need for a visit to a service centre.

All this power comes in a tiny package: the Sony NW-HD5 weighs just 125g and the aluminium encased Network Walkman fits neatly in the palm of your hand.

"We're raising the stakes again in the digital music player market," said David Andrews, Group Product Manager for Personal Audio. "The stunning new 'follow turn' feature, 40 hours battery life, incredibly compact design, and to top it off, very affordable pricing, make the new Sony NW-HD5 Network WALKMAN an irresistible proposition for users who seek a quality digital music player."

The Sony NW-HD5 Network WALKMAN also comes in a limited edition 30Gb version which can hold up to 20,000 tracks and will be available in silver, with black buttons.

Quality headphones, AC adapter and a USB cable are included in the NW-HD5.

The bundled SonicStage 3.1 music management software converts and manages music from CDs in both ATRAC3plus and MP3, and provides seamless access to the "CONNECT" Online Music Store's catalogue of more than 600,000 tracks and albums.

The NW-HD5 will be available in May 2005.

[1] & [2] When playing ATRAC3Plus 48kbps.

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Victor Healey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

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Joe @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

It doesn't play UMD movies, but that's a good thing since UMD movies are already DOA...LMAO. Anyway this thing is FUGLY!!! Poor SONY fanboys have to buy this instead of the immensely popular and functional and fashionable iPod.

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Boris714 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

I hear by proclaim it the Sony Chuckwagon !!

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ocellnuri @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

That looks like a pretty slick device. I've been looking hard at the HD3 for a while. I haven't seen it in specs, but I'm hoping the HD5 will play gapless like the HD3 does?

What I don't understand is all of the "Even though I love the iPod, this player looks really nice" comments. It's OK to like more than one thing at once. Disclaimers aren't needed to say a new device looks impressive.

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Danamino @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Bottom line for me is the battery life. I need is a unit that lasts for an 6-8 hour flight plus connections and there plenty of us in this boat (or plane) and Apple just sucks at this. When you buy an iPod you're basically saying you never travel very far; and any add-on power supply argument is lame.

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Ruu @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Sony have been getting it wrong with their controls system since the HD1 but it looks like their about to take a gamble and I hope they get this one right. But the good thing is that they have taken the criticisms and are going to try something new, unlike other known brands
As inspiring as the i-Pod controls system is.............when will people realise that this is all the i-pod has going for it, yes it is beautiful, but so were leg warmers in the 80's. I'm sorry but a 12 hour (10 hrs in real life) battery life is a joke, never mind the ST�110 to replace the damb thing. And i-tunes, what do people mean when their saying how fantastic it is, okay Sonic stage is about as stable as Iraqi politics but at least people aren�t afraid to criticise it, and it can only get better. I�m no huge Sony fan but I�m getting sick and tired of hearing about how brilliant the I-pod is.
I�ve had one! ��. I paid a fortune because all I could hear is how fantastic it was!��.. I sold it as soon as I could�� yes it looks great but it�s muck �� the battery is crap and mine went faulty after 1 month, then It took 3 weeks to get it replaced after sending it off to America, and when I got it back all my music was gone��..and on top of that I only had usb 1.0 at the time. I know this forum is about the HD5, and I will buy one as soon as I can, but I�m going to take this opportunity to be the only person on record to bad mouth the I-pod.
The worst part about the I-pod is the ridiculous arrogance and closed mindedness of their avid fans! Boys, all I can say is��.. get rid of the �I love my MAC� bumper sticker on you tricycle, take a course in conversation tactics, start to socialise with real people, find a partner and then follow the other 85% of the world and sell your soul to Mr. Gates If only to stop you from bragging about how perfect MAC is over Windows��.. kiddies, we know, but sometimes in life you just gotta conform.
I�ve said my piece and I�m happy now!

It's nice to rant every now and then!!

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Jamie Renner @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

This is just painful. What's this thing called again--the HGBDFR-3659874z? They can't even get a name that paople can remember!Why bother--20gb heinous machine for $349? Only MP3 and ATRAC3? Please!!! OOOOOHH--the screen moves with the turning of the unit! Since the thing looks like a $5 handheld video game you'd buy at Wal Mart, and the screen turns, I would definitely pay $50 more for a neutered monstrosity like this than a sleek, easy to use, versatile 20gb ipod. Apple has absolutely no worries! Thanks Sony!

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Jamie Renner @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Oh, and if it can't also be used as an external hard drive--the above article doesn't say one way or the other--then that just cements it's failure in my eyes. Not gonna be selling my two ipods anytime soon...Face it, Sony still makes a decent TV, but when it comes to portable music players...well, they haven't been ahead of, or even accelerating through the curve since the days of when leg warmers and suit jackets with rolled up sleeves.

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Ains @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Why couldn't you use an ipod for a 6-8 hr flight? Mine still gets 12ish hrs- and I bought it last summer. It's perfect for all the long school trips I take (I live in the middle of nowhere, any bus ride is going to be long)- the bus ride up and back, and at the event it's self. The new mini's get 18hrs, and the new photo's are up to a 15hr battery life.

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Ruu @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

It's gonna cost �299 Euro!!!

Ever wonder what kind of people buy the i-pod because it's easy to use!!!!!!!

I'll let someone else finish my point

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KK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

I think some people just can't get over the fact that the iPod is a pretty well rounded DAP. It just makes me laugh when people complain about iPods 12hr battery life. Who the hell listens to music for 10 hours straight???? Yes 40hrs is great, but it's the same SONY fanboys arguing about bigger numbers. Bigger numbers are good for bragging but how beneficial is it? What does a 40hr battery offer that everyone needs to have it over a 12 hr battery? Give me some realworld examples not some lame excuse to justify having a 40hr battery.

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Ian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Ok 40 hours - how about travelling away from home, on a weeks trip say without having to take a recharger or'cradle'with you. If you only listen 2 it for say 3 hours a day, it's still only half the battery - or a full recharge in IPOD speak. Hell, I'll take it away for a fortnight. These comments just show who IPOD markets, schoolkids who only need the battery life to school and back to show off their dating fashion icon to their mates who all have one anyway.

I'm not trumpeting sony, there are lots of other capable manufacturers out there other than Apple. Oh in uk apple just released a 6gig version of the IPOD mini - promptly sold it at the same time as the 4gig, and reduced the price of that.

I've listened to IPODs and my one major gripe is the crappy EQ settings. THe sound just isn't that great. It's a modern walkman, not a piece of art.

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Jamie Renner @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Ruu, your arguments are lame! Conform? Why?!! There is better out there--Apple provides a great, superior solution, but there is more than that out there for people to choose from--Linux, Unix...wake and smell the mediocrity!! I am sure that there are some Mac fanatics that still have the bumper stickers, etc., as you so elementarily suggest. But, speaking as someone who was "raised" on Windows, and later switched to Apple--and someone who has a "partner" and two cars without bumper stickers--there is nothing better than a Mac. My wife and I own three--two ibooks and a cube--as well as three Ipods--regular, mini and shuffle--and we have never regretted those choices. Once you go Mac, you you'll never need to go back! And for gamers who complain about the Mac's inability to keep up...please! I run everything from Halo to Unreal Tournament 2004 and have NO problems whatsoever.

Back to the ipod. I am no "fanboy"--I am a computer technician and confessed technophile, who has made the choice to like what I like based on experience and knowledge. Ipods rule, everything else...well, sucks...or at the very least is so mediocre that I could not stomach the thought of spending my hard-earned on it.

There, the argument from a fully socialised, well adjusted member of adult society who wants every dollar and every choice to count. If your PC is functioning today, I hope you read every word. That is why I am a Mac Fanatic! Shouldn't you be?

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KK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

"how about travelling away from home, on a weeks trip say without having to take a recharger or'cradle'with you."

LMAO, so you go on a trip for WEEKS and you can't be bothered to bring the charger? You call that a legitimate excuse? Let me guess. You want to go on a trip for weeks yes WEEKS and you only need a DAP and NOTHING else? I guess you'll be wearing the same clothes for WEEKS too huh? Try again buddy.

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Rchilton @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Beatufiul device, but the highlight of the thread is mr Renner's fanboyism, what an absolute hoot.

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Nick P @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

any thoughts on whether this will be Napster-To-Go compatible?

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Ruu @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Jamie Renner,

I can accept that Mac has a great OS, but not everyone can and will pay extra for a smaller choice of software, a whole host of compatibility issues. OS x for example is a great OS, but this is simply because it's been intentionally designed to be simple, you can�t hurt it. But some it's not flawless, your a technician, you know this. I believe it goes the same way with the i-Pod argument, yes it's a great product but attacking the competition because they use a model number instead of a catchy name, or dismissing a technically superior feature because it is an advantage is just plain childish and proves my point on "fanatics". This goes for the Mini I-pod too, the creative zen micro is better, it's simple to use, has a better battery life, larger capacity and you can easily change battery. How is this inferior? There is also the i-pod shuffle, great value, big capacity, light and white, however what about the Sony rival, the NWE109 (I think) same capacity, but only 10% bigger, with a radio, OLED screen and 70hrs playback!!!!! 70hrs. I-pod shuffle is 12hrs and no screen, I think I�d like to choose what I�m listening too, If I want a surprise I�ll use the radio. And how about the mni-mac thing, okay i again admit that it is beautiful and I think their on to something here, but firstly it's not going to get everyone changing from windows because it's small, you've been able to buy miniature pc's for years now, but people don't because they are limited because of size. I'm not attacking apple, or i-pods I�m just arguing that alot of apple users are arrogant and closed minded. They see competition as a risk to their superior opinions that they know best and everyone else is wrong.

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Ruu @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

KK,

What capacity is your DAP?? 5gb, 10, 40, why don't you just use 1gb, you won't need hundreds of hours of music, just as you won't need 40 hours playback. Nice try KK, but bigger is always better, the more the merrier. Would you buy a mobile phone if it only had 12 hours talktime?? Or would you go for 40hrs. Exactly, you would go for the 40hrs because you never know if your gonna forget to charge it, or what if you go away for a weekend, why bother bringing a charger, okay it's only small but why should you have to bring it.

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Ian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Good Point well made Ruu. I would not buy an ipod right now because of the tragic battery life and scarcity of features compared for example to Iriver and creative - although no doubt these don't count because they're not Ipod KK.

If you offered me a quality device that was as good as and better than an Ipod in many respects with a better battery life, or bigger hard-drive or superior sound quality (not saying sony qualifies on all of these!) at a lower price than Apple, I'd take it. Why -added flexibility. One day I might go camping (where they don't have power outlets KK!) and thank god I don't have an Ipod, the battery would have died on the train getting here let alone for the weekend. One day I might get bored with MY tunes and want to listen to the radio - without an external device needed.

One day, I might wake up and choose to be different and buy creative, Iriver, Sony, Rio, phillips whatever.

Quality isn't a brand name; features useability, flexibility, real-world usefulness, inovative design, compatability, exceptional sound quality, appropriate (included) accessories are. If you find a device with all these then please please tell me! And don't tell me it's an Ipod because you wou;dn't consider anything else.

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mikedt @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Since it only plays back Atrac and Mp3s, I doubt it will use Napster-to-Go since I believe it's wma? Please correct me if I am wrong.

There's no use of carrying 20gb, 40gb, or 60gb of music if you can't listen to all of it. What's the use of a "portable" music player if it's not really "portable."

So when you travel, you have to carry cords for your cell phone, your digital camera, and your music player? One less cord to carry means one less cord to forget at the hotel.

I have a MD player and I used sonicstage. It's really not that bad. It's "simple," for the fact that I just use it to transfer songs. I don't buy any digital music and I don't think I ever plan onto. Only problem is that it's kinda slow and since I am using one of the old MD players, my mp3s have to be converted to Atrac.

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Ains @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Ruu: It's "iPod" not I-pod.

And I agree with mikedt- this player (what was it called again? :) most likely won't be compatible with Napster. But why would you want it to be?

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Brad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

LOL if you're going to bring around a bunch of gadgets ANYWAY, one extra cord isn't gonna matter unless you're grasping for straws. And bigger is not always better. The 40hr battery is nice, but in the real world it'll be pretty insignificant unless you go camping everyday LMAO. Oh btw don't bring cellphones into this conversation since people depend on cellphones for more important things so it needs to be charged and ready at all times. Also cellphone batteries don't last very long when talking therefore a longer lasting battery is a big benefit. A 40hr battery over a 12hr battery is not a big benefit because nobody listens to music for 10hrs straight nor do they go camping every single day of the week...ROTFLMAO. Sorry, but finding rare cases to justify a 40hr battery doesn't make it the rule.

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KK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

...or a better product for that matter...

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Shaun @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Please read the specs above. It's 40 hours only when playing back 48kbps ATRAC3.

I'd imagine that if they quoted 128kbps like Apple do, it'd be substantially less than 40 hours.

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KK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Yep for 128kbps MP3 it'll probably be around 20-25hrs. I can already see some of the people here finding ways to justify a 70 hour battery when the technology becomes available LMAO. Let me guess, 2 weeks stay on a deserted island with no electricity, no clothes, no food, no water, but a DAP with 70 hour battery?

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snj-uk @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

My main problem with the Ipod is not for its technological failings, or the fact that Apple have taken Sony's portable music player crown. Yes I admit im a HUGE sony fanboy. This includes ALL their products. However I digress.

My main issue with the ipod is how its become a more than just a fashion accessory. Its also an unofficial social cult. Im sure those little white earbuds are no match for 90% of the ear/headphone market. People buy them almost as if an ipod makes their lives complete!
"I am worthy to kneel at the holy altar, oh joy!" Im not joking either. Get over yourselves! Its just an mp3 player. Sony, Iriver and Creative all make far superior players anyway.

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mikedt @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

It's also funny how people try to justify the fact that the ipod is a low battery life. Hey man, the ipod is not perfect. Just because you feel you may not need a 40 hour battery life, doesn't mean it's not nice to have it. Different people have different needs and wants. Like I would need a radio with my portable player since I sometimes feel like listening to talk radio when I am out.

And the fact that companies are actually selling attachments to extended battery life on the ipod actually shows that there is a market for it and some people do want it.

I personally would prefer a higher battery life just because I tend to forget to charge things. I always run out and about carrying a dead cell phone so this just gives me one less thing to worry about. So the ipod will be your thing, but the nw-hd5 will be my thing. The extra battery life is just one of the many things why I would personally choose this over the ipod.

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PUD @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

The iPod is a good little device. It's easy to use and it's pretty, and it gets the job done. However, I am one of those that would prefer a longer battery life, and the Sony does it for me. Whether the battery life is only 40 hours for the lowest Atrac setting is irrelivant if you're comparing the NWHD5 to the iPod, because even at a higher MP3 recording, the truth is, the battery life will be longer than anything Apple has put out there for their iPods. So you only get 30 hours playing MP3s. Still longer! And bigger is better in this case, because the longer I can go without having to charge my MP3 player, the less charge cycles it uses, and thus the longer my battery will last overall. There is a limited capacity for all batteries, with a limited number of charge cycles before it starts to crap out, and so, the less charge cycles the player has to go through, the longer it will last. It's sort of like filling up on gas: the more mileage one can get out of a tank of gas before having to fill it, the better. Also, check out this site:
http://www.avland.co.uk/sony/nwhd5/nwhd5.htm

According to it, the battery is interchangable, which is a HUGE plus over the iPOD, for those that have had their iPOD battery die on them (like myself, for example. I still have my ipod as a pretty paper weight), they know that it is way expensive to pay for a replacement of the battery, and you can't even really do it yourself; you have to send it away.

I liked my iPOD when it worked. I like the Sony one better, and I'll definitely be getting that one. Just a preference.

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PUD @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

One more thing: Those of the iPOD nation trying to defend their product would probably do better by defending it on its looks and user-friendly ability, because any debate on battery life is futile: you're just going to lose. It's that simple. For looks and user-friendliness is all just one's opinion. But battery life is something you can quantitatively measure, and on that note, no matter how you cut it, iPOD is the loser, because 40 hours is better than 12 hours. Heck, 13 hours is still better than 12 hours! So pick the battles you can win.

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sky @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

the sony wins as far as battery life goes. and in my opinion that is a sexy little machine

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KK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

A 40 hr battery is nice, but it doesn't make the product, thank you. Yeah you have a bigger gas tank, too bad it's attached to a Yugo...LMAO.

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Joe @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

Does this thing come with a FM radio? It doesn't seem to from SONY's website.

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Ruu @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM

No radio i'm afraid, but i think this all boils down to 1 simple point! iPod (sorry Ains)fans love their product, Sony fans hope that they will get it right, but this goes back to my original comments. iPod fans will never change, they found something fantastic and they will never bow to a superior product, the Sony hasn't been reviewed yet and it may fall on it's face but if you compare the HD3 and the iPod..............i see 30hrs V 12hrs, Smaller V Bigger, lighter V heavier, a STR�110 battery V STR�50 battery and on top of all this, Sony quote 300 charges on the battery before it needs to be replaced and I�ve heard from a good source (iPod nut) that the iPod is only 200.
I see a simple list of figures that point to the Sony before the iPod, for me anyway. There will always be these little debates, Ferrari or Lamborghini and so on.
But there will never be one winner. I personally think the Sony will eventually win and whether it�s with the HD5 or HD25 we�ll all just have to wait and see, but as for iPod lovers, they will never change because that�s there privilege and right or wrong.
Oh one last point, it�s about 32hrs playback @ 132kbps, and knocking the fact that the Sony has a huge advantage over the iPod and all rivals is just plain childish, if it were the other way around I think these kiddies would be singing praises here��.don�t you??

By the way, you can download Sonic stage 3.0 now from Sony US, It�s not the retail version as the HD5 will ship with v3.1 or 3.2 but it is a lot more stable and about 50% faster to load, import and especially in recording CD�s

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