Sony: Rolly is an audio player (and more)

Sony's official Rolly blog has confirmed what we already thought: Rolly is in fact a digital audio player without a display. They also claim that it has only one button which controls the "play / stop" of audio and is "basically the only button you use." Although this picture shows what appears to be a cluster of three in addition to a glowing blue, elliptical button. Of course, as we've seen in the Walkman W910 phone, Sony offers other ways to control music without buttons. Namely, an accelerometer coupled with Sony's new Shake control software would allow you to flick the Rolly right or left to advance or jump-back tracks; shake it to shuffle-up the music. That would be particularly useful in Bluetooth-shy Japan where Rolly is being heavily marketed. Whatever the case, Rolly is surely more than just a DAP as we've seen in the video, but that's as much as Sony will own-up to for the time being.

Update: Well what do you know, digital lifestyles spoke to some "senior" Sony sources who consider Rolly a "music-focused Wii on wheels." Seems like an integrated accelerometer with Shake control might be in the cards, indeed.

[daxie @ Sep 4th 2007 4:22AM]

looks cool though!

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Sep 5th 2007 12:24AM]

Something tells me the Rolly DAP will be the next over-hyped Segway Scooter- Every one talked about what it might be, but when time came to buy after it's unveiling, not many stepped up to flash their Visa cards.

[bombastinator @ Sep 4th 2007 4:30AM]

I wonder if it could be used as one of those chase-it-around-the-room alarm clocks. They definitely sound like they get you up in the morning.

[MasterCKO @ Sep 4th 2007 7:31PM]

now that would be a perfect use for this thing. I would totally get it for that.

Also (if not for the incredibly high likelihood of destruction), being the life/DJ/boombox of a party (especially here in the Silicon Valley).

[Josh @ Sep 4th 2007 11:44PM]

@Master

Watching a bunch of drunks chasing this thing around at a party would be priceless. Of course, once one of them gets a hold of it, its life is up.



I like the idea of a rolling alarm clock, would definitely suck if it got jammed in all of the junk under my bed though.

[bombastinator @ Sep 4th 2007 11:52PM]

Nah. Dust bunnies in the mouth is better than a double espresso! All the gagging an spitting and jumping up and down works wonders.

[xgwynn @ Sep 4th 2007 4:32AM]

Does look cool, worried about the lack of a screen though.

[Drew @ Sep 4th 2007 4:36AM]

I feel relieved to know what it is,
though I must say, I'm kinda disappointed..

[Deluxe @ Sep 4th 2007 8:00AM]

Well, what the hell were you expecting?

[Fruition @ Sep 4th 2007 10:53PM]

Personally I was kinda hoping Sony might have created a real-life Bob-omb...

[WarriorWthn @ Sep 4th 2007 4:42AM]

better than the ipod shuffle :)

[aka_gus @ Sep 4th 2007 4:48AM]

Rolly seems pretty sweet, but just having a play/stop button would probably be quite a hassle after a while, wouldn't it? (I see myself chasing rolly through the room when it starts playing that "5ive" song that I had no idea I even had...ehem...)

Why not have something à la Salling clicker where you bluetooth-connect it to a cell phone which is then used as a remote control?

[MasterCKO @ Sep 4th 2007 7:32PM]

"Bluetooth-shy Japan"

[Andrew Kim @ Sep 4th 2007 5:18AM]

if i ever wanted something unnecessary in my life... such as a sony rolly. from a crappy company like sony...

gosh... this would have to be it.

(and i'm serious... i want this thing... i don't know why...)

[Holger @ Sep 4th 2007 5:35AM]

Hm... seems very silly to me, I dunno what the idéa is... who'd want your music to roll into the next room, then you have to chase after it to hear it etc.

[Revels @ Sep 4th 2007 6:00AM]

Control it with your SIXAXIS!

[esteban @ Sep 4th 2007 6:11AM]

nice

[Ant @ Sep 4th 2007 6:16AM]

Have you seen the full video for this thing. http://www.rolly.tv/ . It's a dancing MP3 player, that's as funny as hell, It's not a pocket device at all by the look of it. No really it is a dancing MP3 player, or am I saying what everybody else already knows. It looks like they are using the same acoustic idea that Bose use, but this time with an active flang speaker at each end. The little flap things at the ends open and close with the beat throwing the sound around the room, then a giro keeps the whole thing in one posstion while the body (and lights) spin in time with the beat. It looks like it might use some beat recognition system to choose the music, you hum or clap the beat and the Rolly finds the track and starts playing and dancing to it. Lol, this is guna be big

[bharatk12 @ Sep 4th 2007 6:54AM]

finally bro....some1 who actually thinks something like this can be ver popular


but it all depends on the pricing more than the features itself.....cuz after a VERY VERY LONG TIME SOMETHING SONY IS GETTING A LOT OF ipodish ATTENTION.

STREAMING MUSIC FROM THE PS3 AND PSP LOOKS LIKE A VERY LIKELY OPTION !! it has bluetooth

[Mike @ Sep 4th 2007 6:53AM]

interesting product. Still early to make any judgement

[bakachin @ Sep 4th 2007 7:12AM]

Dumbest thing ever. It's an mp3 player.. as if the world didn't have enough of those.. and the only way to change tracks is to jerk it off. Since Sony is getting killed in the mp3 market I guess they're really grasping at straws here.. anybody that buys this is a complete tool.

[MasterCKO @ Sep 4th 2007 7:35PM]

meanwhile, Sony is probably going to make a killing in Japan on this thing.

[Homeboy @ Sep 4th 2007 7:12AM]

I have mixed feeling about this device. I could be one of them rootkit trojan horses. How do I know that it won't go kamikaze on my Xbox using it's dangerous Sony batteries when I'm out doors on in my toilet taking a mid-day jerk???????????????????

[matjet @ Sep 4th 2007 7:58AM]

you won't. even after completing it's deadly mission, you will be unaware of the confrontation missed. while away great battles were fought and sparks exchanged as the rolly and xbox battled. after pulling out it's secret ambush attack from the sony speakers across the room, the rolly grinned in accomplished satisfaction. the enemy here was dispatched and the locals (you) would never know what caused the poor xbox go go "fzzzztt".

[matjet @ Sep 4th 2007 8:02AM]

*to go ""fzzzztt".

[thef1re @ Sep 4th 2007 7:42AM]

Very nice

[Andrew Peron @ Sep 4th 2007 7:50AM]

....so its a really expensive sony gimmick.
...another one.


grrrreeeaaat.

[Deluxe @ Sep 4th 2007 8:01AM]

I see, price details plz.

[Pat MacManus @ Sep 4th 2007 8:47AM]

OK, a DAP for the blind.

[Muu @ Sep 4th 2007 8:52AM]

So... how do you control the volume? pick it up and spin it clockwise/counterclockwise?

[2timer @ Sep 4th 2007 9:36AM]

Its an expensive cat toy!!!

[Eric @ Sep 4th 2007 9:46AM]

Ad Ed Sullivan would have said, "This is going to be rolly big."

[AG @ Sep 4th 2007 10:29AM]

What has industrial design taught us in the last five years? That players which don't fit comfortably into your pocket will not sell.

[Geir E @ Sep 4th 2007 11:08AM]

to those who say a dap should be pocketable. if you shuffle by shaking it I cant see a big reason to put it in the pocket. would be like walking around with a record player.

think it will be a fun gadget for those who likes unique items.

[palehorse @ Sep 4th 2007 11:18AM]

I have no idea why I want one... but I do!

damnit...

[alex @ Sep 4th 2007 11:53AM]

And now my Roomba will have a friend to play with. It was getting to lonely just sucking up dust.

[Mark @ Sep 4th 2007 12:02PM]

LOL.. my thoughts exactly; my roomba 500 would enjoy a bit of music while it vacuums.

[pryam44 @ Sep 4th 2007 12:12PM]

so if it crashes into a wall will it change songs?

[thedutchman @ Sep 4th 2007 12:19PM]

So...can you listen to it while walking down the street? Will if follow along behind you?

[willyboy @ Sep 4th 2007 12:37PM]

One day after christmas the kids will be playing with just the box. Looks about as annoying as a toy fire engine.

[Thomas @ Sep 4th 2007 12:43PM]

It's all fun and games until somebody steps on the DAP...

[Ignacio Gimenez @ Sep 4th 2007 2:21PM]

yeah!

[brett @ Sep 4th 2007 11:26PM]

sony is a smart company engadget actually that something that works

[Dylan @ Sep 5th 2007 10:52AM]

this thing is like every annoying toy and novilty item put together. a cross from a firby, a chia pet, and iDog, those balls that vibrate and you see them all the time at KBtoys. if this thing was 10 bucks i might get it. just to annoy my dog

[Momo @ Sep 5th 2007 2:12PM]

虽然会担心操作性，但还是....等价格！

[wushy @ Sep 5th 2007 6:55PM]

mmm no display???
:(

[calvin @ Sep 17th 2007 1:32PM]

Sounds like a flop to me.

[Martijn van der Maas @ Sep 20th 2007 2:54PM]

I posted a small hands-on of the Rolly at YouTube. It was show at a Dutch press conference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACIUaASx-Ro
This was the first Rolly appearanc in Europe and it was only a day here ;-) It has some nice moves!