Sony's OLED Walkman coming April 25th to Japan, starts at $400 for 16GB

Forget about Amazon UK's variable estimations, Sony's gone ahead and given us official Japanese release details for its OLED-equipped NWZ-X1000 series Walkman -- known there without the "Z" but with an one-seg TV tuner. Street date is April 25 and the open price is 40,000 yen (US $400) for the 16GB NWZ-X1050 and 50,000 yen for the 32GB NWZ-X1060. Both models will be available in black or red. No word yet on US or Europe date, but we can't imagine those will be far behind.

[Via Impress Watch]

[holy_moly112 @ Apr 14th 2009 1:14AM]

And here I thought Apple was rough with prices? o.O

[Shank @ Apr 14th 2009 1:28AM]

i agree

[Quantumphysics @ Apr 14th 2009 2:03AM]

Sorry Sony.

That's not competitive with the iPod touch/ iPhone.

[Frostblade10 @ Apr 14th 2009 2:04AM]

I too agree. They could have least included an SD card slot. My music library is just passing the 32GB amount.

Not too fond of the sparkly front either.

[Tiptup300 @ Apr 14th 2009 2:57AM]

It looks really good, not $400 good, I'm afraid.

[paperless @ Apr 14th 2009 3:53AM]

No way this can compete with the iPod Touch.

The iPod touch is more like a pda.

[iphonerulez @ Apr 14th 2009 7:31AM]

Those are some crappy-looking icons, the same as on my PSP 2000. They ought to spruce them up with some color or something. I've always owned Sony products, but I'll pass on this Walkman. iPods for me, all the way. With this product you need to carry a PSP since I guess this Walkman doesn't do games.

If you prefer one product over another and say so and get ragged for it, it's just par for the course at Engadget. People still buy Sony products and like them and they're not that bad at all. I still think my PSP is an excellent product, one of the best devices I've ever owned. It's tough and very versatile. Sony could have gone a lot further with that product, but didn't. It doesn't even have an easy YouTube type player which would be great for the PSP. It would have made a decent home/portable streaming device for any wireless router. Except Sony tied it to their own proprietary device that probably nobody has or wants.

[cg0def @ Apr 14th 2009 9:11AM]

yeah really. Guess what Sony ... FAIL!
Other than noise canceling there is nothing that this device has over the iPod Touch and frankly I'd take the ability to install applications over noise canceling any day. Not to mention that an iPod Touch is actually $100 cheaper...

[JohnWesleyHarding @ Apr 14th 2009 11:45AM]

This article is ridiculous. The cost for a 32 gb iPod Touch in Japan is ￥47,800.... so this is on par with competitive pricing in Japan. You cannot convert foreign currency to USD and say that is how much the product will cost in America. I do not know why this is so hard for Engadget, but this is the second (maybe third time) that they have done this with the walkman alone.

On the other hand, I am excited that this is coming out pretty soon.

[Wwhat @ Apr 14th 2009 12:07PM]

Walkmans starting at $400, earplugs that are $230, what the hell is going on? Is the dollar now worth the same as vietnamese money (the dong as it's called)?

[DonBox @ Apr 14th 2009 1:14AM]

PASS..............

[sacapuntas @ Apr 14th 2009 1:32AM]

To sum this entire thread up- Sony and their prices are like Amy Winehouse, way to high and not that attractive.

[Frostblade10 @ Apr 14th 2009 2:20AM]

LOL.

[Tinu @ Apr 14th 2009 10:49AM]

Do you mean "FAIL"?

[Heinz @ Apr 14th 2009 1:15AM]

Wow, way to stay competitive.

[JZ @ Apr 14th 2009 3:55AM]

It is maybe? I´m don´t know what the Cowon S9 which features similar specs goes for in the US but pricewise this is rather similar over here in the EU. But as long as people keep comparing this to a low-end iTouch yes then it seems expensive, but then we also like to compare the iPhone to a RAZR and then cry the iPhone is expensive isn´t it ...
Anyways I got myself an S9 a while ago and i´m rather happy with it, the screen is unbelieveble as well for the sound quality. Sofar that´s something Apple never can compete with and for sure is the few extra euro´s worth it.

[Superstition @ Apr 14th 2009 1:15AM]

Looks like a decent alternative to an iPod touch, but that's just too expensive for the storage amount. I can't see anyone spending more than $300 for a 16GB unit in this market.

[Gad Get @ Apr 14th 2009 1:15AM]

A bit pricey. Hopefully the US version is priced more reasonably.

[Taylor @ Apr 14th 2009 5:23AM]

It'll be reasonably priced... compared to the Australian and European release!

[maveric101 @ Apr 14th 2009 1:16AM]

the 16 GB costs way too much, but the 32 GB is double the storage for 25% more cash ($500). still too expensive.

[Gregory Christopher @ Apr 14th 2009 1:19AM]

its a super computer¡ looks like SCEA has price this, i mean i love my ps3 but sony $400 for everything now is sad! I m fine with my Zune

[sacapuntas @ Apr 14th 2009 1:30AM]

So sony is bringing the flat fee concept to its marketing,which you would think would be great. Unfortunately, they set standard price a tad bit too high (kind of like Amy Winehouse...) T.T

[Someone is here @ Apr 14th 2009 1:32AM]

+1.
I have a zune and it was my best purchase for any MP3/Video player ever.
So well built, excellent software.
120GB with an AV/Kit for $250 CAD!
All you Ipod people just care about others looking at it and saying, "got an ipod? YA I DO".
Us Zuners, we look at Ipods and laugh at them!
HAHA!

[Eleazar @ Apr 14th 2009 2:12AM]

@Someone is here: Which makes you just as pathetic as they are

[Saad Rabia @ Apr 14th 2009 2:27AM]

"Someone is here", please don't do what Apple fanboys do, I'm happy with my Zune, but I will only talk about it in a relating subject and without making it seem like Zune users are kids who want to act all cool and hip with "HAHA"s ending their statements.

There is a proper way to say anything in life, and what you did wasn't a proper way.

[jtduffy @ Apr 15th 2009 2:36AM]

How much is a one-seg TV tuner? The US version won't have that and will most likely be cheaper because of it. They could put in a digital tuner I guess but I doubt it.

[Saad Rabia @ Apr 14th 2009 1:26AM]

I want any fan of this device or anybody in here to give me some good reasons why this is more expansive than the iPod Touch and why I should buy it? I'm really mind boggled!

[dustin @ Apr 14th 2009 1:45AM]

OLED's not exactly cheap

[holycow @ Apr 14th 2009 1:47AM]

Not a fan but I'm guessing its more expensive because of the one-seg TV Tuner and an OLED screen.

[Cunthor @ Apr 14th 2009 2:32AM]

Made in Japan? I'm guessing it's to do with the yen strength to dollar (like price increase in all LCD tvs and DSLRs), plus Sony is probably riding on the wave of 'this walkman sounds better then anything else' on the market including the ipod.

[superhobo @ Apr 14th 2009 6:16AM]

Remember that 11" Sony OLED TV that cost around $7000?

[fikhl @ Apr 14th 2009 9:40AM]

It's a Sony...

[JohnWesleyHarding @ Apr 14th 2009 9:31PM]

This product is not more expensive than the iPod touch. The price for an iPod touch is a little bit less in Japan, however you cannot just directly convert Yen into USD for electronics, since it is less expensive in America.

As for why someone would want this beyond other PMPs:
- Sound quality: Sony PMPs have some of the best sound quality (I could tell you from personal experience how true this is)
- Noise canceling unctionality along with really nice head phones come with the player
- Can be used on any computer and operating system (well at least OS X, Windows, Ubuntu, and Fedora)
-Does not need proprietary software.

I tried a Zune a couple of years ago, and was not impressed by the sound quality at the time (on par with the iPod), so I was wondering, what other functionalities make people love the Zune so much? (Note: this is truly inquisitive, and was in not way meant to be insulting)

[Shank @ Apr 14th 2009 1:26AM]

what the !!!!!!!
$400 for 16 gb,will seriously fail here in america,guaranteed!!
That coming from a sony fanboy.,in order to try to dethrone pmp king,ipod touch .
Rule 1 is to be priced accordingly $229 or less.major fail!!!!!!!!

[ilh @ Apr 14th 2009 8:36AM]

Wait, you're a Sony fanboy? Where's the real Shank?

[Platinum_Skeet @ Apr 14th 2009 10:45AM]

I don't get what the hell is with Sony. Why doesn't the mobile division talk to the entertainment division and just make a PSP phone?

I swear these huge conglomerates can be so slow at times.

[Russ @ Apr 14th 2009 11:05AM]

People don't seem to understand that this product is for Japan only. It will never be sold in America, because there is no oneseg service there. If you live in Tokyo, you'd understand how useful oneseg is for many people. However, IMO most people who would buy this product would already have a oneseg phone. If the I bet some people will buy it for the OLED screen if it looks better than a regular screen, and for that reason alone.

[PrimalSteak @ Apr 14th 2009 1:27AM]

Let's see this gain any market share as long as Sony is in charge of their own supporting software. Remember all those fond hours you spent fighting with "Connect"? No thank you.

[Loki @ Apr 15th 2009 7:09PM]

Connect is gone - long gone, thankfully. I never used it and I got 10 free downloads with a Walkman I bought a couple of years ago.

Either way, you don't need any software with recent Walkmans. Sure, there's a CD in the box, but it really doesn't need to be there.

[champhf @ Apr 14th 2009 1:30AM]

lol $400...LOL typical Sony price fixing i am still mad over buying a mini disc player a few yrs ago

[steve @ Apr 14th 2009 4:18AM]

I used my mini-disc player for all of 3 months, then went back to CD players. I was in eighth grade at the time and learned that I don't listen to music enough to ever pay that much for a damn PMP. I use my phone now, and for $400/$500 I can get a phone that plays music and the corresponding 16gb memory card ( 32 soon enough) and do more than play songs and music. Maybe this little bugger will please audiophiles with quality, but to the general consumer it will go the way of the mini disc. Cool for 3 months to a very very select group.

[sweet greggo @ Apr 14th 2009 1:29AM]

I know I sound like a broken record, but the prices on these personal devices are absolutely ridiculous. I know there is more than just the cost of parts and labor to consider, but cmon... you can get a freakin LAPTOP for $400 that does a helluva lot more than a little media player. You can't tell me these things are worth what they're demanding.

[Noah @ Apr 14th 2009 2:33AM]

Yeah, you can keep your $400 laptop, with its amazing 2 usb ports, vga/s-video out and athlon single-core (my dad just got a cheap laptop, thats what its got).

But yes, $400 is too much. Perhaps its too early/expensive for the OLED?

[sweet greggo @ Apr 14th 2009 7:26AM]

Well I know it wouldn't be top of the line, I'm just giving an example of what can be sold for $400.

Imagine what you can get for the $700 Apple wants to rape you for for their iPhone, or the $1200 HTC wants for their high end phone. It's ridiculous.

[kickenchicken @ Apr 14th 2009 1:45AM]

Oh my, I'm not even going to give it the slightest bit of interest at such an horrendous price point. I'd much rather spend that on a new phone with mp3 capabilities, or a high capacity iTouch.

My oh my, companies and their rediculous way of thinking.

Sony, this isn't a PS3.

[Moo @ Apr 14th 2009 1:44AM]

Ugh. That is a horrible price. It will fail quickly.

[gmacek @ Apr 14th 2009 1:47AM]

It's interesting to note that the Japan version of this Walkman also includes a 1-seg TV tuner, which of course the US couldn't utilize. That could account for the price. Only if we had a standard digital TV signal that could be included in small portable devices like this...

But anyway, this is Engadget, so I suppose I should continue bashing Sony for having high prices. :-P IMO, there is still a place for sound quality and design. I'll leave my final opinions of the device and final US (not Japan) pricing when that is formally announced and released here. Until then, we can save our whining about Japanese prices we're not being asked to pay in the first place.

[Dustin Crowder @ Apr 14th 2009 1:59AM]

lol sony is about sound quality? on an mp3 player? dude, you need to get over yourself. I'm sure you have golden ears and can hear the difference, but the reality is more likely that you're just a tool who likes to pretend you're better than a lot of people - what with their inferior sound quality mp3 players. lol douche.

[Dustin Crowder @ Apr 14th 2009 2:01AM]

oh I almost forgot, design too? its a rectangle with a touch screen, that's impressive and thinking outside the box (no, it is a box)

[gmacek @ Apr 14th 2009 2:15AM]

I don't need to get over myself. I'm just someone who's preferred the sound of Sony portable music players over the years. And if you really knew me, you'd know I don't find myself better than others. It's apparent my sarcasm and poking fun at the general theme of replies on sites like this is lost on you. Apple = Great, Sony = Bad, etc, etc. But I digress. Enough time wasted posting to a tech blog where it's difficult to have useful discussion! :)