Video: Sony OLED Walkman (NWZ-X1050) hands-on

We got a chance to peek Sony's succulent OLED Walkman way back at CES, but we've waited for what seems like forever to hold one in our supple paws without a booth attendant breathing down our neck. The model that arrived today on our doorstep is the 16GB NW-X1050 (or NWZ-X1050), which just launched in Japan last week. There's still no telling when this beauty will hit the US, but we can already guess that it'll cause some serious buzz when it does. We'll just come right out and say it: this is the best looking display on any PMP that we've ever seen. If you'll recall, Cowon's S9 also shipped with an OLED panel, but we've got to give the edge to Sony here. Also of note, we were never fans of the dark granite border in the press shots, but it's downright stunning in person. We're going to be hosting up a video walkthrough of the menus and such just as soon as it uploads (sigh) as well as some more thorough impressions in the coming days. For now, however, feel free to peruse the gallery below.

Update: Video's live! Check it after the break.

Gallery: Sony OLED Walkman (NWZ-X1050) hands-on

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[Waveblade @ May 4th 2009 2:04PM]

I have a Cowon S9 but you say this looks better?

It would be really cool if you could do comparison pictures between the 2 when you do a real review :)

Here's a nice set of pictures that really look nice on an OLED screen

http://anythingbutipod.com/forum/showpost.php?p=326260&postcount=1

[Kinger @ May 5th 2009 7:51AM]

wow birds

[Sully @ May 4th 2009 2:39PM]

Drat, and I just ordered the 32GB S9 yesterday, can't wait to get it. @Waveblade, any sites S9 users frequent for news, firmware etc? I know http://www.anythingbutipod.com/ is a good resource, but haven't found anything beyond that

[mac404 @ May 4th 2009 3:47PM]

http://iaudiophile.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=90

That's a link to the iaudiophile forum's S9 section. There are a lot of people there.

[PowerTorsk @ May 4th 2009 5:43PM]

@Sully

Go register at iAudiophile.net

They get the latest and the greatest news on Cowon S9 firmware updates, as well as many UCI's. Some of the UCI developers are even registered at the site.

[rBz @ May 4th 2009 8:51PM]

yay for the nice new pmp
boo on the proprietary connector/charger adapter!
grr

[Wolfticket @ May 4th 2009 2:05PM]

Looks sweet.
Matt finishes ftw.

[Gizmodo @ May 4th 2009 2:27PM]

Spelling errors ftw?

[Wolfticket @ May 4th 2009 3:00PM]

No. British English ftw.

[Andir3.0 @ May 4th 2009 3:01PM]

If we all strive to be like Matt, the world would be a better place. That's all he's saying.

[Matt @ May 4th 2009 3:30PM]

Hey, thanks man.

p.s. i just finished again.

[superhobo @ May 4th 2009 3:42PM]

That's because he's finished. But at least he won.

[sweet greggo @ May 4th 2009 2:06PM]

recession antidote?

[Christian Martin @ May 4th 2009 2:10PM]

I'd wait until the US version (or the release wherever you may be located).

[Lars @ May 4th 2009 5:43PM]

Ooooh, yes please!

I gotta say, I'm not a fan of the icon layout that everyone seems to be going with right now (iPhone, Android, etc.). Sony struck gold with XMB, they shoulda stuck with it.

[DZ @ May 4th 2009 6:01PM]

Sure as long i don't get the one that's been sitting on someone's nasty arse flip-flop... ;o)

[Christian Martin @ May 4th 2009 2:08PM]

"We're going to be hosting up a video walkthrough of the menus and such just as soon as it uploads (sigh)"

Pay your bandwidth overage fees, consumer swine!

[Mat @ May 4th 2009 2:18PM]

Cheers Engadget,

Was always going to be the 32gb flavour S9 or this. Looks like Sony wins out for me (also about £30 cheaper for the Sony on Amazon compared to the S9).

[cammy @ May 4th 2009 2:12PM]

Wow, now if Sony and Sony ericsson just kissed and made up and released this as a phone then we would have an iphone killer on our hands!

(assuming Sony spent a fortune on software development for it)

[Deuche ex Machina @ May 4th 2009 2:46PM]

Why must every new toy be a (potential or real) iSomething killer? Yes, the fruit stand's offering is the current plastic standard, but it also has a rabid fanbase that will kick, scream, piss and moan the instant that moniker is attached to another product. Let the Apple fans have thier toy, and if you don't want it, snicker quietly about their choice.

Yes, if this was a phone and had decent funtionality, I'd probably rub up against it at night and name it Hazel, but I don't need to know that it has stabbed the iPhone in the lung before I make that call.

In closing, Hazel is looking quite sexy...

[NightBlade @ May 4th 2009 6:13PM]

Dude, have you seen this?
http://www.sonyericsson.com/idou/

[hjh @ May 4th 2009 2:13PM]

i wish this would be a phone

[FNG @ May 4th 2009 2:14PM]

can you retake all the pics please? oh and when you do, please change your aperture to about f10. thanks...

[Tarnation @ May 4th 2009 2:24PM]

I was just thinking, how about not taking the photos on a wood grain background. Solid color non-reflective surfaces take better pictures up close.

[Sarig @ May 4th 2009 2:32PM]

And to imagine these are the people who keep on ragging on Mr. Blurrycam. Engadget has proper gear, but doesn't know how to use it :/

[David @ May 4th 2009 6:45PM]

seriously, why are all their images so crappy most of the time?

[darok3k @ May 4th 2009 2:15PM]

i'm liking the pictures!

[HAZE @ May 4th 2009 2:18PM]

WANT

[avalon2009 @ May 4th 2009 2:19PM]

This little gadget bares a striking resemblance to Samsung's P2...

[Brad @ May 4th 2009 2:28PM]

I'm not seeing it. Looks like Sony released their own KIRF with that case...ick.

[Denver_80203 @ May 4th 2009 2:31PM]

I guess I'm in the minority but, it's not all that great looking, is it?
www for the web? really? is this 1996?
What sort of DRM worm will this release into my computer?
Which proprietary memory slot will it require?

Sony lost a lot of my trust... I see nothing about this that makes me think "must have"

[Mat @ May 4th 2009 2:39PM]

DRM worm? Denver Sony products have been simple drag n drop for years now with no need for theirs or any other third party apps. It plays very nicely on its own with Windows. Obviously it is 1996 for yourself;)

[Neil @ May 4th 2009 2:39PM]

Noise cancelling built in?

[Denver_80203 @ May 4th 2009 2:45PM]

Mat: maybe 2005 then?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Sony+DRM+rootkit

[Andir3.0 @ May 4th 2009 3:05PM]

*checks calendar*

*confirms that it's neither 1996 or 2005 anymore *

*moves on with life*

[Avery @ May 4th 2009 2:32PM]

OLED screen for the new PSP?

[xValentine @ May 4th 2009 2:38PM]

So...

Where's the box ?

[pika2000 @ May 4th 2009 2:41PM]

That's the NW Japanese model, not the NWZ model. It looks nice, until you find out that it only support 320x240 video (despite the device's own native screen res is higher). Also, one has to consider at what price Sony will sell it at. Of course, Sony fanboys will all drool over this with the illusion of "superior" SQ. Somebody said Sony USA will release it closer to June, even mid or late June. By that time, nobody will care as all news we see is either the new iPhone or the Palm Pre.

[simon @ May 4th 2009 3:18PM]

About this competing with a new iPhone or the Pre, you do realize that this isn't a phone right? That said, I think Sony is hoping to turn this into a Sony (not S-E) mobile phone in the next 12-18 months.

[pika2000 @ May 4th 2009 3:21PM]

@simon: I know it's not a phone. But Sony USA is well known for their lack of marketing/advertising. Releasing any gadget device close to some major release from other companies won't help. Japan already got theirs. One would wonder why Sony USA takes such a long time to release the NWZ models.

[MDspeak @ May 5th 2009 3:11AM]

um how is superior sound quality a illusion, do you even know what a bit rate is , did you known there are two kinds of vinyl , normal and audiophile grade. I bet the best headphones you have ever used were the ones that came with your player and no , all mp3 players do not sound the same. They all use different sound chips, thus different sound fool .Yes I am a audiophile, I have headphones and speakers that cost alot more than this walkman.

[pika2000 @ May 5th 2009 3:19AM]

@MDspeak Do you know what ABX test is? I guess it's a foreign word for "Audiophile fools." Until I see some ABX test of the Sony with other DAPs, then its "superior" SQ is simply an opinion, not a fact.

[Rodrigo @ May 4th 2009 2:43PM]

gimme a oled psp!

[Nelson @ May 4th 2009 3:01PM]

Isn't the Cowen also known for its sound? How does this one stack up?

[locuus @ May 4th 2009 3:16PM]

COWON players usually have a huge battery life, very good loud sound and support non-proprietary file formats.

How does this SONY compare in those aspects?

[Jert @ May 4th 2009 9:05PM]

Sony players usually have excellent battery life and sound. Support for lots of file formats? Eh, I'd say they're average in that aspect. I have a Cowon D2 and a Sony player from 2006 too. I just know that the Sony, which I purchased first, is miles ahead of the Cowon D2 in terms of user interface and useability.

[alf @ May 4th 2009 3:23PM]

Video plz!

[superhobo @ May 4th 2009 3:44PM]

I have no use for an MP3 player or PMP, but I hope Sony markets this well.

We need to reduce the iZombie population.

[scoob @ May 4th 2009 3:57PM]

Why would we want to reduce the number of people using the best music player on the market?

[Gus @ May 4th 2009 4:44PM]

Best user-friendly media player that also has Wi-Fi (if you're referring to the Touch)? Possibly.

Best music player? A thousand times no.