Sony OLED Walkman impressions
By Darren Murph 
posted May 5th 2009 1:59PM
posted May 5th 2009 1:59PM
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Design and feel
What can we say? The OLED Walkman (formally known as the NW-X1050 in Japan) looks and feels incredible. The build quality is top notch, and it really hits the sweet spot between being sturdy and not too heavy. There's no mistaking that this is a serious piece of kit when picking it up, and even the buttons are rock solid. We're really digging the size Sony chose here; the 3-inch OLED display is spacious enough, yet the overall player is plenty small to sneak into tight spaces without causing too much fuss. We're also big, big fans of the dark graphite border. Despite appearing somewhat chintzy in the press shots, the look and feel in person really impresses. The texture adds a sense of security / grip when holding it, and it definitely acts as a differentiator from all the other flat-faced PMPs out there.
Naturally, we greatly appreciate the standard 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, but the proprietary Sony connector at the bottom just rubs us the wrong way. Was throwing a mini-USB connector up there too much to ask? As it stands, you'll be forced to carry around a specialized cable (à la Apple's dock-connecting iPod) if you plan on charging it or adding / removing files via a computer. The built-in Noise Canceling switch is a welcome extra, though in our testing, we didn't notice a difference with it on or off. The volume rocker is perfectly placed atop the right side, and the Play / Pause, Skip Forward and Skip Backwards buttons are thoughtfully placed at the top of the unit, providing easy access when it's shoved in your pocket. In atypical fashion, Sony has placed the Hold switch on the rear -- rather than the side or top -- of its OLED Walkman. We can't say we're huge fans of it yet, but we suppose it's something you could adjust to with time. Finally, the single Home button on the bottom of the face makes it dead simple to escape whatever mess you're in and get back to the front screen -- nothing that we haven't seen mastered before, but hey, if it ain't broke...
Display
Without question, the standout feature on this here player is the 3-inch OLED display. Boasting a 432 x 240 resolution, which is a few pixels less than on Cowon's S9 (480 x 272), the panel is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The first time we spotted the home screen, we couldn't help but be taken aback -- colors were dramatic, crisp and downright lovely. It really shines when viewing album art, photos and video, though we can't help but bemoan the fact that Sony has inexplicably crippled the video mode to handle 320 x 240 clips at a maximum in most scenarios. Why, Sony -- why? Moving on, we can say that the actual touch response was nothing short of perfect. Swiping the panel to move from album to album was effortless, and every icon we tested reacted perfectly to even the most gentle touch. So yeah, the OLED panel itself definitely lives up to the hype, but unfortunately we're not so sure a fancy display justifies the steep increase in price versus LCD-based rivals.
Software / user interface
Hardware wise, Sony has generally had a knack for really nailing it, and that's evidenced in the construction of the OLED Walkman. Software -- on the other hand -- hasn't exactly been the firm's strong suit. We're happy to say that the user interface on this device is perfectly suitable, if not enjoyable to use. There's absolutely no lag to speak of when moving between menus, and while we'd appreciate a few customization options, the standard icons certainly get the job done. Unfortunately, the Japanese pre-production model we had wouldn't allow us to hop online or check out YouTube, so we weren't able to check out how well it handled the pressures of the web.
While checking out videos and tunes, we were pleasantly satisfied with the UI. Metadata was laid out well, changing artists / albums / tracks was a cinch, and browsing files was a lesson in simplicity. Even with many aspects in Japanese, we didn't have too much trouble navigating thanks to sensible pictorial cues. We should also remark that loading the player up with media couldn't have been easier. Rather than having to deal with proprietary software (ahem), users can simply drag and drop files from their PC into the appropriate folder when it mounts in Windows Explorer or on the desktop of a Mac (yes, we tried both and had great success).
Usability / sound quality
As for overall usability, Sony's OLED Walkman is leaps and bound more versatile than the litany of alternatives that lack WiFi, an FM tuner and a web browser (in theory, at least). Truth be told, it handles its core duties with class, playing back movie clips and audio files exactly as you'd expect a higher-end PMP to do. Navigation is a breeze, the external buttons are excellent additions and the 33 hours (maximum) of battery life should be more than sufficient for most. As we stated earlier, we weren't able to witness how it handled web content, which is definitely a shame.
One thing that we can't possibly praise highly enough is the audio quality. We tested this player with a range of earbuds -- from the stock ones bundled with an iPod to a set of Westone UM1s -- and we were simply blown away with the dynamics. Hands down, this is the best sounding PMP that we've had the pleasure of using, and sticklers for good sound will definitely be impressed. Regardless of the genre, the OLED Walkman served up crisp, balanced audio. Devout audiophiles will no doubt bang on this unit's inability to handle FLAC, OGG or other lossless formats, but hopefully they'll find solace in the fact that this one does lossy files about as good as one could possibly expect.
Wrap-up
Obviously, it's too early for us to tell if the OLED Walkman is a great value or not. We've yet to come across a definite US price for either the 16GB or 32GB model, and we weren't able to test out every single feature due to the language barrier and pre-production status. If the Japanese price for the smaller of the two proves true (it converts to around $400), it still makes the OLED Walkman nearly twice the price of Cowon's OLED-infused 16GB S9 and a full Benjamin higher than Apple's 16GB iPod touch. We have to believe that the MSRP here in the States will be a bit under $400, but without knowing for sure, it's hard to rank the three. Obviously, those who find value in the App Store won't have a need for this player. The OLED Walkman may do music, movies, radio and the web, but it won't ever track down a nearby taxi, figure out what restaurants are around you or call a friend via Skype via an elegant application. If you're into those type things, Apple's iPod touch still has the market cornered.
Frankly, Sony needs to price this one at or below the going rate for the touch in order to make those in the market think twice about how often they'll actually use applications downloaded from the App Store. Between the S9 and the OLED Walkman, we're giving the early edge to Sony; the software here is far more polished and it actually has WiFi, something the S9 is sorely missing. On a more general level, we're just stoked to see someone nail an OLED-based music player, and we can't help but be giddy that more are hopefully on the way from other manufacturers. The OLED revolution may be stuck in first gear, but this device is a brilliant example of why this technology deserves a slot in today's consumer electronics arena. We'll be waiting on pins and needles to hear Sony's decision on US pricing and availability -- we know it's obvious, but the asking price will definitely make or break this unit's ability to be taken seriously in the all-too-saturated PMP market.
I find it more odd that 320x240 is 4:3 aspect ratio when the screen is much wider. Maybe the software can compress it correctly so it doesn't stretch pictures but it'll still result in a big loss in quality and OLED displays have a habit of making the source video look rubbish.
yeh thats what i was kind of driving at Gnormie why wiould they make you use a 4:3 aspect ratio and therefore loose loads of space when you watch widescreen even though the screen itself is widescreen. It just seems stupid to watch a widescreen video in a 4:3 box on a widescreen screen
Hell yeah firewind!
The logo looks a lot like the Four-thirds logo with a little added perspective.
My ipod is seriously beat up, I just may replace it with the oled walkman... As much as I enjoy the ipod, the audio fidelity is not where it should be.
wow... when will people learn that simply converting price, especially, from Japan into US dollar is not accurate? Things are almost always more expensive in Japan.
And when will you learn that a ball park figure is better than none? If it's almost always more expensive then you can then figure that the converted price is a maximum which is quite helpful.
The problem is that people take the price as the price in the U.S. As there are people complaining for not supporting AAC lossless when there is no such format. The statement that I made was more to prevent comments saying "it's 400 for 16," "too expensive" when it'll be more like 300 for 16gb and 32gb, which has been said countless times through out different stories regarding this particular product or not.
Such a detailed and praising review of a non-Apple product?
Thanks Darren.
My pleasure.
Hey, the format .ogg is lossy not loss-less, but it is nice to say that it's open sourced! (my favorite part).
i wish it had an sd reader
This is not the one with built-in noise cancelling..isn't it?
Yes, and it will come with a pair of the NC22 earbuds without the noise cancelling part, as it's built-in to the player.
AFAIK, the walkman needs to have some sort of earbuds made for noise cancelling? The NC22 earbuds have a mic built in to the earbud I believe that works with the noise cancelling part to remove outside sounds. This is according to the Sony rep I talked with in their Ginza Tokyo store a week or two ago.
From the Sony Hong Kong site: http://www.sonystyle.com.hk/ss/product/walkman/nwz_x1060_e.jsp
---
Video Formats (Codec)
(other codecs)
Windows Media Video 9
Media file format: ASF
File extension: .wmv
Profile: VC1 simple profile, main profile
Bit rate: Simple: max. 1700 kbps,
Main: max. 5000 kbps
Frame rate: up to 30 fps
Resolution:
Simple: up to 480 x 270,
Main: up to QVGA (320 x 240)
---
It looks like the Walkman will support larger resolutions?
Dear Sony
It's 2009. I had gapless on my tape Walkman and have it on MiniDisc, which - oddly - many people like to bag. What's up?
Dear Sony
It's 2009. I had removable media on my tape Walkman and have it on MiniDisc. Imagine how cool it would be if you stopped selling models with fixed storage on-board for inflated prices and allowed us to pick up some SD in the store, much like tapes? Flash memory also has limited writes, so if something bad happens we could continue using our precious Walkmans with no trouble simply by replacing the storage with a fresh card (much like PSP).
Dear Sony
It's 2009. In 2009 flash media is dirt cheap. Even Fred Flintstone doesn't listen to WAV on his portable to enjoy the benefits of lossless audio. Perhaps you can consider FLAC http://flac.sourceforge.net to bring Walkman into this millennium. Tell your financial people that it won't cost a cent in additional royalties. You may also consider Ogg Vorbis as a superior lossy alternative to MP3 and AAC, too. Also no additional royalties required. You can also tell your financial people that several of your competitors have smelled the coffee, including:
http://www.sansa.com/
Dear Sony
I had removable batteries with my tape Walkman and MiniDisc and have it on my PSP and Sony Ericsson phone. What's up? You know they only get 400-500 charges, at best, before their useful life holding usable charge is over, and you know you never like to mention replacement battery costs (with surgery), so how about some honesty and anti-disposability in 2009? It would be such a shame to see fine electronics tossed all because of a battery that can't hold a charge beyond its useful life. Not only that, but not allow replacements when 'on the road', especially when watching vids on this otherwise fine unit.
Much love,
tekdroid
http://www.sony-asia.com/microsite/walkman/
If you want a removable battery+expandable memory, just get a Sansa E200 series
and then again, make an "open letter" to apple...they've been that way FOREVER.
Baba Booey @ May 5th 2009 6:39PM
...make an "open letter" to apple...they've been that way FOREVER.
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Agreed, which is why it's disappointing to see Sony be a copy-cat when once they were THE THING in portable audio, driving innovation so far ahead of everyone else (I'm talking 90s here). They are doing just enough for feature-parity it seems. Though it's always nice to see their focus on audio hasn't totally diminished.
Non-removable batteries and storage I'll never understand. Everything from their camcorders to digital cameras to phones have it (with perhaps one or two exceptions). The level of Apple-cloning is surprising (throughout the whole portable audio industry, not just Sony).
While the UMS support is great, it means that this will not likely be compatible with subscription models. I know it's not popular, but I've become addicted to the Zune Pass, and would need a compatible player before I made a switch. Most "Plays for Sure" devices will work with Zune tracks (though you'll need to use WM10 or Rhapsody to transfer files), but I'm holding out to see what the Zune HD has to offer.
omg u press every icons besides the, i assume, internet one! I need to know about its wifi capability!!!
RTFA.
does the thing have a capacitive or resistive touch screen. It looks capacitive
Capacitive.
So what market are they targetting - there couldnt be more than 10people left in the world without some sort of mp3 player, and probably an ipod.
The only way to poach ipod users (myself included) would be if
a) it could take songs from my itunes library.
b) there was a small connector (or extra attachment) that allowed the player to be docked in istations (seeing as any house i ever go to has one, as well as some hotels) and
c) there was promise of a decent itunes esque music management software piece coming down the line (albeit not as important as points a and b).
iTunes is what makes the iPods so great, so I don't think it's a good thing that this player has drag n drop support like an old floppy.
Fanboy alert.
itunes is a POS...
@Wam: Not at all.
Using PMPs the old fashioned way by dragging and dropping files is really not a good idea, and here's why:
The Windows Explorer was never designed for this purpose, which clearly shows in how it handles music files. In Windows Explorer, you will have to manually arrange files in folder, make sure they have the right file names and manually update your PMP whenever your music collection on your PC grows.
With software like iTunes or the like, you can manage your music with ID tags, hence have a lot more information about them without ever worrying about making a fuckload of folders. There is no need to sort your best songs manually in a folder - just rate them five stars and a smart playlist will do it for you. There is no need to do this for most played tracks either. It's all done automatically. It's all about statistics. When did I last listen to this track? Have I listened to it at all? What are my most played tracks of all time? Which tracks do I really hate or have forgotten?
Also, another great feature about iTunes is the built in store where you not only can buy new songs, but also benefit from all the knowledge available in the store. By that I mean what songs other people likes in the same genre and, most importantly, the Genius functionality which automatically makes playlists of songs that sound alike, making it less likely for that fucking Rammstein song to begin playing when you're making love to that sweet realdoll of yours. Also, iTunes can pull down really hi-res album art for all your songs as long as they are tagged correctly. Saves a lot of time.
The iTunes DJ feature is also a nice touch, automatically adding new songs as the ones you've manually added play out. This eliminates embarrasing silence on your party, and also eliminates bitchin' from people tired of the same fucking songs playing all over again like they do with ordinary repeat functions.
Last but certainly not least, all tese statistics are carried over to my PMP. I never have to manually add the latest track of my collection to my iPod. These stats are perhaps even more important when it comes to portable devices with limited storage space. By syncing smart playlists like Most Played, Highest Rated and Recently Added, it's dead easy to always have all your favorite and newest songs, along side with your old-school manual playlists.
If the iPods could learn to _also_ functions as a mass storage device and then sync the added files back to iTunes, making it easy to steal songs from friends, that would be awesome. But I don't think Warner and the other dudes would like that at all.
Hell, I listen to all the music I have. Why'd care how many times I listen to it? If I hate it, I'd have deleted it a long long time ago.
Was it mentioned that Genius needs an internet connection?
To begin with, why make it so complicated to have highest rated or recently added, just dump everything together.
Math and music never went well with each other. Screw statistics, I don't want what I enjoy made complicated. Period.
@azure.
You obviously missed the point by a mile.
If you have lots of music like me, you'll find that grouping everything together doesn't work very well. In that case statistics make things super easy as they do everything for you, as you'd noticed had you actually tried.
Obviously you haven't read the people who would do *anything* for drag-and-drop on the iPhone / iPod, just so they can ditch iTunes for transferring one or two tracks.
Seriously, drag-and-drop rawks.
For the record, I still use iTunes to organise my music library. I just drag playlists into folders on my Walkman, which works fine for me.
@Loki:
Yeah, I know of those people. However, most of them seem to use iTunes merely as a way of transferring songs from their folders to the iPod. They haven't grasped the concept of software like iTunes, Winamp 5 and Windows Media Player. From that POV, I fully understand why they hate iTunes so much - they think it just adds an unneccessary step to their oldschool drag n drop behavior. That's kinda sad because they miss out on a lot of benefits, stated above.
Also as stated above, I too would love to see drag n drop on the iPod, but for a totally different reason. It would be great to be able to add songs using Windows Explorer and then sync them back to iTunes when I come home to my own computer.
Except there do happen to be other applications with which you can tag & manage audio collections, and some of us prefer to do things with small utilities and apps that achieve what we want, and don't have problems keeping things organized ourselves. Windows Explorer's media functions are one of the first things I usually disable, but they do also show many tagging fields if you require that sort of thing. I do appreciate though that Apple finally got around to making 'let me manage my collection myself' the default on new installs btw...
the problem with itunes and ipods... is that they will lock your iPod to one computer. I have had many friends who use iPods and have either lost their computer, or had a problem with a hard drive and end up losing their music collection. When they want to connect their iPods to their computer again, and transfer their music back onto their new computer, it won't let it. With drag and drop players, you don't have that problem.
You can still use iTunes to organize your music, add album art and everything - and then drag it and drop it to transfer to the Sony Walkman. I don't bash iTunes at all - it's a great piece of software, but they put so many limits on what you can do with your player.
btw, they're releasing here in just over a weeks time in the UK. I work in a sony centre here, and I'm super excited to get them in!! can't wait for it.... Played with it during training a few months ago and have been waiting for them ever since. The pricing is already on the Sony Style website here, and it's priced the same as the iPod Touch.
Yeah, I can see how people will have a lot of fun with their touch and their applications - but if you care more about sound quality, I would definitely get this walkman instead. The smaller size seems better for me - because i will mainly use it as a mp3 player, as opposed to a video player.
how scratch resistant is this? (not just the screen, but the body as well)
I got a chance to fiddle with one of these at a store on the East side of Tokyo last week, and I have to agree with engadget's comments. Beautiful screen, possibly the best I've seen on a PMP. And since it was a full retail version I got to check out the other features too. The wifi connected super fast in the store, and I was watching youtube within seconds of finding a video, at a quality that made me almost want to weep - waay better looking that on my iPhone.
The browser, however, was another story. Yeah... it loads pages relatively fast, but it's more like looking at the web on a regular cellphone. It seemed to load pages small, and zooming in and out was a chore, as was scrolling. I have to give it's browser a big fail to be honest, so at the moment I have mixed feelings. It seems to play music and video much better than an iPod, and has a better youtube interface, but no apps + crappy browser = ?
Easy people.......X1000 plays AVC baseline 1.3 profile in 480x270...........I tried on my X1060......Although Sony claims it couldn't, but avc files in 480x270 play smoothly on X1000