Video: Sony NW-A840 packs OLED, noise cancellation, and 64GB of flash heat, still thinnest Walkman ever
By Thomas Ricker 
posted September 16th 2009 1:59AM
posted September 16th 2009 1:59AM
Sony's keeping the pressure on the dedicated portable media player market with the launch of its latest OLED Walkman. The NW-A840 series is the thinnest Walkman ever at 7.2mm and comes packing a 2.8-inch OLED display and up to 64GB of flash storage. The players also feature Sony's digital noise cancellation, premium MDR-EX300SL earbuds right in the box, and the ability to pump 720x480 pixel video out to your TV. Sony rates the battery at 29-hours of continuous music or 9-hours of video. The A-series ships in three models -- 16GB NW-A845 (¥24,000/$263), N32GB W-A846 (¥30,000/$329), and 64GB NW-A847 (¥40,000/$439) -- starting October 31st. Also available in black for those who detest downtown hipster-brown. Video preview after the break.
[Via Sony Insider]
[Via Sony Insider]
I'm still seeing Mickey Mouse on that damn thing!
i see halo behind its, um, head
Finally, a Sony walkman that can play videos beyond QVGA res. But:
1. This is Japan only
2. This is Japan only
Sony, stop playing with these cheap toys and bring out your Android walkman asap. There is a rare window of opportunity right now, with Apple having a weak lineup, Microsoft not releasing the ZuneHD worldwide, and the Creative Zii still in development.
Apple has a weak lineup? Lol, you're not a business major I assume. Weak lineup. Rofl.
Different market. Walkmans are for music enthusiasts, not people who want one device for everything.
@Tony Montana, why would you want android on a simple music player?
@Steve, unprotected AAC files from itunes will play on any device that support AAC playback (sony walkman for instance)
the design looks beautiful, and 64gb of space is oh so roomy. Hopefully this will be coming stateside soon at a competitive price. I am sure they would at least price it below the X series. The Japanese prices have little correlation to US or EU prices.
Thank god it supports wavy lines that are emitted from Sony Blu-Ray players
God that is a beautiful machine.
Oh... my...
*Eyes bugging out, jaw on the floor.*
i can see that...!
finally! sony has been sleeping but will take over when it wakes up...
Well clearly you guys arent aware that OLED *only* works in a candlelit basement. It's just overhyped junk, that's why Apple doesn't use it yet.
/sarcasm
You had me going then. Seriously. =/
Ye, well played sir.
Any thin 7.2mm or comes packing a 2.8-inch OLED is amazing, 64GB storage is the evangel for enthusiastic fan of walkman.
In fact, it's a little expensive to get a 64GB walkman though we can convert DVD to walkman with Wondershare DVD to Walkman Converter
http://www.dvd-ripper-copy.com/dvd-to-walkman-converter.html#115 a cool software that can make us high and make it to get more storage.
Sup playa?
gapless? are these louder yet? with popular earbuds the level is weedy on my 829, even after unlocking eu cap. sony piss me off.
Seems rather expensive. Looks good, and hopefully sounds as good but expensive none the less for an internetless PMP.
Epic, need this in Europe, why sony why ever Japane? D':
no laser?
GT prologue Music FTW!!!
Holy crap. Screw smart-PMPs - this is what I want.
yeah! it'll be cheaper in local Japan store with nice deal. 36000yen for 64gb is not too bad!
yeah!
hopefully Sony fixes how dreadfully slow transfer speeds were with the A829 and low volume.
My Sony Walkmans (NW-HD5, NWZ-A816-, NWZ-829) have been wonderful players, and coupled with media monkey, almost makes me completely forget about my iTunes/iPod, regardless of how crappy the iPod sounds.
Sony's Shipment policy is quite hard to fathom. I guess its linked to inventory levels.
1. New S series first appeared in Europe then game to Japan
2. New W series first appeared in Europe and US then came to Japan
3. New A series first in Japan and then will filter out
4. The X series was out for about 1.5 months before it filtered out
I must admit this looks sexy. Im currently using my now previous model A series.
Great battery life, kicks my girlfriends nano for sound quality. No lag, no crashes. Plays video nice after an decode.
But man id love to have that screen! The buds wouldnt be half bad either by the looks...
By the way did anyone notice bluetooth appears to be gone. I guess it didnt turn out to be such a selling point??
That thing looks like it was steampunked out of the box.
Good for Sony. Looks good for what it intends to do.
I'm patiently awaiting the pod people to bash this device for:
a) being brown like a first gen Zune
b) being OLED like a third gen Zune
c) not having a massive app store
d) not being a phone
e) not being an iPod
you forgot:
f) not running android
:)
Wow some great specs. Now why can't they let their Sony Ericsson department in on some of this technology. OLED screens and 64GB flash memory and those cool earphones would be awasome, come on now please!!!
I'm starting to think Sony could be a real contender for #2 PMP worldwide, their recent entries have good designs and are affordably priced
After many years of crap MP3 players with their goofy proprietary ATRC format Sony finally comes out with decent MP3 players. Too little too late as people expect a lot more these days than just playing music. Same goes for the lame Zune HD with its non-features.
Hum... they've dropped ATRAC support for drag-and-drop MP3 almost 3 years ago...
Walkmans are the best dedicated music players on the market, and this one is the most beautiful thing ever.
Alas, I am not that huge a fan of music that I'd spend $330 on a device that cannot access the internet, play games, and decapitate zombies. (if I had an extra $330 lying around I'd buy this, though. so pretty o.o).
Oh Sony, you are making it so very hard on me to not get one of your little joy devices.
If more places, such as walmart, would carry these players along with the X series I'm sure they'd have better sales. But whenever I am at walmart all I ever see are a few of their E and S series models.
This is definitely the player to own as I've been waiting for one with the capability to display lyrics for a long long time.
'In fact, it's a little expensive to get a 64GB walkman'
As freshman of walkman I think so but the NW-A840 is very very cool....
Can the Wondershare DVD to Walkman Converter convert DVD to NW-A840 music?
Sony refuses to support Flac or Lossless since it has it's own proprietary format, ATRAC, even though it's a "dead" format outside of Japan!
At least the company recognizes the fact the "most" people use the standard format of mp3.
Too bad since it limits Sony players to many buyers that would prefer Flac or other Lossless type formats.