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Sony's 40th anniversary Walkman is a cassette-free nostalgia fail
Even though it's a long time since cassettes have truly been in vogue, it's still disappointing Sony's 40th anniversary Walkman doesn't let you play music from magnetic tape. If you do pick up the NW-A100TPS, you'll have to make do with a cassette tape interface and screensaver, the color of which changes depending on the type of file you're playing.
Sony adds wearable and high-res music players to its Walkman line
Still use a dedicated music player for listening on the go? Sony has two new options in its Walkman line that'll do just that, and the NWZ-WS613 takes the wearable player and has it double as a Bluetooth headset. Connecting to your smartphone lets you beam tracks or listen to tunes loaded directly on the device with a ring-like controller for controls and calls that won't break your stride. A smartphone app is also capable of tweaks and skipping around -- should you want to limit the number of items in that gym bag. As you might expect, the unit is indeed waterproof to keep the sweat at bay and connects to fitness apps to further enhance those workouts. Does the wraparound look sound like a solid addition to your exercise attire? Parting with $160 in October will secure one of your very own, but for those who'd rather keep the music player and headphones separate, there's an option for that, too.
Sony unveils Meb Keflezighi Edition Walkman W Series, fills it with the marathoner's coaching wisdom
NBC may have retired its Olympic spirit by repurposing its dedicated app, but Sony's sporting fever hasn't broken, as its just announced the Meb Keflezighi Edition Walkman W Series. A special edition orange hue graces the third-time Olympic marathoner's device and, like the other players in the line, it features a water resistant design, a quick-charge mode and an eight hour battery life when fully juiced. Twenty-four minutes of audio coaching by Meb himself are preloaded into the player's 2GB memory, which is estimated to store roughly 470 songs. Eager to hear the athlete's dulcet tones as you pound the pavement? You can pick up the player for $69.99 at Sony's online and brick-and-mortar stores, or wait until October for its arrival at Walmart.
Sony's Walkman F PMP hits the FCC mere seconds after being announced
It was mere seconds after Sony's Walkman F was publicly announced to the baying hordes of PMP fans that the dismantled remains of one was found outside the FCC's headquarters. The autopsy report unsurprisingly passed the Android-powered media player safe for human consumption, only clarifying that the unit's WiFi radio is of the 802.11 b/g/n variety. Sony's flagship media player will hopefully arrive on American soil soon, we've got a whole season of Breaking Bad to catch up on.
Sony reminds Japan that Walkmans still exist, new E series packs built-in noise cancellation
The latest addition Walkman series continues the petite styling we've seen over the years, and Sony's cheerleading that it's both thinner (9.1mm) and lighter (37g) than its predecessor. The E-series includes a 1.4-inch colour LCD display, while we're promised at around 30 hours of music playback per charge. Alongside the standard NW-E060 model (9,000 yen, $116) the NW-E060K (11,000 yen, $142) throws in a plug-in speaker. Both models offer noise-cancelling features and promise to cut surrounding noise by around 98 percent, with train, flight and indoor modes hopefully able to absorb most audio irritations. The new music players are joined by a pair of new docks. The RDP-NWG400B (13,000 yen, $181) can connect to devices through Bluetooth, while the RDP-NWM7 (8,000 yen, $140) wants to take your music outside, bigging up the built-in handle for that very reason. Both are available now in white and black. No news on whether the player refreshes and docks will travel beyond the Land of the Rising Sun, but we'd imagine it's pretty likely. Check out the docks after the break and get the whole (Google-translated) picture at the source below.
Sony unveils Walkman B170 Series, promises to boost your bass
Sony has unveiled a slate of new Walkman MP3 players today, with the launch of its B170 Series. Available in both 2GB and 4GB varieties, these new devices weigh in at just 28 grams, but apparently pack plenty of punch, providing up to 18 hours of listening on a full charge. If you're pressed for time, though, you can just plug it in for three minutes, which, in turn, will give you a full 90 minutes of listening time. There's also an onboard equalizer, voice recorder and USB port, as well as a dedicated "Bass Boost" that, as you may have guessed, will boost your bass. No word yet on pricing, but Sony says its new Walkmans will be available sometime this month. Full PR after the break.
Sony Walkman Z gets FCC approval, reveals no 64GB model forthcoming
We played with Sony's Walkman Z back when it was still called the "Walkman Mobile Entertainment Player" -- with the power to wirelessly push your media to a compatible Bravia TV. Fortunately the range has just stopped by the FCC's underground bunker, where its 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth radios were soundly prodded. Sadly, it looks like we won't be getting the 64GB edition on these shores, Sony is cheaping us out with a low-end 8GB model instead. In Japan, the 16GB model retails for 27,800 Yen ($360) and the 32GB for 32,800 Yen ($420) -- but given the company's penchant for releasing products after we've emptied our wallets for Christmas, we doubt it'll matter much.
Sony's new A, E, and S series Walkmans to get Music Unlimited freebie
For those that haven't yet gone down the iFaithful portable media player route, there's always the Walkman. Sony officially unveiled updates to its A, S and E series line of players just last month, and now plans to dole out a free trial of Music Unlimited to owners of the NWZ-A860, S760BT and E460 when they go on sale this September. The streaming service, formerly known as Qriocity, brings with it a catalog of over 10 million songs and will be available gratis for 180 days, after which it'll run you $3.99/mo for basic service and $9.99/mo for the premium offering. It might be too late in the game for the company to wrestle back the portable audio crown but, hey, you can't fault it for trying to sweeten the MP3-playing pot. Official PR awaits you after the break.
Sony Walkman Mobile Entertainment Player hands-on (video)
You may well have missed it in today's deluge of Sony product announcements, but the company showed off the latest device to carry its age-old Walkman brand. The 4.3-inch handset device runs Android Gingerbread, and is still in its early stages at the moment, carrying the fairly uninspired Walkman Mobile Entertainment Player moniker. The device has an HDMI port that can be used to play things like mobile games on an HDTV. Sony seemed far less interested in that functionality than its Throw feature, however, which offers up wireless transfers to devices like the company's Bravia TV line. We gave it a whirl, and the whole thing was rather painless, even in a setting like Sony's booth, where the place is lousy with Bravia sets. The device, it seems, isn't quite ready for primetime, so we don't have any word on pricing or available yet. Check out a video of the Walkman in action, after the break.%Gallery-132199%
Sony Ericsson unveils Live with Walkman handset for music-loving Android users
Four months after unveiling the relatively bare bones W8, Sony Ericsson has now taken the wraps off yet another Walkman phone, known as the Live with Walkman. Powered by a 1GHz processor, this Android handset features a 3.2 inch, capacitive touchscreen (with somewhat disappointing HVGA resolution), a five megapixel AF shooter with 8x digital zoom, and a front-facing VGA camera capable of capturing HD video in 720p. The petite, Gingerbread-equipped device also packs a lackluster 320MB of RAM, provides up to 32GB of microSD storage, and offers either tri-band 3G support (HSPA+) at 850, 1900 and 2100MHZ, or dual-band 3G at 900 and 2100MHz, depending on the model. And, as you'd expect, Sony Ericsson has placed a special emphasis on the music phone's media capabilities, beefing it up with enhanced audio and Qriocity integration. The specs may not sound earth shattering, but we'll wait until we get pricing information before casting judgment. The Live with Walkman is slated to hit "selected markets" by Q4 of this year, but you can find more information in the full PR, after the break.
Sony officially outs new A, E, and S series Walkmans
When a company sends a boatload of media players through the FCC, specs and all, it kinds of takes the punch out any official announcement, ya know? Still, it's nice to finally see Sony's spate of new Walkman players that we've been reading so much about. The company just announced updates to its A, S, and E series of players, all of which have a karaoke mode, language learning function, voice recording, and Sony's station-creating SensMe feature. At the high-end, you've got the stereo Bluetooth-enabled A860, whose 2.8-inch touchscreen has already been splashed across the internets. The more diminutive S760BT has a 2-inch display and also gets Bluetooth, though it claims longer battery life -- up to 50 hours of audio playback and up to ten for videos. Rounding out the low end, there's the E460, which has the same 2-inch screen, but lacks Bluetooth and instead comes in five colors. All three models will go on sale in September, with the A series fetching $179 or $219 for the 8GB and 16GB models, the 8GB S series costing $149, and the E series ranging in price from $79 to $109 for 8GB to 16GB. Full PR after the break. %Gallery-129325%
New Sony Walkman pops up on UK retail site
The portable cassette players once nearly universally identified as the Walkman may have seen better days, but their spirit is still alive, so far as Sony is concerned. The company is apparently set to release the latest entry in the line, the slick-looking NWZA865B, a 16GB portable media player with wireless file sharing and music streaming capabilities. CNET points out that the device likely won't have built-in WiFi, due to evidence from the FCC, which does seem to limit the aforementioned streaming options. The 16GB model is also likely one of a number of capacities to be offered, ranging from 8GB to 64GB. The device is available for viewing on UK retailer Play.com with a £150 ($246) price tag and a July 31st release date.
Sony outs water-resistant Walkman NWZ-W260, is about to launch new high-end models
As far as unusual designs go, Sony's been having one productive week. First the tablet team showed off the funky S1 (and funkier S2) and today Walkman's managed to grab our attention. The outfit just announced the NWZ-W260 series, a music player baked directly into a pair of lightweight headphones -- all told, a bolder setup than this. In case it wasn't already obvious, Sony has its eyes set on the sweaty, gym-going type, and to sweeten the deal it's coated the player in a water-resistant finish. It's rated for up to eight hours of battery life, and also packs a quick charging technology that would allow you to rebound to an hour's capacity after just three minutes. The included software, meanwhile, allows you to drag and drop tracks from Windows Media Player and iTunes for Windows -- so long as they're not DRM-protected, 'o course. It'll go on sale next month, with a 2GB version (the NWZ-W262) fetching $59.99 and a 4GB number (NWZ-W263) going for $79.99. Meanwhile, it's clear Sony's got some more players coming at the higher end of its lineup. The company just pushed four A860 series Walkmans through the FCC, with capacities ranging from 8GB to 64GB -- a new high for Sony. CNET has also been chatting up sources who say the player will have a large OLED screen, noise-canceling technology, and Bluetooth 2.0. Meanwhile, FCC documents also show Sony is prepping a pair of S760 series players with either 8GB or 16GB of storage, an LCD screen for video playback, and Bluetooth. As CNET notes, Amazon jumped the gun and listed them in Europe with converted prices of $225 to $494 for the A series and $182 to $211 for the S series. How much will they actually cost once they arrive stateside? Looks like we'll find out soon.
Sony MiniDisc Walkman to stop spinning in September (video)
Aside from with a handful of stateside early adopters (and a few million others in Japan) eager to embrace any new technology, Sony's rather extensive line of MiniDisc Walkmans never had a chance to dominate the portable audio market. But for one reason or another, the company kept up production of the optical player / recorder combos for nearly 20 years, after the first Sony MZ1 launched in Japan in September of '92. With a countless selection of more affordable solid-state alternatives available today, however, it's certainly not shocking to see good ole MD go the way of the laserdisc and the cassette. Now, only one question remains: How long until we see the compact disc suffer a similar fate?
Sony pulls the plug on cassette Walkmans in Japan, makes epic mixtape
A cassette Walkman may now be nothing more than a puzzling artifact to some, but for those of a certain age it was the gadget of the day. Alas, it has long since been surpassed by other, more portable audio players that have replaced the fine art of the mixtape with "playlists," and it looks like even Sony has now accepted the inevitable. The company has reportedly ceased production of all cassette Walkmans and will stop selling them in Japan as soon as the current inventory runs out (expected to happen sometime in April). There will apparently still be Sony-branded Walkmans manufactured in China, however, although it's not clear how widely available they'll be. But let's not worry about that right now -- head on past the break for a brief look back at the Walkman in its heyday.
Sony's boom beverage speaker now available as American cup holder surrogate
Were you jealous of Japanese commuters getting to ignore their car's multichannel audio system in favor of a bright, 16-watt thermos of beats in their cup holder? Then today's your lucky day, because Audiocubes.com has brought Sony Japan's SRS-V500IP -- which is the iPod friendly version of the RDP-NWV500 sound mug -- state-side. Like the NWV500, it's also available in colors of black, orange, and happiness-inspiring pink, and packs the same Circle Sound Stage speaker system for a full 360 degrees of tuneage. If you don't own an iPod, a 3.5mm audio jack is thrown in to connect other devices like Sony's S740 Walkmen -- double the imported Japanese audio gear, double the Cool Person Points, right? Currently priced at $240, its U.S. availability still doesn't really clarify its practicality. Especially when you consider that your new shiny iPod Nano's color scheme won't even match!
Sony Walkman NWZ-E450 does karaoke, we go hands-on (video)
If you need any sort of self-confidence therapy, then consider this the poor man's portable solution. Sony's new NWZ-E450 entry-level Walkman may look rather ordinary on the outside, but it's got something unique wrapped underneath -- karaoke mode. Here's how it works: not only can you throw in .lrc files to get auto-scrolling lyrics for your songs, but the device can also automagically reduce the lead vocals and let you be the rock star. Of course, the latter feature may not work as well with your occasional dose of Slipknot, but as you can see in our hands-on video after the break, Leona Lewis' gorgeous voice is good to go. The rest of the spec sheet doesn't look too bad either: MP3 / WMA / AAC / MP4 / WMV playback, up to 50 hours of music battery juice, 2-inch QVGA LCD, voice recorder, FM radio, 4GB to 16GB of memory, and it comes in black, red, blue, pink and green. Available in August starting from £70 ($108).%Gallery-97610%
Sony Walkman W252 gets a Limited Edition MGS makeover
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is coming out for the PSP soon, and in classic Sony style, we're being treated to a custom-painted W252 Walkman to celebrate the event. This wearable MP3 player can fit 2GB of your favorite stealth action theme music, and gets the party started with six preloaded tunes from the Peace Walker soundtrack. Beyond that, you're getting that gorgeous camo outfit and the same water-resistant durability as the less Limited W250 models. Full PR and one more pic after the break.
Stylish Sony Walkman docks sport WiFi radio, ludicrous sheen
Thermos audio wasn't the only idea Sony Japan introduced this week; there's also the company's glossy new speaker docks, the NAS-V5 and NAS-V7M, whose intense reflection make us remember that time mom told us never to stare at the sun. Unfortunately, NAS doesn't stand for Network Attached Storage here, but the ¥50,000 (about $535) NAS-V7M does have 16GB of internal memory onto which you can rip audio CDs with a single touch, and both it and the ¥40,000 ($428) NAS-V5 have internal WiFi that'll have your Japanese counterparts pumping internet radio jingles from Shoutcast, vTuner, your PC and anything else with a compatible wireless audio stream when they hit Akihabara on June 26. They both feature 32-bit DSPs for what we can only guess will be crisp, clean audio quality, have all the standard AM-FM radio features you've come to expect, and include an AUX jack and a powered USB port. Oh, and lest we forget amidst all the bedside table aural goodness -- they're also Walkman docks. Hear a deep, soothing Japanese voice explain why you need one, after the break. %Gallery-90120%
Sony NW-A845 Walkman slips into European hands, too thin to be noticed
There's an old saying that the Japanese keep the best to themselves, but not this time. Sony's finally man enough to let go of their "slimmest ever Walkman," the NW-A845, to our European cousins. Apart from the obvious (and ever-so-useful) fresh injection of Latin-based languages, we're not seeing much difference with the almighty Japanese version (NW-A840) from September: 7.2mm thin, 2.8-inch of OLED goodness, 29 hours of marathon listening and premium EX earphones. Unlike the buffet in Japan though, there'll only be one "Falcon Black" 16GB model of unknown price for Europe, available for grabs in February.
