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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.
Fujitsu development enables real-time wraparound vehicle view
Fujitsu and automotive safety advancements go hand-in-hand, so it's no shock whatsoever to hear that the outfit is fixing to showcase a new technology that enables wraparound view of vehicles in real-time. The new video-processing technology "adapts to different driving situations, enabling the driver to peripherally view the entire surroundings of a vehicle, from the point of view and field of view that is most appropriate for each driving situation." Obviously, such an inclusion would come in handy when parking downtown, passing on a narrow street and / or watching your back should real life ever mimic something straight out of GTA IV. Unfortunately, there's no word as to when an automaker will begin infusing its automobiles with this here invention, but our insurance premiums are begging for it to be sooner rather than later.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Monster's iFreePlay cordless headphones for 2G Shuffle
Monster Cable has been known to dabble in the world of iPod accessories before, and while it's easy to give the company notorious for over marketing its flashy cabling knocks on just about anything, the iFreePlay contraption doesn't look half bad. The cordless wraparound headphones don't deviate too far from similar alternatives, but rather than communicating with your DAP via Bluetooth or RF, you can snap your 2G Shuffle right into the left earpiece and run along. The collapsible headphones weigh just 1.6-ounces, and while you do sacrifice some style for utility here, we've most certainly seen worse. So for runners looking to ditch that awful iSoundCap and avoid getting tangled all the while, Monster's iFreePlay apparatus can be picked up now for $49.95. Click through for a few more angles.
