Walkman
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Tec Hideoto portable cassette player time-travels from 1994, gets USB audio for its trouble
Of all the USB tape players we've seen in our day, this is certainly one of them! Available from a Japanese company called Tec, Hideoto is a Walkman-esque portable cassette player that features USB and stereo headphone outputs, powered by either the aforementioned Universal Serial Bus or two AA batteries. It also comes with Cassette Mate software for Windows, which presumably makes saving your audio to MP3, WAV, or WMA a figurative snap. Available next month in Japan for roughly $57, at which point we expect to see these pop up at our favorite import e-tailers here in the states. Get a closer look after the break.
Sony Ericsson's Cedar, Yendo are official: candybar and an Android-free X10 mini clone
If the phone on the left looks familiar, it should -- it looks a heck of a lot like the Android-powered X10 mini, sharing the 2.6-inch touchscreen and some of its UI cues -- but alas, this bad boy isn't running Android. Instead, Sony Ericsson is branding this fairly low-end dumbphone as the rumored Yendo with Walkman branding, a 2 megapixel cam, and FM radio; interestingly, it lacks 3G, instead offering one of two dual-band GSM / EDGE choices in ten colors. On the right, you've got the Cedar, bringing back what's quickly become a dying form factor as of late -- the simple candybar -- with a 2 megapixel cam and VGA video capture at 30fps, 3G, a 2.2-inch display, and 3.5mm headphone jack available either in black with silver accents or red accents. Both will be available in the third quarter, though the Yendo has been slapped with the "selected markets" label, so we suspect it'll be the harder to find of the two.
Sony Ericsson's Cedar and Yendo phones leaked, vying for your attention
Oopsie! Looks like Sony Ericsson's become as leaky as BP's oil rig these days, although we can't say we're all that stirred up by this particular exposé. On the left we have the Cedar, which is much like its hippie GreenHeart cousin Naite but with a touch of SE's "human curvature" sculpting on the back. So yes, still a dumbphone. As for the little Yendo on the right, we won't blame you if you mistook it as the similarly-shaped X10 Mini -- even the UI looks strikingly alike, plus both are littered with similarly vast ranges of back cover options to suit your retinal taste. That said, there's been no mention on whether this Walkman phone also runs on Android, so until SE gives us a clue, we'll be looking elsewhere for the time being. Head over to the source links for more pics. [Thanks, scotsboyuk]
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.
MGS: Peace Walker Walkman, for the Big Boss who has everything
Sony and Konami have partnered on a new Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker MP3 player, no doubt modeled closely after the kind of MP3 players used by real mercenaries in 1974. The NWD-W253Z Walkman is a special edition of a new waterproof (!), wrap-around Walkman MP3 player, featuring an original camouflage design and preloaded with six songs from Peace Walker. The 4GB Walkman will be released in Japan in "mid-May" for ¥11,800 ($128). Each order will include a voucher for downloadable in-game characters (in Walkman apparel, of course!). One version of the device, limited to 2GB, will become available in the US at an unspecified date. [Via Siliconera]
Sony Ericsson's Zylo and Spiro offer music, weird names on the cheap
As many smartphone operating systems as Sony Ericsson is actively supporting simultaneously (three, at our latest count), its featurephone business continues to solider on, too -- after all, there's that whole Walkman brand to pimp, right? The latest models to break cover -- the oddly named Spiro and Zylo sliders -- were announced this week with the promise of bringing high-end music capability at an "affordable entry point," and considering the specs, we don't doubt that the company will be able to meet that goal. Starting at the lower end of the range, the Spiro offers a 2 megapixel camera along with a 2.2-inch QVGA display; the Zylo ups the ante with a 3.2 megapixel shooter with geotagging, a 2.6-inch display, 3G, and some advanced audio capabilities. Both models will hit "selected markets" early in the third quarter; follow the break for some promo video of both models in action.
Sony outs water resistant Walkman NWZ-W250 series
Sony's just quietly unleashed a new water resistant, wearable Walkman -- the NWZ-250. This tiny little guy comes in both 2GB and 4GB capacity models, and apparently boasts an up to 11 hour battery life. Weighing in at 43 grams, this one's probably perfect for even the most weight sensitive of ears, and it'll be available in black, silver, lime green, and magenta. You'll be able to pick up one (or more) of these later this month for $60. Full press release is 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 Walkman RDP-NWV500 Soundmug fits your car's cupholder, looks good with a rifle
Sony's ¥20,000 (about $214) RDP-NWV500 speaker, like the Rolly before it, is one of those rare devices that can be seen as either brilliant or foolish at first glance. Built to fit in your car's cupholder, the 16W tumbler tethers to your music player to pump out 360-degree sound from its 2-way speakers (56-mm woofer, 20-mm tweeter) that can be managed via top-mounted controls or the included wee remote control -- power is supplied from the car's accessory socket, not an internal battery as you might have hoped. At home the Soundmug fits into it's bundled charging dock that simultaneously charges your Walkman. Crazy, like a fox? Check the video demo after the break.
Sony Japan busts out Mickey Mouse-ified S Series Walkmans
Sony Japan's just outed three newly styled S Series Walkmans for the Disney fanatic. That's right, Mickey & Minnie Mouse can now be found gracing the back of your PMP -- if that's what you're into, of course. The S640 and S740 models can be chosen in their wide variety of hues, then emblazoned with one of the three designs featuring Mickey, Minnie, or the pair together. Unfortunately for us, the engraving of Disney characters on Walkmans remains an underground, unofficial pastime: the Disney S Series Walkmans are available only in Japan at this time.
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.
Sony NWZ-S745 on sale in Canada, US given cold shoulder
We don't know about you, but every time we hear of a Walkman, we think of the old school cassette players, and are left strangely disappointed by the slinky modern variants and their tons of storage. The 16GB S745, which has absolutely nothing to do with Mickey Mouse we assure you, has entered North American retail channels, only it seems to have skipped the US for its more peace-loving neighbor up north. Eagle-eyed Canadian shoppers have spotted the more advanced version of the S740 on sale in Sony Style stores (for 200 CAD or 188 in real American currency), replete with a 2-inch screen, noise-canceling earphones, and an unhealthily thin case. Still, suspicions abound that Sony is merely waiting for CES to roll around to make its big US unveiling, but if you really can't wait it's not like driving up to Canadia would be that terrible anyway.
Sony Walkman X-series gets much needed browser update
At this point, it's hard to quantify the effect that Sony's v1.10 software update will have on Sony's X-series Walkman: the firmware's only now hitting the intertubes. But the simple fact that it's only feature-point says, "displaying and navigating Web sites will be improved," should be enough for X-series owners to give it a go. Japan's Impress AV Watch provides some insight into improvements that include faster page load times, improved scrolling speeds, and more faithful page renderings to the originals. The update also apparently adds a link to Microsoft's Bing search engine as well as the ability to search local music folders. Now get to it buster, that 3-inch OLED DAP's not going to update itself.
Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones
What we have here today isn't just another pair of ordinary headphones: Sony Ericsson's MH907s are button-free, minimalistic headphones that activate upon the magical touch of your skin. Well, your ears to be precise. You must bear in mind that the MH907s are exclusive to Fast port-equipped Sony Ericsson phones thus excluding the forthcoming XPERIA X10 -- so chances are you're already not interested. That said, we shall see if Sony Ericsson is really going to change things forever with these gleaming buds featuring SE's SensMe Control technology, or by just stopping everyone from using their 3.5mm headphone jacks. Read on to find out how these €39 ($57) headphones fared. %Gallery-75958%
Video: Sony NW-A840 packs OLED, noise cancellation, and 64GB of flash heat, still thinnest Walkman ever
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]
Sony Walkman S740 spied in Japan
Sony has a new Walkman S-series device in the chute as demonstrated by this S740 model seen hanging out at the Sony Dealer Convention in Japan. Hard data is scarce but visually we can see a slightly tweaked industrial design with beefier earbuds and a lack of stereo speakers -- at least on the front. Otherwise, we're told that these will ship in 8GB and 16GB capacities.Update: Looks like a few more images have leaked out -- it must be true, right? Thanks, Glenn!
Video hands-on: Sony's Walkman S-series is no Mickey Mouse audio player
If you're in the market for a dedicated, easy-to-pocket audio player that can handle the occasional video then it's hard to beat Sony's new Walkman S-series of players. The latest Walkmans, priced at $110 (8GB) or $130 (16GB), are the first from Sony with integrated speakers and include a plastic kickstand in the box. As usual, the sound was excellent but Sony cheated a bit at its IFA stand by equipping the demo units with high-end Sony over-the-skull cans. Hey, whatever it takes, right? Nevertheless, Sony always bundles good-quality earbuds (MDR-E804Y in this case) with their gear unlike some other manufacturers who shall not be named. Switching between the stereo-speakers and headphones is as simple as throwing the physical slider along the right-side of the unit -- speakers that sounded pretty decent as long as your expectations are set appropriate to the unit's physical size. Video playback was fine but it's hard to be enthusiastic about watching anything other than very-brief clips on the S-series' tiny 2.4-inch QVGA display. But in a pinch, no problem. Plenty of pics in the gallery and a quickie video walk-around after the break.
Sony Walkman S Series puts on its game face for video promo
It's not a hard-hitting impressions piece, but if you're seriously jonesing for some good ol' fashioned moving picture technology, here's your first taste of the Sony S Series Walkman in promotional video form, care of Sony Europe's marketing department. We learn it has speakers, it's thin, there's a long battery life, and you can record FM radio... but the things we really want to see, like the stand and its video playback prowess. Bummer, but hey, maybe we'll get our own hands on it later and find out then. Video after the break.[Via Player Bites]
Walkman outsells iPod in Japan for first time in four years... but iPhone sales don't count
As with most accomplishments these days, we can't help but place a rather large asterisk next to Sony's award for managing to outsell the iPod lineup with its Walkman. According to Tokyo-based research firm BCN Inc., for the week ending August 30th, the Walkman series had a 43 percent share of the personal music player market versus 42.1 percent for iPods, marking the first time in four years that Sony's managed to get the upper hand. Got that? Good, now for a major caveat. For whatever reason, iPhones aren't considered part of the iPod line, meaning people who want the luxuries of the iPod touch and a wireless data plan aren't included in the survey. That's quite an omission -- the iPhone 3GS is currently the best-selling phone in Japan, after all -- and we gotta imagine it'd be more than enough to tilt the data in Apple's favor, even if you threw in Sony Ericsson's Walkman phones for good measure. But hey, it's still a feat in its own right, and Sony might as well celebrate while it lasts -- something tells us the gang in Cupertino has something up their sleeve soon.
Sony S and E Series Walkman players start officially rocking the tunes next month
We've been seeing Sony's S Series Walkman around the town since July, and Sony's finally seen fit to make it official, also introducing the slightly lower-rent E Series. Specs on the former are completely in-line with expectations, including a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD, FM tuning and recording, along with support for a suite of formats including MP3, protected WMA, AAC, H.264, and WMV. Again as expected it offers battery life of 42 hour hours when playing music through headphones and 6.5 hours of video, but what we didn't know was that when you're rocking it out boom box style through the integrated speakers that drops to 17 hours and five hours oh so respectively. A palette of colorful options including black, pink, violet, and red will be available, with an 8GB model going for $110 and 16GB for $130. If that's a bit too rich for you there's the 2-inch E Series, sporting a slightly smaller chassis, slightly lower battery life (30 hours music and 4 hours video), and a slightly lower price of $80 for 8GB and $100 for 16. Both ship next month.
