Sony releases its noise-canceling answer to the iPod Nano

If you lose those fancy earbuds, I'm sure Sony will be happy to sell them to you again.

Sony's NW-S705F Noise Canceling MP3 player is now on sale in the U.S. for about $199 for 2GB version and $169 for 1GB. You may remember when Crave reported on Sony's announcement of this player back in October. The big hullabaloo is that the NW-S705F has active noise-cancellation integrated into the player. Before you get too excited, the active noise-cancellation system will still require you to use Sony's proprietary earbuds. Even though the noise-canceling circuitry is in the player, microphones located on the outside of the earbuds are necessary for the function to work properly. The other catch is that despite its support of DRM-free MP3, WMA and AAC files (as well as Sony's ATRAC), you'll still have to use the abysmal SonicStage software for loading music from your computer.

Those drawbacks aside, noise-canceling is a great way to save your hearing during those subways commutes. Plus, the NW-S705F includes an FM tuner, a 50-hour battery life, and a unique shuffle function called Time Machine that will pick a random year and play a selection of songs released in that year.

For more information, you can read CNET Australia's in-depth review of the Sony NW-S705F Noise Canceling Walkman.

[qprize]

Almost as attractive as it is dangerous.

Noise cancelling, sound isolating, and any other ear phones that prevent you
from hearing the "outside" world should be outlawed. When you can't hear the
car/bus/ambulance/bicycle/jogger/dog/kid on a Big Wheel coming around the
corner, you're a walking death wish. And using them on the Tube is a great
idea, until you look up and realise that King's Cross was 3 stops back and you've
missed the last express to work, so you'll be 45 minutes late. Really useful.

Plus the middle-agers who can afford them can't read the tiny little display.

[navsimpson]

Not Really a Nano Competitor

Sony have yet to release their Nano competitor in the States - http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9692747-1.html . It seems this is their actual answer to the Nano.

As usual, totally baffling behaviour from Sony. They finally have a decent product (CNET UK said it is better than the Nano, save the software) and they don't release it in the world's biggest market. I suppose it's possible they're testing it out elsewhere to iron out the kinks, but...