The better S-Series
(Credit: SonyInsider)It was a sad day when I reviewed the second-gen Sony S-Series Walkman. We expected a worthy successor to this fantastic MP3 player and instead were met with a mere shadow of the device and its former glory. True, you still get top-notch sound quality, impressive battery life, and even the added bonus of external speakers, but what happened to my podcast support, upgraded headphones, expanded sound enhancement options, interface personalization, SensMe Channels, and Rhapsody DNA?
Well, most of those things got funneled into the "expanded" S-Series, the S640 and S740 lines, which--naturally--Sony has no intention of offering to U.S. buyers. (The speaker-sporting model is the S540.) These two players differ in only one way: the S740 offers integrated noise canceling, whereas the S640 does not. Other than that, both devices include just about everything that made the original S-Series Walkman so freakin' sweet, plus the ability to output to a TV and what appears to be some sort of audio recording option. Oh, and it's available in a 32GB option. You're killing me, Sony!
A-Series Walkman: such a tease
(Credit: SonyInsider)Adding insult to injury is the Japan-only release of a next-gen A-Series Walkman, a seemingly spectacular MP3 player with a 2.8-inch WQVGA OLED screen. It offers an S-Master digital amplifier, FM radio, digital noise canceling, and the ability to output to TV at 720×480. The package also includes Sony's MDR-EX300SL earphones (i.e. not shoddy stock earbuds). Oh, and have I mentioned it's available in capacities up to 64GB? Seriously. Killing. Me.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to write a strongly-worded letter.
(Via SonyInsider)
The Sony Walkman outsold Apple's iPod in Japan last week, the first time in more than four years, according to a study by Japanese electronics research company BCN.
Sony's slice of the market for digital music players in Japan rose to 43 percent for the week ending August 30, narrowly beating Apple's 42.1 share. The survey didn't include sales results for the iPhone because that device also serves as a cell phone.
While Apple's 8GB iPod Nano took the top sales spot, Sony's Walkman devices outsold all iPods for the week.
(Credit: BCN)Sony achieved its victory through pure sales volume and number of players, said BCN. Apple's 8GB iPod Nano hit the top of the sales charts with a 21.7 percent share of the market, while Sony's mini NW-E042 Walkman came in second with just a 6.2 market share.
But Sony captured six of the top 10 sales spots with different models of its Walkman. In addition to its top 8GB Nano, Apple took the remaining three slots with its 16GB iPod Nano, iPod Classic, and iPod Shuffle.
Sony's win be may due to a variety of factors, according to BCN. The company focuses on lower-cost music players, with the average price of a Walkman dropping in recent weeks while Apple's prices have stayed firm. BCN also said it thinks Apple may be competing with itself, as more Japanese consumers have opted for iPhones rather than buying both an iPod and cell phone.
BCN said it believes the battle for market share will heat up again following Apple's September 9 event, in which the company is expected to announce new iPod models.
Sony's varied line of Walkman players have picked up generally favorable reviews.
Once again, Donald and Jasmine promise a "short one" and fail to deliver. How is it that just us talking about two devices manage to stretch on for the standard 30 minutes? We'll tell you: one of them inspires a lovefest that's saccharine enough to make your teeth throb, while the other throws Jasmine into a tizzy dripping with disappointment. This discussion on two new players--the Sansa Clip+ and the S-Series Walkman--is not to be missed. Also, the MP3 Insiders touch once again on the possibility of subscription music on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
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Apparently, Disney does not have a problem with this.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET)Yes, it's true: I've managed to get my grubby little mitts on Sony's new E- and S-Series Walkman MP3 players. How, you ask? I will never share my secrets...NEVER! OK, dramatics aside, it has been an exciting end of the week here at CNET, and one of many reasons for that will become apparent to you next week, so make sure you keep an eye on MP3 Insider.
In the meantime, I have a little something to titillate you: hands-on photos of the new Walkmans (Walkmen?). Also, a bit of information for you. You've probably already heard that the E- and S-Series are dramatically cheaper than Sony's previous models--with the E-Series coming in at $80 for 8GB and $100 for 16GB, and the S-Series offering an 8GB model for $110 and a 16GB for $130--but you may not know where exactly the company cut corners. Well, I'm truly sorry to say that you won't find integrated noise-canceling capability, upgraded headphones, SensMe Channels, or Rhapsody DNA in either of these players. (And--yes--this lazy Walkman convert is extremely letdown by those last two.)
But, hey, these devices offer rock-bottom pricing for plenty of other features, so one mustn't be too strict. I do look forward to putting them through their paces and see how the sound quality and battery life have fared in the face of the price cut. Until then, ogle away.
This week, Donald and Jasmine can't resist taunting the naysayers with yet more Zune and iPod talk, but we think you'll be interested to know that the Zune HD popped up with an app submenu during weekend demos at Best Buys across the country. And what does Microsoft have to say about that? We'll give you one guess. Also, Rhapsody gets down with the iPhone with a brand-new app that is yet-to-be-approved by Apple. Plus, we take a look at the upcoming E- and S-Series Walkmans from Sony and ponder the slow death of the Bluetooth MP3 player.
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(Credit:
Sony)
The new 8GB Sony NWZ-S544 and 16GB Sony NWZ-S545 we saw earlier are now official. Sony's first speaker-endowed MP3 Walkmans feature 2.4-inch 320x240-pixel (QVGA) LCD screens capable of 262k colors. The latest S-Series Walkman also boasts Sony's Clear Stereo and Clear Bass audio enhancement technologies, along with a dynamic normalizer and five-band equalizer.
Battery life is listed at 42 hours for audio playback and 6.5 hours with video on headphones, 17 hours for audio, and 5 hours with video while listening via the speakers.
Both players claim drag-and-drop file transfer, which is nothing new, and also offer compatibility with iTunes 8.1 and Windows Media Player. Apart from MP3, WMA, and AAC support, FM reception (with 30 presets) is included.
The S-Series Walkmans are capable of 30fps playback with the usual video formats like H264/AVC, MP4 and WMV. Measuring in at about 1.9 inches by 3.9 inches by just less than half an inch and weighing almost 2.5 ounces, this series comes in a choice of colors: black, red, violet, and pink. The new S-Series Walkmans will go on sale September 1; click here for the official specifications.
(Source: Crave Asia)
Editor's note: Though not mentioned in the original article, the big news here is the pricing for the new S-Series Walkman. The 8GB will sell for $110, while the 16GB will come with a suggested retail price of just $130--quite a steal for an MP3 player that's sure to offer impressive audio quality and battery life. Sounds like someone is trying to make up for the X-Series' exorbitant price tag.
If you're shopping for a high-end portable media player, but the iPod just isn't your cup of tea, the Sony X-Series Walkman and the Cowon S9 are two of the best options around.
But aside from the fact that both players include beautiful OLED touch screens, they couldn't be more different. The X-Series comes with a Web browser, noise-canceling headphones, and lacks Bluetooth, while the S9 includes Bluetooth, standard earbuds, and wants nothing to do with the Internet.
To see which iPod Touch alternative offers the most bang for your buck, we've handed the S9 and the Walkman over to our Prizefight team, who put each player through five rounds of scrutiny. To see which player came out on top, check out the full CNET Prizefight.
The Creative Zii Egg is officially announced, and Jasmine is very confused about the whole thing. Donald's muted attempts to offer clarity are unsuccessful. Also, the MP3 Insiders have caught wind of the potential new S-Series Walkman and are none-too-taken with the Disney design leanings. Plus, a dead-simple (and ugly) new MP3 player from Archos draws scorn, and Donald and Jasmine respond to criticism about talking about Apple too much...and then proceed to dedicate the last third of the show to iPhone apps and the potential for cameras on the iPod.
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(Credit:
SonyInsider)
OK, maybe I'm being too harsh on what appears to be the next-generation S-Series Walkman, but come on! Could Sony possibly evoke Mickey Mouse any more? Admittedly, the current S-Series has a special place in my heart, and I've been eagerly awaiting a follow-up to the line, which I had on good authority would be in my hands by this fall. As such, I don't doubt SonyInsider's breaking story has at least a hint of accuracy.
But I have to say I'm none-too-taken with the Disney-esque design of the purported player, though maybe it's the bright purples and pinks that are throwing me off--no doubt the black version looks much more subtle.
But let's take a moment to focus on the positive, shall we? First of all, look at that glorious screen! It looks massive--at least for a device as small and slender as this Walkman appears to be. Also, check out the integrated speakers on that puppy; looks like an indicator that we might be getting stereo sound out of two speakers (flanking the top and bottom of the display).
And I have no doubt the S-Series will continue to pack in all the great features we've become used to: noise-canceling capability, quality earphones, iTunes podcast support, subscription music playback, an FM tuner, and SensMe Channels smart playlists. Not to mention prevalent album art and--dare I speak of it? Integrated Slacker support, perhaps? True, that looks like a metal chassis, meaning Wi-Fi is unlikely, but a girl can dream. While I'm at it, give me 16GB and 32GB versions, please. Thanks in advance, Sony.
Today's show covers Wilson's ever-growing locks of hair and Google ads catering to stupid people. We also take a look back at the original Sony Walkman and examine the best-selling video games of the '90s. Finally, stick around for our weekly Audio Draft Pick sponsored by Beck's Beer in conjunction with Last.fm!
The first segment of the show is dedicated to Wilson's beautiful head of hair. I think I met Wilson's hair long before I ever met the man, and while I've always loved its golden highlights and butter-soft touch, I can't help but think of the Herculean Kevin Sorbo every time I glance in its general direction. Maybe it should start introducing itself with us at the beginning of the show.
Lots of nostalgia on today's show! After a long examination of the way Google is marketing ads to stupid people, we run down the top 50 best-selling video games of the '90s. Most of the picks are no-brainers, but there are a few surprises in there, including Frogger for PS1 coming in at No. 46. Did people really pay money to buy FROGGER on a DISC?! Scary to think about now.
Next, we launch into a story about 13-year old Scott Campbell swapping his Apple iPod for the original Sony Walkman. Fresh on the heels of the gadget's 30-year anniversary, this leads us to reminisce about the influence of the Walkman on all subsequent mobile audio products. We all had them (at least those of us born prior to 1990) and absolutely loved making mixtapes and mixtape art for our friends and significant loved ones. Unfortunately, we get so nostalgic that both Jeff and I reveal humiliating stories that you won't want to miss.
Long live the Sony Walkman! You were there with us through good and bad times, my friend--we'll never forget you.
We're also very psyched today, not only because the date is 7/8/9, but also for the Weekly Audio Draft, brought to you by Beck's Beer and Last.fm! Also, big thanks to Dylan Swart for sending in a poster for the segment. It's my pleasure to introduce today's band, Matt Pond PA.
Like everyone, the transition from middle school to high school wasn't easy for me, but music like this, among others, helped me push through it and I'm proud of these guys for continuing to put out such heartfelt records after 12 years of lineup changes, relocation, and subtle changes to their sound.
The sample song on today's show is called Several Arrows Later from the album "Several Arrows Later." The music combines smooth, gentle vocals with beautiful instrumentation for a unique sound that refuses to be pigeonholed into today's genres. The word "emo," although thrown around a lot in describing Matt Pond PA, is a cringing understatement for this band. Granted, all of the band's music is emotional by nature, but what I like the best about Matt Pond PA is that each of its songs strikes a different chord--each one means something different to the listener. Check out Matt Pond PA and get hooked!
(Last.fm is a part of CBS Interactive, which also publishes CNET News and Reviews.)
EPISODE 377
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