Wearables

Sony unveils smaller new W Series Walkman

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Sony has unveiled its new W Series Walkman MP3 player, which is said to be one third the size of previous models
Sony has unveiled its new W Series Walkman MP3 player, which is said to be one third the size of previous models
Sony has unveiled its new W Series Walkman MP3 player, which is said to be one third the size of previous models

You like listening to music while you work out, but you don't like snagging your personal music player's cord with your arms, nor do you like ruining your earphones by getting them all sweated up. Yep, we know how it is. One solution could be to use a pair of JF3 Freedom Bluetooth Buds, that wirelessly receive music from your mobile phone, and are moisture-resistant. You could also get yourself a similar device made by a little Japanese company called Sony, however, as of next month. That's when the latest version of the W Series Walkman MP3 player for sports enthusiasts will be hitting the stores, in a smaller, lighter format.

Officially known as the NWZ-W260 model, the new W series consists of just two linked earphones, one of which has a built-in MP3 player. Unlike the JF3s, no other device is required. As compared to its W series predecessors, this particular model is reportedly 24 percent lighter, and one third the size. The whole shebang is water-resistant and rinsable, although it probably wouldn't be a good idea to wear it while swimming.

Sony has unveiled its new W Series Walkman MP3 player, which is said to be one third the size of previous models

The music player is available in 2 GB and 4 GB capacities, the former holding approximately 470 songs, with the latter managing about 990. As with most music players, songs can be simply dragged and dropped from the user's iTunes or Windows-based music library.

The NWZ-W260 can run for up to eight hours on one charge of its battery, although by using its quick charge function, one hour of playback time can be achieved with just a three-minute charge.

Sony retailers should be carrying the latest W Series Walkman as of next month. It comes in black or white, and is priced at US$59.99 for the 2 GB version, or $79.99 for the 4 GB.

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7 comments
Mario Ramos
Cool... The Walkman is back....try asking kids ages 12 and below, what a Walkman is.....you will get no answer... But they do know what an iPod is....
Renārs Grebežs
IMHO, Walkman players were much better than the ipods. ))
Atul Malhotra
Only SONY knows the meaning of the word portability
Ipods are silly bulky devices which are akin to the phones we already carry ..so much for the glam factor
A portable music player has to be unobtrusive to one\'s daily movement routine and should not need extra clips or attachments
that new function of sweat resistance is a killer
as is getting one hr of charge in 3 mins flat !!!
I am getting one the moment its out
Chi Sup
They gotta let go of that stupid W... 1. It\'s barely comprehensible 2. It states that last good thing Sony has made is technology that nobody under 20 knows about 3. It detracts from the aesthetics, especially on such a small device. BTW, all companies please stop with the translation of GB to song #s since MP3 is no longer a new technology and all grandmothers can do the math today. It does not conceal the fact that 2/4GB is tiny tiny storage.
Nardu Malherbe
@ Chi - have you seen the South Park episode where Stan becomes cynical? You\'ll know why I as once you see it. This looks awesome, and 4Gb is plenty if you don\'t back up your whole collection on this device too; even 2 Gb should last for a week of workouts.
Harry Jones
This new change has made the Sony model worse. It slips out once you start to sweat as the balance is now wrong. The best solution for listening to music whilst exercising is here: http://www.fx-sport.net It also has an integrated programmable personal trainer which is awesome.
Patrice
I think it's cool finally people are paying attention to us swimmers! I did a sweetjack ad for the ActionTunes Waterproof mp3 player (reg price $90, I got it for $45). Was very skeptical. It worked! I swim a mile a day and this thing actually stayed on my head! And, the best part, they came with iTunes mp3 conversion software. I can't believe it. I hope Sony also has an easy way for us to sync it with iTunes.