The new Sony UX series of voice recorders which double as MP3 players have been released to the public.  The new collection comes in three flavors consisting of the UX200, UX300, and UX300F.

The 3-in-1 players (USB storage, MP3 Player, and Voice Recorder) are capable of 15 hours worth of continuous recording (recording in MP3 format).

The UX200 has 2GB of flash memory or 535 hours of recording while the UX300 and 300F have 4GB of flash memory or 1,000 hours worth of recording with the 300F having an FM radio. The gadget comes bundled with a carrying pouch, rechargeable battery, stereo headphones, and USB cable.

Enough of the verbal diarrhea, check out the video promotion from Sony Europe…after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

After announcing an Asian Pacific release, Sony are yet to announce a U.S. release of the Sony S740. Sure those Canadians have been fortunate enough to get their hands on Sony’s newest player, but why leave out the Americans?

Fear not, there is still speculation of a US release (check out a recent article on SoftSailor).

A 2-part video has emerged of the player. It’s a hands-on demonstration of the S740 in action. We get to see the player in all its splendor. Who can forget its attractive, ultraslim design, 2 inch QVGA LCD, noise reduction technology, bass boost with clear stereo, video out, and admirable codec support?

Having recently received a price reduction, the Sony X1050 is going for a bargain, so what better time to dismantle your recently purchased mp3 player for an inside look? Well, it was as good excuse as ever for the likes of imp3.net.

Taking off the rear panel of the device, we get a good look at the battery – 33 hours of audio or 9 hours of video on a single charge.  As you’ll see, the battery manages to account for 80% of the rear surface area of the player. It’s rather interesting to note that the rear frame is not plastic as found in other players like the iAudio 9.

If we pop the battery out, we get a good opportunity to look at the PCB circuit board of the player.

The big surprise is the screen. Sony, notorious for its LCD TVs and the like, uses a Samsung OLED screen. Take note of the screen ribbon cable on the left side.

The consumer information powerhouse that is which.co.uk has published a video review comparing the Sony S540 and Sony E440. With previously having received flattering reviews, it’s not too surprising that even Ben Stevens is a fan.

He does have a few gripes. Ben states that the S540 has some “tinny” sounding speakers; although, he does retract his statement informing us that the speakers are ideal for talk radio or listening to music clips in your collection. Lastly, both players feature an FM-tuner, but the tuners lack RDS. This means that unless you know the frequency of the radio station you’re looking for, you will have to cycle through the stations until the radio station is announced.

Don’t forget to checkout our previous articles on the E440 and the S540 for further in-depth information about the players.

Although there has been a shroud on whether the Sony A840 will see a US release, there has been more of a mystery surrounding the new lyrics service.

Unfortunately, we’re not too sure about the feature’s details. Are the lyrics embedded as part of the music file? Does the player come with lyrics for a certain selection of songs? Can lyrics be user-generated? Can they be downloaded?

With that said, a video of the lyric service in action is available displaying lyrics in time with the song. Nope, it doesn’t answer anymore of those beckoning questions.

Sony has released its latest update to the “Content Transfer” application which is said to seemingly integrate with the likes of both Windows Explorer and the likes of Apple’s iTunes.

Content Transfer includes file drag and drop support with included folder synchronization with the player. To keep those record labels happy, music purchased from the iTunes Store cannot be transferred directly onto the player.

For those of you not familiar with Sony’s Content Transfer, the software application provides users with the ability to transfer and manage files for the Walkman brand of players.

Content Transfer is compatible with all kinds of X-Series Walkman models including the NW-A840 series, NW-S740 series, NW-S640 series, NWD-W202, etc. The application is available on for XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

Now, where’s that support for Mac OSx?

[via MovePlayer | Product Page]

Sony’s Walkman brand has become so established over the last three decades that it now stretches generations. No joke. The brand originally used for portable audio cassette players is now celebrating its 30-year anniversary.

The device was built in 1978 by audio division engineer Nobutoshi Kihara for Sony co-chairman Akio Morita, who wanted to be able to listen to operas during his frequent transpacific plane trips. The original Walkman was marketed in 1979 as the Walkman in Japan.

Since 1979, the Walkman brand has been utilized to market audio cassette players, CD players, MP3 players, MiniDisc players, and Walkman phones.  The first cassette player was revolutionary for its time; It provide the ability to carry music around listenable with the push of a button.

How have we come along since 1979, the release of the first Walkman player? Here’s a video dedicated to the revolution that is Walkman. Thank you Sony.

[via SonyInsider]

Although announced simultaneously, the Sony S640 and S740 have received a considerable amount more of attention than the Sony A840.  This is partly due to the fact that not too many of us are expecting to see the A840 hit these western shores.

The guys over at imp3.net have revealed that the Sony A840 has been released into the Chinese market. The release of the product is just in time for Sony’s 30-year Walkman anniversary.

This is a great piece of kit.  All of its features make for a great competitor to the Apple dominated market. A 64GB player with video capabilities, support for a variety of file formats, a long-lasting battery, noise-canceling technology, FM-tuner, and 2.8-inch display – what’s not to love? I have to keep reminding myself that it doesn’t feature touchscreen technology and an awesome app store. Keep at it Sony…

For further information, checkout the product page.

Read the rest of this entry »