New Sony Thermos…err I mean new Sony Car dock "SOUND MUG" for the Walkman

I won’t lie, when I first saw the RDP-NWV500 “SOUND MUG”, I initially thought it was an actual thermos or drink cup that had something to do with the Walkman. But of course it is no thermos or cup, but instead a speaker to which one can hook up their Walkman to. 

 

The “SOUND MUG” is expected to be available April 24th for 20,000 yen (214 US) and will come in 2 colours, orange and black. The speaker comes with a dock which permits its use at home and includes a USB port to connect the Walkman. The mug is powered either by the car’s lighter or the included dock which has DC in and audio in on the back. The mug is meant to be an alternate to the car's stereo and is said to provide a much better sound since directs music 360 degrees rather than straight like standard speakers.

It remains to be seen if this mug sells, although a speaker disguised as a mug might not get stolen from a car if left behind. Images and hands on by AV Watch after the break.

Hands on at AV Watch