Sony Debuts new F-Series, S-Series and E-Series Walkmans (Update)

Today Sony introduced a new Walkman Series, the F-Series along with new S and E-Series models.  I was expecting something for IFA this year but such an early announcement is a bit surprising.  Nevertheless, this is a welcomed sight since from the press release it appears that the new F-Series supports FLAC and this is something users have been asking for.  I don't see any design differences between the new S and E-Series apart from only different functionality, like Bluetooth and noise cancellation.

Best news is that the new players will be available in Europe from today, July 18th.

Update

In the US, Sony will introduce only the F-Series and E-Series (E470).  The F-Series will ship in 16GB and 32GB priced at $269.99 and $299.99 receptively.  The E-Series will ship in 4, 8, and 16GB, priced at $79, $89 and $109.  Both models will be available starting in early August at Sony Stores.

In the Asia Pacific region, all the models will be available.  Unfortuantely no pricing was mentioned the following capacities will be sold:

NWZ-E473: 4GB

NWZ-E474: 8GB

NWZ-E475: 16GB

NWZ-E473K: 4GB

NWZ-E574: 8GB

NWZ-S774: 8GB

NWZ-F804: 8GB

NWZ-F805: 16GB

NWZ-F806: 32GB

In addition to black, The F-Series will also be sold in red in 8 and 16GB.  The E-Series and S-Series will begin sales from August 2012 and the F-Series being available starting from end of October 2012.

Press release after the break.

Latest Walkman MP3 players from Sony with Android, Bluetooth and digital noise cancelling

• Walkman F800 Series: Web-enabled with Android, 8.9cm/3.5” multi-touch LCD and S-Master MX Digital Amplifier
• Walkman S770BT Series: Wireless listening with bundled Bluetooth headphones
• Walkman E570 Series: Brilliantly clear sound with digital noise cancelling
• Walkman E470 Series: Vibrant colours and 36 hours battery life

Experience your perfect summer soundtrack, with the new range of Walkman MP3 audio and video players from Sony.

Whatever your tastes, you’ll be satisfied by legendary Walkman sound quality. Clear Audio technologies by Sony assure richly-detailed sound, with deep, powerful bass, crystalline highs and reduced leakage between stereo channels. Walkman even restores those subtle high frequency details that get lost when you’re listening to heavily-compressed digital music files.

This summer’s line-up of MP3 audio and video players by Sony includes the sleekest, slimmest Walkman models ever. Just 7mm thin, the new S770BT and E570/470 Series take up little space when they’re slipped into a pocket or bag. With up to 36 hours play time1 from a single charge, there’s plenty of stamina to keep you entertained on long journeys. And if you’re looking for a supreme listening experience, Walkman F800 Series brings you an exciting world of ultra-detailed hi-fi sound, Wi-Fi connectivity and apps.

All new Walkman models are compatible with Music Unlimited from Sony Entertainment Network, allowing easy access to the millions of music tracks on offer2. As part of a simple monthly subscription, Music Unlimited lets you transfer your favourite personalised playlists and ad-free radio channels to Walkman®, so you can enjoy a world of music discovery even when offline.

It’s easy to load up your existing media collection, too. Walkman supports drag-and-drop transfer of music, photos, videos, podcasts and playlists from iTunes (non-DRM content only) or Windows Explorer.

Walkman F800 Series

Treat yourself to an extreme on-the-go entertainment experience. Powered by Android 4.0 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”), the web-enabled Walkman F800 Series lets you enjoy a generous range of pre-installed apps, from email to maps and media gallery. Connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth® and download more from an ever-growing choice on Google PlayTM. Interacting with your media collection, apps and games is a pleasure, thanks to the large, highly-responsive 8.9cm/3.5” multi-touch screen, plus plenty of processing power for smooth, speedy responses.

You’ll enjoy crisp highs and full, thumping bass powered by S-Master MX Digital Amplifier and five Clear Audio technologies. You can even share your sounds out loud via the built-in xLOUD speaker system that cuts distortion and unpleasant clipping for clearer listening.

Walkman S770BT Series

Supplied with colour-matched in-ear Bluetooth headphones, Walkman S770BT Series lets you enjoy your favourite sounds without a tangle of wires. Even when your Walkman is in a pocket or bag, it’s easy to make fumble-free volume adjustments or skip tracks with handy controls on the headphone cord - while Walkman® stays safely hidden.

At home or on the move, Walkman S770BT Series can also stream high-quality sound to other Bluetooth compatible devices3, like speaker docks, home audio systems or your car audio system.

Walkman E570 Series

Immerse yourself in a world of pure, uninterrupted music when you’re commuting into college or just relaxing at home. Walkman E570 Series can reduce background sound levels by 98%, thanks to its unique combination of built-in digital noise cancelling technology, and the high-quality noise cancelling headphones that come supplied.

Walkman E470 Series

Enjoy a perfect introduction to the world of crisp Walkman sound and powerful bass with slim, colourful Walkman E470 Series. It’s packed with fun features like Karaoke mode and synchronised lyrics display to help you get the party started. New to Walkman, there’s even a choice of entertaining games to enjoy on the bright, detailed 5.1cm/2" LCD screen while you listen.

Also available, Walkman E473K includes a portable speaker dock with eye-grabbing new styling that’s great for sharing your sounds out loud, whether you’re indoors or relaxing in the garden with friends. Powered by the MP3 player’s internal battery, the dock delivers punchy sound with rich bass while being small and light enough to carry with you anywhere.

Specifications