Maxwell introduces the MXSP-1300WM cylindrical dock

Maxwell has released an updated version of their cylinder dock designed for Walkman, the MXSP-1300WM.  The dock comes in red and blue and features 8.4 watts of power.  There is also a bluetooth model but at this moment it is not geared towards the Walkman.  It seems to be only avalable in Japan as with the previous device.

Here is the link to the Catalog of the MXSP-1300W (in Japanense)

My Sony X-Series headphones are beginning to go

It has been almost 30 months since I got my X-Series and it appears that the right side of the NC headphones has given way.  I noticed about 6 months ago or so that the right side was not as loud as the left side.  I always assumed this was my hearing due to a right ear infection a few years prior, but now it seems that is not the case, since the volume is way too low.  So now I am left with a dilemma, use the NC headphones until they completely die, use my MDR-V55s, buy new NC headphones, or get a used NC Sony player and use the headphones from that.

Sony Japan introduces the F-Series into its lineup

Sony Japan has finally introduced the new F-Series and as standard with most Japanese Walkmans, there are more colours and options when compared to other regions.  Noise cancellation and ATRAC are 2 new additions and also a bluetooth model.  The bluetooth headphones also ship with noise cancellation which is something new from Sony for the Walkman range if I recall correctly.

As can be seen, there are a lot of colour options to match your walkman colour as well.  There are 3 capacities, 16, 32 and 64GB.  Pricing will start from 230 Euros for the 16GB and as high as 350 Euros for the 64GB model.  In addition there is also a model that ships with a speaker dock, colour coded to the model, but this model only is available in 16 and 32GB.  

Sony IFA 2012

 

Games on new Sony E-Series (update)

Some how I missed this but the new E-Series comes with 2 built in games, a fantasy bubble combat game, Puyo POP FEVER and Number Place which is a Sudoku-like game.

Service Menu Access and Service Manual for Sony X-Series

I am not responsible if your player stops working or if you encounter any errors.

 

Here are the instructions to access the service menu for the Sony X-Series.

Sony F-Series Walkman coming in Gold?

It seems that once the new F-Series launches it will have a third colour option, gold to add to red and black.  According to the link, the gold model will only ship in 8GB capacity.  One more photo after the break.

Thanks Jad.

Sony Walkman S760 "Hatsune Miku" Special Edition

Special edition Walkman players are a normal occurrence in Japan.  This time around the special edition is based on Hatsune Miku, the virtual singer for its 5th Anniversary.  There will be 3 different models. black, blue, and blue with speaker dock, with only an 8GB version available.  Pricing is 12,800 Yen, or 133 Euro/$160US for the standard model and the speaker dock model coming in at 15,800 Yen or 160 Euro/$200 US.  Only 3939 will be made of each version with a total of 11,817 units. 

Logitec Walkman FM Transmitter

 

About a year before I started the blog, Sony announced the "designed for Walkman" program to encourage 3rd parties to develop new accessories for the Walkman brand.  This past June Logitec, (not to be confused with Logitech), introduced a FM transmitter for the Walkman which will allow you to use your Walkman in your car.  In addition the device will also charge your Walkman, both 12V and 24V are supported.

Sony MDR-V55 Review

 

 

I have been searching for some good headphones for a while now.  I've used in-ear headphones for a while and my external speakers for my laptop, but I needed something different.  I wanted the Sony MDR-V700DJ but with a wide ranging price and limited availability I gave up searching for them.  I also looked into some Pioneer headphones, yet nothing was available at any local stores and only online but again cost was an issue.  In April Sony introduced a new selection of headphones with the MDR-MA500 catching my eye, of course they were not on sale in Poland.  I was about to give up when I saw another press release with other headphones I haven't seen before, the MDR-V55s.

Sony Walkman F-Series Press Release

Get Ready For a Soul Shaking Audio Experience 

The next generation Walkman mobile entertainment from Sony delivers exhilarating music and multimedia performance

Designed for music lovers, by music lovers, the next generation Walkman NWZ-F800 mobile entertainment player delivers soul shaking audio clarity, turning music and video into an immensely joyful experience wherever you go.

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.

Sony names Kazuo Hirai as President and CEO

This was inevitable, therefore it comes as no surprise that Kazuo Hirai has been named the new President and CEO of Sony.  Howard Stringer will become the Chairman of the Board of Directors.  According to GSMArena, he oversaw the Walkman brand, so hopefully with Hirai at the helm, the Walkman brand will not die out in the near future and perhaps will have now a more global centric development rather than just some things for Japan only and then later on globally.  Press release after the break.

Walkman Z-Series Video from Sony

 

Sony has a quick promotional video of the new Z-Series Walkman

Sony Introduces New Speaker Docks for Walkman

 

Apart from an updated E-Series, Sony also introduced 2 new speaker docks for Walkman, the RDP-NWG400 and RDP-NWM7.  The new speaker docks will be released on February 11th, with retail pricing of around $100 for the RDP-NWM7 and around $170 for the RDP-NWG400.  Both will be available in black and white and will unfortunately be only sold in Japan.  I do hope Sony decides to introduce more speaker docks internationally.

Tiny E-Series Walkman Lives on in Japan

 

Sony Japan has updated the NW-E050 Walkman lineup for 2012, the NW-E060.  The updated E will be released on February 11th for $90 for 2GB and $110 for 4GB.  This seems expensive but when you factor in the headphones and the added Noise Cancellation it is a good deal.  The bundled headphones are the MDR-NC33, which shipped with other NC Walkman in the past  The updated E will come in 4 colours (red, black, pink, and blue) and compared to the previous E is smaller and lighter.  Supported file formats are MP3/WMA (non-DRM) / ATRAC / ATRAC Advanced Lossless / Linear PCM / AAC (Non DRM) / HE-AAC.

Like the previous generation, the new E also comes with a small speaker dock which thankfully looks a lot better than before.  The E060K comes with a 0.5W colour-coded speaker that is powered by the Walkman itself, attachment is via a WM-Port.  Unfortunately only the E will fit since the speaker insert is molded to it.

Personally I would love to see this on sale in Europe and would definitely grab one to supplement my X-Series.

New Sony B-Series Walkman Unveiled

For some odd reason I never seem to receive the Sony Press emails when the information goes up onto the press site, it is always a few afters.  Anyways, Sony is introducing an update the the B-Series, the new B170.  The design is actually different this time around, with the styling matching the current line up of Walkmans.  I was hoping Sony would have thrown in some decent headphones but it appears they have not and it seems the USB is still 2.0, but there seems to be no mention of that in the press releases.  Perhaps the next gen will have USB 3.0.

Feel the bass with new Walkman B170

Light, colourful MP3 player with quick-charge battery

•     Pumping beats with Bass Boost button
•     Quick 3 minutes battery charge gives 90 minutes playback
•     Clip attaches Walkman to belt or clothes
•     Easy drag and drop music transfers
•     Built-in USB connects Walkman® to PC, hi-fi or car stereo

Get ready to really feel the music with the colourful Walkman B170 Series of MP3 players from Sony.

Weighing just 28g, new Walkman B Series is small and light enough to take anywhere: but don’t be deceived by its tiny size. Press the Bass Boost button and you’ll be blown away by rich, pumping low-end. And to show where you’re coming from, there’s a colour-matched LED that pulses in time with the music.

When you’re in a hurry, 3 minutes charging time gives enough battery power for 90 minutes listening. Fully charged, Walkman B Series lets you listen non-stop for 18 hours – plenty for the longest commute or an overnight break.

You won’t want to keep other people in the dark about your favourite MP3 player. Walkman® B Series features a chunky clip that attaches to a belt, bag strap or clothing to show off your style.

It’s easy to load up with your favourite songs. Walkman® connects directly to any Windows PC via its built-in USB port with no extra cables required. Copying files is a simple drag-and-drop process, with no need to install any file transfer software. You can also connect Walkman® to a compatible hi-fi or car stereo and enjoy direct playback.

Looking for the right song to fit your mood? ZAPPIN™ search technology scans through your music collection, previewing a snatch of each track without menus or playlists. Hear a track you like and press the ‘ZAP’ button again to hear the whole song.

Extra refinements include an on-board equalizer to sculpt your sound, plus a voice recorder that’s perfect for grabbing spontaneous thoughts, notes and ideas.

The new Walkman B170 Series of MP3 players by Sony are available in a choice of 2GB or 4GB capacities from January 2012.

Sony Walkman Z-Series Debuts at CES 2012

 

So this was not a surprise, posted about a possible debut after the FCC filing was made back in December, plus of course the teaser from Sony Austra/Switzerland.  Checking out various Sony websites, it appears the new Z will be available soon in Europe, like Germany (32, 16GB), Poland (16GB), UK (32GB), France (16GB), Italy (32. 16GB) with Music Unlimited being available on the device in the selected countries that have the service.  Availability will be from Late February which is a step forward compared to the X-Series release a few years back.  

 

The new Z is nice but it is no different in the end from any other Android Smart phone except for the music quality which I am sure if much better than any regular Android Smart phone.  But if I was to get anything, it would be a tablet with WiFi rather than another phone like Android device with WiFi.

Sony CES 2012

 

In a few days CES will be upon us again, almost scary how fast the time has passed since the last CES.  The Sony US media site is down for maintenance, so can't check if there is any prelim information about CES.  Nothing is present on the European Sony press site as of the time I am writing this, so perhaps more will be updates next week.