Every time someone releases a small, video-playing DAP it's guaranteed to be greeted with headlines declaring it to be the latest tilt at the iPod's crown, especially now that Apple has added video to its nano. Naturally, in discussing Sony's latest Walkman release, we'll be avoiding any such sloppy comparisons.
Announced in Japan this morning, the new Walkman NW-A910 series will be released there in mid-November and consists of three models, each available in either black or silver.
Mobile movies
They range from the 4GB NW-A916 to the 16GB NW-A919 and all three include a 1-seg digital TV tuner for receiving broadcasts tailored specifically for mobile devices. Pricing starts at ¥30,000 (£129) for the smallest capacity model and hits a rather steep ¥45,000 (£195) for the 16GB version.
Sony reckons the dimensions of the 2.4-inch screen device are worth bragging about, claiming it's the size of a credit card. At 47 x 86mm head on it may be card sized, but the 12.3mm thickness is considerably more than even an iPod touch, which offers considerably more 'wow' factor. Oops.
More positively, the 16GB model can record up to 100 hours of digital TV, with timed recording a simple matter of using the EPG. At 74g, the new Walkman is light and a battery life of 36 hours for audio and 8.5 hours for TV watching may win a few folk over, but Sony will have to do something about the pricing if it's to go beyond that niche.
