Knee Jerk?

When browsing through amazon I noticed Sony have released a portable digital audio player.

It seems there's only a 20GB version out for now which can be had for similar cost to a 20GB iPod.

It certainly looks the part...




And it's both smaller and lighter than the iPod.

So, with great looks (IMO), some good reviews, an impressive 30hour battery life claim, and Sony's established reputation for portable devices, it sounded like a good alternative ot the iPod.....

However, a little further reading strips some of the appeal

The 30hour battery assumes you're listening to tracks compressed to 48khz!

There doesn't seem to be too many positive opinions on the software (SonicStage).

Doesn't seem to support MP3!!! Though there's aparantly a firmware update on the way, for now you have to use ATRAC3, which although considered superior to MP3, surely both should be available

Something I find a bit odd, is that there doesn't seem to be much in the way of connections. I've only breifly played with an iPod, but I'm sure I spotted a few more connection methods available???

So, what looks like it could have been a great product, seems to have possibly messed up.

Of course, I've never used one, but from what I've been reading, seems like a wasted chance.

Sure does look perty though

 

It wouldn't be the first time Sony have shot themselves in the foot for "political" reasons - they missed out on sales of CD recorders for a few years because they saw it as a competitor to MD - which it was (sort of) but wasn't really. Its none of it helped by their schizophrenia resulting from being both major hardware and software (Sony Music) producers.

Dunno if its still the case, but years ago it was quite clear that the interfaces for their MD portables were designed by a completely different team than their full sized MD decks. The full sized units were the epitomy of good functional design. The portables (designed by their walkman design team) - emulated the way a tape walkman worked - right down to starting a recording right in the middle of where you last stopped it - even if it was in the middle of another track - daft. Bless em