“Sony has launched a new line-up of flash based MP3 players to tackle Apple’s iPod Shuffle. The new models will start at 256Mb of memory and cost under £70… Sony’s new flash memory players are equipped with chips capable of storing 256 MB, 512 MB or 1 GB of data. Sony also said that the new devices would have 50 [makes that a claimed 70 hours, see below] hours of battery life with the ability to play for 3 hours will a charge of just 3 minutes,” Pocket-lint reports.
The 1Gb model will still cost £200 compared to Apple’s iPod Shuffle at £99. The new models will feature a LCD display though. The new models will be on show at CeBit the technology show in Germany,” Pocket-lint reports. Full article here.
Sony’s webpage states:
Meet the family. The NW-E100 series: funky colours, cool design. If it’s sharp looks and sporty design you’re after in an MP3 player, say hello to the NW-E100 series. Comprising the NW-E103 (256 MB), NW-E105 (512 MB) and NW-E107 (1GB), these are the youngest and funkiest additions to the Network WALKMAN family. Based around a cool circular design, these players come in a whole range of funky colours meaning you can get just the look you’re after. There’s silver, blue, white, red, orange and pink to choose from, meaning the NW-E100 series look too good to hide in your pocket!
But that’s not to say they’re not powerful too: all three players offer a massive 70 hours of battery life. That’s a lot more than the average players out there on the market. So you get to enjoy your favourite tracks for much, much longer.
What’s more, the series’ MP3 and ATRAC3plus compatibility means more convenience for you. And the crystal-clear one-line LCD display makes it simple to find and play whatever you’re after. Weighing in at a tiny 26 grams, with a surprisingly low price tag, the sporty NW-E100 series won’t make a dent in your pocket either.
More info and pictures here. Larger image here.
MacDailyNews Take: Good luck, Sony. Competition is a wonderful thing, it tends to make everybody better. It’s too bad these things don’t work with the iTunes Music Store, but we’re glad to see “ATRAC3plus compatibility,” since that’s our favorite disposable razor (we love those lubricating strips). “NW-E100 family” – very catchy. Is capitalizing the “WALKMAN” part of “Network WALKMAN” supposed to remind us of something beside the fact you’re very, very late to the party, perhaps too late, or that you should’ve quite easily owned this new market, but don’t? With the preceding “Network” or not, the word “Walkman” never fails to remind us of the 1980’s.
