ALMOST three decades after Sony started the Walkman brand, the electronics giant has decided to go back to basics with its latest line-up.
Gone are the sleek curves and bright colours of yore.
Now, the new 2GB music-cum-video player is very much an easy-to-use, simple device with intuitive controls and, most importantly, excellent battery life.
Aside from the small, three-inch rectangular shape, what's most impressive is the player's ability to connect to any computer, without the need for any software installation.
Previous Walkman models relied on an annoying proprietary software.
But in this case, the flash memory player is instantly recognised by the computer, and identified as an external device.
EASY BREEZY
Transferring files is a breezy copy-and-paste process.
Once files are transferred into the right folder, navigation on the device is painless.
Given the small controls and my big thumbs, the buttons are well-spaced and effectively positioned.
Aside from the play/pause button sitting in the middle, surrounded by the directional buttons, there is only a 'back' and 'option' button to figure out.
Volume controls are positioned on the top right of the device, with the headphones jack placed above the 1.8-inch screen. This simple layout allows you to fit the device into your pocket and control it without the need to see the buttons itself.
Sony also found space to fit an FMradio, as well as a battery that lasts 33hours.
Depending on how you see it, the display is rather decent, giving information from the music tracks - like the artiste's name, genre, name and even a small picture of the album.
But this device may not be so good for watching video.
Apart from its small screen, it seems restrictive of Sony to simply offer playback only on the MPEG-4 and AVC format.
The other disadvantage was that despite its ease of connectivity, the player still relies on a proprietary USB cable, so one has to lug it along when connecting to multiple computers.
Audio wise, music playback was faultless, which is not surprising given the brand's track record.
Compact, stylish and available in various colours and in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB versions, the $199 base price definitely offers audiophiles another music player alternative.