Introducing the number one contender-Sony (Sony Walkman NW-A808 8 GB)

Member Name: phensh

Product:	Sony Walkman NW-A808 8 GB
Date:	21/06/08 (277 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic audio and video payback

Disadvantages: Software

~~~~ Introduction ~~~~

Sony vs. IPod

With the Apple IPod dominating the market the choice of which MP3 player has always been which iPod should you choose? Well now we have a refreshed Sony product entering the market to give the consumer some choice.
Sony has at long last got licensing for MP3 on their range of products and it is this step that will allow them to become a serious contender. All they have to do is offer a player that has the functionality and style offered by the iPods in a market that they dominate.
Sony has the brand but do they have the product to match?

~~~~ Product Features ~~~~

Memory Size-8GB 5000+ tracks or up to 30 hours of video

Power- Lithium-ion rechargeable battery (30 hours of audio-8 hours of video)

Operation- Utilises an interface very similar to that of their mobile phone range

Playback- Fantastic clarity audio with presets and bass settings via exceptional headphones which give excellent realistic sound.

Display-2.0 inch QVGA colour LCD with high resolution (240x320). Can be switched horizontally & vertically dependant on use

File Formats- MPEG4
JPEG viewer with slideshow mode
ATRAC, MP3, AAC (non DRM) and WMA (non DRM)
Compatible

Software-Sonic Stage 4.3
Image convertor 3.0

Dimensions-Width (mm) - 43.8
Height (mm) -88.0
Depth (mm) -9.1

Accessories- USB cable for file transfer and charging
Earphones

Also has high speed transfer and ability to edit song and file information.

~~~~ Product Overview ~~~~

The product use flash memory the same as the iPod range of products, allowing for a smaller unit size as opposed to the larger traditional hard-disk technology found on larger units.
This product is very slim as it is marketed as a direct competitor to the iPod nano range. The product is slightly slimmer than the ipod nano and has a screen that is larger than the iPods with 2 inches for the Sony and only 1.5 inches for the iPod.
The Sony is more expensive than the iPod by about £20-£30 so a larger screen is a good selling point to account for the bigger price tag. The screen quality is excellent and a big improvement on that of the iPod. You do have the option of video playback but this novelty soon wears off as watching such a small screen is not practical for long periods of time.
Transferring files to the unit is done by using the traditional Drag and Drop method the same as you would with your home PC or laptop. Once again as with most of the Sony range the biggest let down is the sonic stage software which is not too user friendly and difficult to get to grips with.
Sound quality is crisp, clear and very impressive with a good range of user settings for different types of music, ranging from rock to jazz and all other song types catered for.
The buttons on the unit feel high quality and are smooth in operation when touched. They are well placed on the unit making their use simple and quick (I do however prefer the click wheel on the iPod as the Sony offers no alternative to this)
The Menu's on the unit are well designed and very easy to navigate with a layout similar to the Sony range of mobile phones (I have a Sony so found using this product very easy from the start).
The supplied earphones are of an excellent design and very comfortable to wear (so much better than the one's supplied with the iPod).Sound quality is fantastic with some of the best quality audio I have heard from this type of player.
The unit is very responsive in use and you do learn the functions very quickly but once again I just don't like the supplied software which feels clunky in use.
Battery life is very good and I have had over 25 hours of continuous playback from audio and just over 7 hours from video. Video playback is smooth and you do have the option of displaying photo's in a slideshow effect (I have very little use for this feature but still handy to have).The quality of the screen is excellent and great for photo and video playback.

~~~~ Summary ~~~~

A fantastic design but not quite as stylish as the iPod nano range but offers much more impressive audio and video playback. However just let down by the poor performing software and the whole product just seems to lack the WOW factor.
Sony is nearly there in rivalling the Sony iPod and I am sure they are not too far from offering a superior product. A recommended buy from me but only if you really don't like the iPod range of products.

This review is listed on ciao under the user name phensh

Summary: An excellent mp3 and video player but a bit pricy compared to others

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