New Sony flash based mp3 player soon!

[mark_in_2k]

Hopefully this hasn't been posted yet (got a tip-off from CP24!!)

Sony still trying to get a look in on the Apple dominated MP3 player market.

Offered in various flavours, 256MB, 512MB and 1GB (at least on the US Sony site).

Hard to say if it's drag n drop or software as the descriptions hint at both. Battery life seems almost impossible at 70 hours on a AAA!

512MB priced at $140CAD. Due on March 23rd, day before the PSP!

Enjoy more music, more often, with Sony’s new NW-E105 Network Walkman Flash Player! Imagine holding 23 CDs in the palm of your hand. Loading up songs into the NW-E105’s built-in 512MB memory is easy with the simple drag and drop process of its MP3 File Manager* software. Enjoy super long battery life, with up to 70 hours of continuous playback from one AAA battery. The NW-E105 plays back MP3 and ATRAC3plus™ digital audio. The latest SonicStage 3.0 music management software lets you transfer WMA (non copy-protected) and WAV digital files, takes your PC downloads or CD tracks and transfers them easily to your Network Walkman through the USB connection.
Make your music move, with the NW-E105 Network Walkman Flash Player!

*Available via download from April 2005



* Circular shaped Network WALKMAN with 512MB1 built-in Flash memory and super long stamina
* Stores up to 23 CDs (345 songs2)
* Plays back MP3/ATRAC3™ Audio Formats
* 70 hours3 battery life with 1 AAA alkaline battery
* Backlit LCD
* SonicStage 3.0 (TBC) software for easy music management of both ATRAC & MP3
* Ultra compact design and lightweight body

[jerryhussain]

I thought this was Sony's answer to Apple's shuffle:



http://engadget.com/entry/1234000697034975/

[Roninvancouver]

how do that manage that amazing battary life?

[MethodMan]

how do that manage that amazing battary life?

I'm guessing 70 hours is only obtainable using atrac playback. Still a great feat none the less.

MM

[neo1973]

Do we still have to use SonicStage? If that's the case then unless SONY plans to redesign that POS software, this cool product will be in big trouble.

[supernerd]

This thing sounds just like the NWE 95/99 but in a different package, so I'm tempted to get one, but Sonicstage really is a POS. Hopefully, like the NWE 95/99, you can just use the simple mp3 manager instead...

[balou911]

ARGH, someone at sony should be fired for not supporting simple drag and drop.

pop in your sony drive via usb2.0 - bing - youve got a new drive s:sony drive

Plp using windows XP right click on a supported file, send to - sony drive

Done.

Ofcourse, that would be easy to use, and no one wants that.

[vpower]

ARGH, someone at sony should be fired for not supporting simple drag and drop.

pop in your sony drive via usb2.0 - bing - youve got a new drive s:sony drive

Plp using windows XP right click on a supported file, send to - sony drive

Done.

Ofcourse, that would be easy to use, and no one wants that.

dont you love ITune?

maybe with the new President @ sony...they can finally admit the mini-disc was a bad bad idea...

And not trying to push the mp3 devices just to protect their music division...

welcome back to earth sony!

[yatko]

ARGH, someone at sony should be fired for not supporting simple drag and drop.

pop in your sony drive via usb2.0 - bing - youve got a new drive s:sony drive

Plp using windows XP right click on a supported file, send to - sony drive

Done.

Ofcourse, that would be easy to use, and no one wants that.

Although I agree with you, I think the biggest challenge for Apple, Sony and alike is to gain marketshare in the 'electronic music distribution market' ie iTunes etc. That's why Apple released the lowest price shuffle (barebones no display). In a way, the hardware is just to hook.
I think Sony will be trying the same.

[Daijoubu]

dont you love ITune?

maybe with the new President @ sony...they can finally admit the mini-disc was a bad bad idea...

And not trying to push the mp3 devices just to protect their music division...

welcome back to earth sony!

MD isn't a bad idea, no
Hi-MD with natived MP3 support and OLED is sheduled for april

SS 3.0 is quite good, drag and drop support would also be possible
Here are the quoted batt life:
ATRAC3 105kpbs - Max 70 hrs
ATRAC3plus - Max 60 hrs
MP3 - Max 50 hrs

Quite amazing I must say, let's hope they didn't kill the headphone output power...

[sfu_lifer]

THe fact they're forcing you to use SS is awful.
That software just plain sucks (used it when I tried a friend's Hi-MD for a week).
At least with iTunes the integration is near seamless.
Sony, you were good until you got overprotective starting with Craptrac (actually, beta was a big mistake too when they got license happy which scared off nearly everybody from jumping on board).

[Sgt_Strider]

The OLED screen is awesome!

[hot_potato]

I thought this was Sony's answer to Apple's shuffle:



http://engadget.com/entry/1234000697034975/

That's one bling bling mp3 player!! Too bad it'll be here in another few months..

[Raiden_]

i think that MD with the mp3 playback and OLED is out already.....



and MD was never and is sitll not a bad idea
it just never really caught on out of asia
it has different purposes than say an ipod

MD is more versatile because of it's recording capability
if you want a device to store all your music, and nothing much more
then by all means go with ipod, no reason not to
btu with MD i can pretty much record from anything that makes a sound
and is it a cheap(relatively) medium
which is what makes it more popular among musicians and such

to me it's like mix of CD, tape and MP3
better storage capacity than CD and tape
simplicity of recording as was with tape
and small, easily distributable media

[BoxsterS]

Once again Sony has arrived after the game has ended and as usual they seem to think they can charge a premium. Sony can't seem to do anything right when it comes to portable music devices.