
Sony’s latest NWZ-A820 MP3 player includes Bluetooth audio and a 2.4-inch screen. An identical-looking NWZ-A720 is also being sold, minus Bluetooth.(Credit: Sony)
After recent week’s UK advertisement, it must barely comes as a surprise that Sony’s got some new MP3 players heading to the ol’ U.S. of A. For those of you convinced that the Walkman will rise again, here’s the skinny on Sony’s American imports.
By the end of March, Sony will be shipping the NWZ-A820 (pictured) in an 8GB ($270) and 16GB ($320) ability, accessible only in black. Both versions of the NWZ-A820 include Bluetooth audio, high-quality Sony EX earphones, and a 2.4-inch QVGA LCD, but the 8GB version also comes bundled with a set of around-the-neck Bluetooth headphones.
The Sony NWZ-S710F includes built-in noise-cancellation technology. (Credit: Sony)If the NWZ-A820 sounds too wealthy for your blood, or Bluetooth just is not your thing, you can save some money by shopping for the NWZ-A720 series. The NWZ-A720 is selfsame to the NWZ-A820, but excludes Bluetooth. Suppose to find the NWZ-A720 in 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB capacities, priced at $150, $200, and $300, respectively (4GB and 8GB versions will be accessible in pink, as well as black). Both the NWZ-A720 and NWZ-A820 support MP3, AAC, WMA (including DRM), and WAV audio formats, as well as MPEG-4 (H.264) video playback, and neither include an FM wireless. Considering that both players are modeled after the stellar NWZ-A818 released recent year, my expectations are tall.
Sony is also giving us a refresh of the NWZ-S610 (another best player we saw from Sony recent year), by throwing in the noise-cancellation feature found in their SonicStage-era NW-S705F MP3 player. The new player is called the NWZ-S710F series (are you remembering all these catchy model numbers?), and will be accessible in 4GB and 8GB capacities priced at $150 and $200, respectively. Aside from the addition of active noise-cancellation, the NWZ-S710F is essentially unchanged from the NWZ-S610, and will be accessible in silver, red, and black.
All of Sony’s newly announced MP3 players are due out at the end of March.