New Sony X Series Walkman (NWZ-X1051):
The NWZ-X1051, aka the Walkman X Series, is available in 16GB ($299) and 32GB ($399)—the same capacities and prices as the iPod touch. Wi-Fi enabled, with a touch screen and the integration of popular Web services like Slacker Internet radio and YouTube, the Walkman has evolved into a robust music and video player. There's also built-in noise cancellation, and the player comes with a pair of earphones that sound great when combined with the user-adjustable EQ. My only major complaint: The Web experience isn't great—Sony's browser is no match for Apple's Safari. And you don't get access to an App Store with thousands of titles that comes with the iPod touch. Even so, the X Series Walkman is a well-designed device that's the best non-iTunes-centric player you can buy.
Features :
Measuring 3.8 by 2.1 by 0.4 inches (HWD), the all-black X Series boasts a super-crisp, 3-inch, 432-by-240-pixel organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen and a unique sparkly (but not overly flashy) body that resembles a cross-cut slab of granite. Our Editors' Choice for portable media players, the iPod touch, has a 3.5-inch screen with a slightly higher resolution (480 by 320), but the touch is also bigger than the X Series. Because the touch's screen is larger, both devices offer similar levels of sharpness.
The display consumes most of the front panel but, like the iPod touch, the X Series features a Home button that returns you to the player's main menu with one click. Included with the device: better-than-average earphones with noise cancellation capabilities; a proprietary-to-USB cable for moving files from your PC to the device; an audio cable that uses the proprietary connection to send audio to mini-jack (3.5mm) aux inputs on speakers and docks; an airplane adapter; a Quick Start Guide; and a CD with Windows Media Player 11, Napster, and content transfer programs. The best inclusion: a coupon for 100 free songs from Sony MusicPass, something you definitely won't get that with an iPod!
