As posted on OTF by Doug...
he NW-HD1 is a credit card-sized unit @ 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.4cm and fitted with a 20GB 1.8in hard drive. There's enough RAM on board to provide 25 minutes of skip-free playback. They provide a seven-line LCD for track information and player status data.
The device uses USB 2.0 to hook up to a PC running Sony's own SonicStage software, from which consumers will soon be able to download songs from the Sony Connect online store.
The NW-HD1's primary format is Sony's own ATRAC 3 Plus - other formats are converted to that mode when they're transferred over to the player.
In addition to the NW-HD1, Sony will also release the Vaio Pocket Music Player VGF-AP1, which recently debuted in Japan, though Europe will get two models - 20GB and 40GB - rather that just one.
The player sports a 2.2in, 320 x 256 26,000-color LCD - that Sony says is designed to be viewed in daylight without difficulty. This Sony unit can download photography from a digital camera. Slated for release on October 2004 just in time for the Christmas season. It will ship with earphones and a USB 2.0 connection cradle that doubles as its battery recharge unit. Sony states it's Lithium Ion battery will provide 20 hours' playback time.
The device sports Sony's G-Sense interface which maps sectors of the display onto a series of 25 buttons. The handheld unit measures 11.5 x 6.3 x 1.7cm, but the right-hand side rear bulges out to 2.7cm thanks to the battery. The VGF-AP1 weighs in at 195g.
The NW-HD1 is scheduled to ship in Europe in August. Before then, early this month, Sony will ship a pair of Flash-based players, the NW-E55 and NWE75. Just over 2.5cm in length and 40g in weight, they offer up to 256MB of storage capacity and are each powered by a AAA battery - enough for 70 hours' playback. Both have a backlit LCD and are offered in silver (NW-E75), or blue, red or pearl (NW-E55).
Prices to be announced.
Still waiting for confirmation it will do uncompressed recording....
peace...Doug