Tag: walkman x series
iPod touch vs Sony Walkman X Series vs Samsung P3
Intro
Apple’s iPod touch has some serious rivals in the form of the Sony Walkman X Series and Samsung P3 PMPs.
Which one stacks up as the best for music, video, and all round appeal? Read on as the Tech Digest guide pits these mighty touchscreen handsets against one another.
Battle of the Specs: Feature Comparison
Let’s leave aside fanboy love for Apple and Sony (does Samsung have fanboys too? I’m not sure) and take a look at how the main features stack up.
This is top-of-the-line stuff. If you want detailed specifications you’d better skip to the end of the page.
Display
For pure real estate, the iPod touch trumps both the Walkman X Series and the P3, with a 3.5-inch display compared to just 3-inch for the others.
However, when it comes to aspect ratio, the Samsung’s screen is 16:9 — perfectly suited for widescreen video — whereas the Sony has a rather bizarre 9:5 aspect ratio and the touch 3:2.
That means, in raw resolution terms, the touch (480 x 320) trumps the P3 (480 x 272) which trumps the X Series (432 x 240).
Having said all that, Sony’s screen is based on OLED technology for a much brighter, crisper display than the other two handsets…
Sony Walkman X Series – hands on VIDEO
It used to be a fairly obvious choice if you wanted a high end MP3 player. Like them or not, Apple seemed to be making all the good looking ones. Then along comes CES 2009 and suddenly we have two contenders in the form of the Samsung P3 and the one that hits the shelves today – the Sony Walkman X Series as modelled by Zara.
There’s no denying the specs of the thing but the reflection and smudge factor on that screen could be an issue in the sunlight after a good thumbing. We all like a good thumbing.
The price is also depressingly in line with the iPod Touch, so keep an eye out for the P3. That’s my tip.
Danielle Bux as an usherette at Sony X Series luxury cinema
Sony is launching the X Series Walkman today along with a luxury cinema to show it off complete with Welsh lingerie model Danielle Bux dressed as an usherette. Why did I let Zara go to this event?
The X Series has a 3.0″ OLED touchscreen and comes in 16GB and 32GB versions, and Sony reckons the audio-video experience on the 432 x 240 display is like having a cinema in your pocket, hence the event which is open to the public and takes place on a specially converted Tube carriage.
I doubt Ms Bux will be there all week but from tomorrow (13th May) you can get yourself down there to experience the popcorn, films and, of course, the X Series itself if you drop the organisers a line.
The X Series is available to buy from tomorrow. It’s £209 for the 16GB version or £279 if you’d like the full 32GB. Both will play all the standard files including WMAs and non-DRM AACs but don’t support the lossless FLAC.
They have FM tuners and Wi-Fi for access to iPlayer and YouTube and they also feature noise cancelling technology and Sony S-Mater. I recommend picking them up a little cheaper here and here.
Sony Style Store
