Sony’s “iPod Killer,” the Walkman Network HD-1, has come out on the losing end of another comparison to the iPod. In an article titled, “New Sony Walkman Can’t Break iPod’s Stride,” Forbes reviewer Mark Hazlin says that the Walkman would have been more impressive had it come out two years ago, but as it is, the unit falls short of the iPod. From the article:
If Sony’s product had come out two years ago, we all would have been blown away. It would have been hailed as a huge leap forward in personal audio because it is tiny, can store a ton of music and provides excellent audio quality. Plus, it’s relatively easy to use (once you get used to it) and has a long battery life. The iPod might have been an also-ran in the category it has come to define. On the whole, the Network Walkman would have been seen as nothing less than a revolutionary piece of listening equipment.
Instead, we’re left to compare it to the omnipresent iPod, which is in itself more than just a popular piece of consumer electronics. It’s also a cultural phenomenon: It even has its own magazine.
The full article goes on to compare specific points between the two units, including user interface, size, capacity (the reviewer does not look at the different bit-rates used by Sony and Apple in comparing their respective capacities), Sony’s and Apple’s respective music stores, and more. He closes with the recommendation that “Given a choice, go with the iPod.”
The Mac Observer Spin:
Sony has gotten reamed from just about every corner of the planet over the new Walkman. The company can’t even win in its home territory, Japan, and that’s saying something.
That said, we are confident that Sony is very likely to get it right, or at least closer to right, with the next generation of its player. The company is simply too good at the consumer electronics business to not be able to (eventually) fix the many problems of the Walkman Network HD-1.
In the meanwhile, Apple’s reign continues in this space.