Our Leak Was True: Sony Releases NWZ-X1050/1060 Touchscreen Walkman

Posted by Christopher MacManus on January 9th, 2009 Comments Printer-Friendly

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After our stunning revelation last month announcing this product, Sony at CES announced the new X-Series Walkman Video MP3 player. This device focuses on enhancing audio/video playback with hardware that enables best of breed performance and an amazing portable experience. Incorporating a wide 3-inch OLED touch screen, the display delivers a picture with extremely high contrast, exceptional color reproduction and a rapid response time. Usability is also enhanced with this model as the device utilizes both touch panel operation and a hybrid button system to improve upon the navigation experience.

Sony will release the NWZ-X1050 (16GB)/1060 (32GB) Touchscreen Walkman in Early Summer 2009 – the price for the 16GB should run about $299USD, while the 32GB will cost $399. We also noticed that a part of the Walkman is made of some sort of strange material, like a brushed aluminum. It’s hard to explain, and if you click on the pictures you can see what I mean. The booth guys had no idea what material it was, and said that Sony is tight-lipped about it.

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Along with the superb video experience, the X-series Walkman Video MP3 player delivers incredible sound quality utilizing Sony’s Digital Clear Audio Technologies: Digital Amplifier ”S-Master,” Digital Noise Canceling and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE). These digital clear audio technologies fill in the high tones that can be lost during file compression, enhance the bass, minimize distortion and maintain a consistent channel signal.

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Unfortunately, Sony made a huge mistake at CES by not letting people touch the touchscreen Walkman. It was under what seemed to be bulletproof glass. How can Sony release a touch-based product and not let people touch it? This was a major error, and after repeated requests they wouldn’t let me use the device. I was very disappointed, but it was good to see that Sony released this product. It will definitely change the game, as long as Sony keeps improving it through firmware updates. Here is a video showing off some of its capabilities -


Sony’s CES 2009 Video Walkman Demonstration from Sony Insider on Vimeo.

Digital Noise-Canceling Arrives

To further enhance the listening experience, Sony’s X-series Walkman® Video MP3 players are the industry’s first to offer digital noise canceling technology. Having this feature integrated into the device allows for amazing audio fidelity via the accompanying 13.5 mm EX headphones. The video MP3 player uses a unique digital noise canceling (DNC) software engine to block out ambient noise, while providing a high-quality audio experience. The headphones deliver premium noise cancellation, along with balanced and rich sound.

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Sony’s DNC software engine makes it possible for the digital noise canceling device to work most effectively on an airplane, which uses a different filter in the digital signal processor specifically tuned for this environment. Travelers can turn on the noise canceling feature and get peace and quiet even without listening to music.

Prime Connectivity

Utilizing built-in Wi-Fi technology, the X-series Walkman Video MP3 players let you access an Internet web browser and such other features as direct podcast downloads, YouTube™ streaming, and a “Related Links” function for a quick search of content via YouTube™ using the name of the song, artist or album.

Marking Sony’s first Walkman product with Wi-Fi integration, the X-series Walkman Video MP3 player is a smart device for consumers who want to stay connected at all times.

Check out this Hands On experience with Walkman X:

Related posts on Sony Insider:

  1. NWZ-X1050/1060 Touchscreen Walkman Lost Footage
    Here’s some other footage of the NWZ-X1050/NWZ-X1060 touchscreen Walkman...
  2. Sony Japan Releases Full NW-X1050/NW-X1060 Details
    Well, if you’ve been a faithful Sony Insider reader,...
  3. Sony’s First Touchscreen Walkman Revealed
    Sony is set to debut a new 16 and...
  4. Touchscreen Walkman Available In USA – Thoughts After A Few Days?
    So, the fabled Sony X-Series Touchscreen Walkman, NWZ-X1051 (16gb)...
  5. Interview With The Designers Of The Touchscreen Walkman X Series
    The new flagship WALKMAN is finally here. Portable media...


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  • TheFaze
    Can you find out why they put the headphone jack on top, as opposed to the bottom (as on my A818)? Also, is it compatible with the current Walkman docks that can connect to various Sony receivers?
  • ascariss
    Fantastic photos and review of what you could review, and I do agree sony made a huge mistake of not allowing people to use it, perhaps they are afraid it isn't ready yet? regardless, the device should have been made available to use by the people there or journalists, I was expecting sonyinsider to get at least an exclusive for this but I guess Sony has other things in mind :/

    Aside from being under glass, the release date of the walkman is already too late, it should be march or even at the latst april but not may or early summer. By that time, the cowon s9 will be out and probably much cheaper in price as will the P3, and who knows the touch will probably drop in price as well and new ipod touch models are probably due in the fall anyways. By the time the X series hits the streets, 32 gb will be the 16gigs that is today, with apple probably debuting a 64 gig model.
  • C
    Awesome! I wish Sony would release the X series sooner. MP3 player prices will probably lower by the time these come out, and they need to reflect the pricing of the MP3 market when it comes out
  • theFanboy
    But this went almost unnoticed.......not good marketing
  • Chris Franklin
    Good video SONY INsider. You gave me the information I wanted. Now I have a favor for you to do.

    Since you do such a good job communicating with Sony way better than I do, I would like you to ask them if they can allow the walkman X series to be compatible with movies and tv shows downloaded from the Playstation Store.

    It would be a good driving motivator. I swear on it. They would have their own store just like Apple does just without the music. Please Please Please get a hold of some one who works there and ask if they can do that please. The PSP isnst cutting it.

    Thanks buddy.

    Chris
  • jaim
    how many x series will cost?
  • kafkef
    Why is it called the X-series when the model name is NWZ-Z1050 ? typo?
  • Hardik
    Sony is missing several tricks when it comes to its Walkman players...
    1.) While the Vaio P and the HDTV line-up got the majority of the attention, Walkmans were sort of neglected by Sony. And what's the point in unveiling a product that will be released almost half a year later? Apple has by far the best marketing approach of them all. They manage to keep their products under the wraps and make them available for purchase (almost) soon after their unveiling. Sony, on the other hand, make promises and talk release dates but in 2 months time the buzz that their amazing products create completely dies out and the sales in turn aren't as strong as expected.

    2.) It is inexcusable for a company like Sony to launch their product without even letting the press or the public get a chance to get a hands-on experience of it. Why did they keep it encased in glass? Wasn't it in working condition? Is the product still under development? If it is so, then there's no point in talking about the thing in the first place.

    3.) As for the pricing I think 299-399 is a fair price. What most of us fail to realize is that the OLED screen, in-built NC and EX headphones probably cost a lot. No use predicting Flash prices since they keep fluctuating. And the real issue is that companies (read: Apple) skimp on the essential bits like the bundled headphones in order to cut costs while Sony has always focused on the sound quality of their devices.
  • Anthony O'Brien
    Summer 2009 is much too late for this device. It looks fantastic but people won't wait, temptation by similar devides from other manufacturers will be too great. Having said that I will try my hardest to resist going elsewhere between now and Summer time.
  • G Cohen
    Any news about gapless playback with this walkman?
  • Matt
    One thing that some of you guys have overlooked about the price is the fact they have bundled the X Series with the EX Headphones. Depending on which ones they are, those headphones alone are worth atleast $100. So your not just paying for the player, but a nice pair of headphones (not some horrible sounding cheap pair).
  • rosjos
    The current (February) issue of the UK's What Hi-Fi magazine makes mention of the Sony 2009 line-up, and the following link from their website shows some 'hands-on' video footage of the new X-Series:

    http://stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2009/01/07...
  • robicelus
    The new X-series looks good and I like the design as well but I am disappointed about 3 things about it:
    First, the relase date. Why is the releasing date so late? They did announce the player too soon if the relase date is only on May!
    Secondly, the price. 399$ is a fair price for the 32G version but like others said, untill May, things will change, other manufacturers will relase new devices, prices will drop and so on. By the time when Sony relases the X-series, 399$ will be "too" expensive.
    And finally, I heard that those players will have 12 hours of audio battery life. If the audio battery life is so poor, I don't want to think video battery life of this device. Sony always had the best battery life on their portables but now it seems they missed such an important thing. Why Sony, WHY?
  • David
    could I use the noise canceling function with any other headphone instead of the original/accompanying 13.5 mm EX headphone? because one of its noise canceling mp3 player, NWZ-S738F/N model doesn't work with other headphone except its accompanying headphone. and please also let me know the thickness of this x-series Walkman. thanks
  • David
    one more question, does the batter of it last for only 12 hours for MP3 playback with 128kbps? thanks
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