Photo – Music – Video; QVGA; 262,144 colors; TFT color display with white LED-backlight; ATRAC, ATRAC Advanced Lossless, MP3, WMA, AAC, MPEG-4, AVC (h.264); 53 grams & 8.3mm width; 30 hours music, 8 hours video playback. Click to watch rad video introduction of NW-A800.
The Walkman of the 21st century has arrived.
After speculation induced by ATRACLife with our stunning initial spy pictures and specifications, Sony has announced the NW-A800 series on March 1st, 2007 or what will forever be known as V-Day. Three models will be available: NW-A805 (2gb), NW-A806 (4gb), and NW-808 (8gb) in black, white, pink and violet. Drag and drop video and picture functionality will be present, however audio transfers will still require the assistance of Sonicstage. The product will ship with Sonicstage 4.3, Image Converter 3, and a new Walkman portal-esque program dubbed Walkman Launcher to ensure true ease of use for newcomers and seasoned veterans of the Sony personal entertainment experience.
How is the screen? QVGA (240×320) and 30fps, which is about twice the size of the Nano display. For a 2 inch screen, that is stunning. Brightness is somewhere between the iPod Nano and iPod Video, and color reproduction and contrast is higher than the aforementioned competition. Videos and pictures can be played vertically, or horizontally (both ways, left and right). Don’t want the annoying 16:9 bars with status information at the bottom? No problem, take it full screen and enjoy the content. Watch a photo slideshow whilst listening to music. Video playback will ooze a sense that this is a high-quality premium device.
The user interface is akin to the NW-A3000/A1000’s 3×3 interface, but has been revamped and features a more attractive flow. Icons glow, menu transitions are steadfast and there are a sea of options to ensure that the experience is right for everyone. There are three methods of search: Artist, Album and Song. Searching for music is easier now as the letters can be side-scrolled alphabetically at the top to get to your favorite artist quickly. Albums can be searched via title, title and cover art, or cover art only. This is only the tip of the iceberg; there is much, much more.
Audio offerings are good; Linear PCM is not supported, but ATRAC Advanced Lossless is. MP3, WMA, AAC and ATRAC are all supported up to 320kbps (ATRAC3plus to 352kbps). Three sound technologies are also included: DSEE, Clear Bass, and Clear Stereo. MDR-EX082 13.5mm headphones are included with the package to ensure a relatively decent stock listening experience.
The NW-A800 series will debut worldwide in April. More pictures (high resolution shots here) after the jump.
