Disclosure: As with many products, things change. This review is based on the product as it existed when I received it. Sony sent me an NWZ-W262 Walkman MP3 player in exchange for my honest opinion.
In other words, $68 for my two cents. Winning!
First impression: This isn’t a Walkman!
I know because I saved my lunch money for more than a month to purchase one in junior high.
A Walkman is a large, heavy device that doesn’t fit in your pocket but will gladly clip onto your jeans. It weighs about the same as a small child. It’s so bulky that it’s impossible to hide at the same school where you starved yourself to acquire it in the first place.
Unless, of course, you carve an outline into the pages of an old book and run the headphone wires through your clothes. True story.
Besides, this “Walkman” doesn’t have the two most important and defining features of a Walkman: Bass Boost and Auto-Reverse!
But seriously, this modernized Walkman is attractive and simple. Here are four pros and four cons.
Pros
1. Specific
Because it is wire-free, this Walkman is perfect for listening to music unobtrusively while exercising without feeling bogged down by something heavy or dangly.
Finally, I’ll be able to jog while attending an orchestra, or at least feel like I am.
2. Simple
This device is incredibly simple. If you want to listen to music without being asked a bunch of questions or configuring too many settings, you will love this Walkman.
Simply press play, and your music will either shuffle or it won’t.
3. Power
No batteries. Plug the device into a USB port for about 90 minutes to receive a full charge with approximately eight hours of use.
4. Water-resistant
According to the specifications, the device is water-resistant. That is helpful for those of us with butterfingers.
Dropping tiny electronic devices into water seems inevitable, so I appreciate that Sony took this into consideration.
Cons
1. Specific
As I mentioned above, it’s perfect for fitness. But it is so specific that I could see people choosing it as a secondary MP3 player while still wanting a larger device with more features as their primary player.
I’m not sure how large the secondary MP3 player market is. I can’t help but assume that the product’s narrow focus will affect its overall sales.
2. Simple
While simplicity is great for many people, it may be the Achilles’ heel for consumers in the digital space who prefer customization.
In addition, because the device is so small, all the controls are tiny buttons you will have to memorize by touch since they exist far, far away from anything your eyes can see.
3. Software
I installed the software on my quad-core notebook running Windows 7, and it felt slow and clunky. That’s coming from a PC guy.
It felt like an application still in beta. It wasn’t intuitive, and it integrated itself into the system.
The good news is that software can be updated forever until it’s perfect.
4. Proprietary
Because my livelihood depends on it, I am sensitive to consumer trends in the music industry.
This device works only for people who purchase MP3s at retail and plan to store, organize and transfer them accordingly. Not only will this model not last forever, but a massive shift has already taken place.
Some people use YouTube as their primary way to consume music, while others use free or premium subscription-based services. If a device wants to stay relevant, it has to play well with others and integrate.
The hardware is nice. Now all I need is the ability to use my Spotify Premium account with it.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a simple, fitness-friendly secondary MP3 player, I recommend the new Walkman.
However, if you’re looking for a primary MP3 player that you will use for more than working out, I suggest shopping around.