I think it's suffice to say that Apple have dominated the portable audio market ever since the development of audio devices, that replaced the requirement for removable storage. Apple, as a purveyor of high specification computer systems and hard-drives world-wide, were readily accepted when they launched their range of mp3 players onto an eagerly awaiting market. This was mainly due to the fact that their technology was produced quickly, after speedy analysis of the portable audio market, they found a niche and filled it.
This isn't to say that the Ipod wasn't without quality, but like games consoles, it was a new development in technology that people quickly cottoned onto. There was also the fact that accessories quickly became available allowing increased connectivity to in-car audio and hi-fi systems. But as reported recently with the launch of Apple's latest, smaller product, the Nano, problems arose with the fact that Apple had tried to outdo themselves with the size and screen technology and experienced a high level of problems as a result.

Lo and behold the new Sony MP3 Walkman, brought to us in two capacities, 6 and 20 gigabytes. The NWA1000 (6 gig) will hold 4-5000 songs dependent on the file size you use, and the NWA3000 (20 gig) 13,000 tracks. Both, more than ample for the enthusiastic audiophiles amongst you. Both models share the same features, the only difference being in the storage capacity.

The A1000 is a futuristically designed piece of kit, made of a translucent material, in a pebble-shaped moulding designed for comfort and to fit into the palm of your hand. It's a nice size, perfect for jacket or jean pockets without taking up too much space. The 3000 being larger due to the increased capacity, is slightly bulkier but would still be ideal for a jacket.
The translucent material is a highly durable toughened type of plastic, smooth as glass and fairly scratch resistant, as well as being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Additionally, it comes in a variety of colours: Violet, Pink (more of a claret), Chrome Silver, Black, Blue (a limited edition), so whether you're quite girly or prefer something quite sleek and flashy, there's bound to be something to meet your taste.

Features:

My Favourite Shuffle is another intelligent feature that makes the A1000 a cut above it's counterparts. The intelligent memory enables the device to remember the top 100 tracks that are most listened to, and compile them into a top 100 chart, in order of popularity. The Favourite Shuffle function will then enable the device to either play these tracks in order, or randomly according to preference.

Another ingenious addition to the Sony MP3 Walkman, is the Time Machine Shuffle, which works exactly as if the unit were a time machine itself. If chosen, this feature will randomly select a year from it's internal memory chip and play all tracks released from that year. Obviously this function is reliant on the fact that you have the internet to either download or name your files. The reason for this is that the Connect software automatically uses the internet to find file/track information. If you don't have the internet and you are uploading your own cd's then you have to enter all track information manually, especially if you want to use this function.

As with the A1000's predecessors, the ability to access tracks via genre, artist, track and album are still the norm, however Sony's improvements in this area mean you can now access albums by the same artist and shuffle songs from different albums by that same artist.
You can also link songs using the genre selection, and of course the artist link function makes it easier and faster to find what you're looking for dependent on your mood or preference!
Featuring six different sound modes, the unit enables you to switch between them dependent on the type of music you are listening to, and the volume limiter is a particularly good addition for younger people with sensitive hearing, so as not to create discomfort.

The new Sony Walkman has the added benefit of new advanced software that works harmoniously with the unit. There have been a few mixed reviews regarding the software, however it is a vast improvement on the previous SonicStage supplied software with older models. The main reason for this is that the Connect Software enables the user to have better control over the compilation of playlists and music library management. Secondly, it's the only software that will retrieve automatic updates for the mp3 player to enable future improvements and enhanced abilities.

Accessories:

In conclusion, it's fair to say that Sony have definitely exceeded expectation with this new gadget, which is set to take the portable audio market by storm. With it's intelligent features and improved functionality, coupled with the sleek and ergonomic design, it has already proved a sell-out over the festive season. The functions are so easy to use, plus the 9 icon menu display, gives instant access to your music library via any number of preferred routes. As an mp3 player it's a must have, and as a portable storage device, you'll discover it's additional uses for the transportation of document, video and picture files.