W-Series Walkman Wearable MP3 Player

 

Well in the running for Coolest Gadget Ever, Sony's new W-series NWZ-W202 Wearable Walkman is a stereo headset and MP3 player all in one. That is to say, it's a hands-free, cord-free, pocket-free, and belt-clip-free personal audio player worn like a pair of Bluetooth headsets (like one might use singularly with a mobile phone), tethered with a firm but bendy cord around the back.

Charged and connected to a PC by way of a free-standing USB docking cradle, the NWZ-W202 is easy to load up, accommodating all popular/competitive music file formats.

With the unit's rechargeable battery housed in the left ear piece, a simple jog dial and a couple of volume up/down buttons (plus a "shuffle" on/off button) are available on the right.

And that's it, that's all there is to it. Push the dial in and it plays; whip the dial forward or back for next/previous tune; press and hold for "Zappin" mode which delivers short successive sound bites of each tune (supposedly the chorus, but in reality it's hit & miss) until you hit play again to play the one you like (why you would uploads songs you don't like is a mystery).

Tested and verified, every other passerby will give you a queer look when you wear this thing in public, because the NWZ-W202 makes you look like a total nerd (or a person with a bad Bluetooth fetish). But that's okay, "borg chic" is in.

Details
Reviewed: Sep. 04, 2009
Type: Music, PersonalTech
From: Sony


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