The NW-E00* series has finally landed in the United States and has attractive pricing: $130, 2GB; $100, 1GB; $70, 512MB.
This series should be a good seller that will restore some lost ground that Samsung has been wielding in the low-end realm. The cost of these units compliments the pricepoint of the recently revealed ’06 NW-S series nicely. It is also reassuring to see Sony with a little more breathing room now that the transition (back) to Sonicstage is nearly complete. The company finally has a music management program that actually works, and is not that difficult to employ anymore. With this in mind, Sony is able to let loose the grip they held over related product releases in the US that were available long ago elsewhere in the world.
Curious however, is one odd theory that is seemingly becoming more and more realistic.
Has Sony become completely a chic brand in the US? The colors that are appearing on these units is quite unusual. The NW-A1200 series release may have been a little more appealing if there was the black or gold variants released stateside. Perhaps Sony is trying to become a more unisex or female-oriented brand after its minimalist and dull-colored past that lured in millions of male geeks. This could be a good move for Sony because not many DAP companies make “cute” devices (well, except the Nano. Shush.); tapping into this little-known market could harvest miracles.
Nonetheless, Sony’s direction feels different than it did before; the restructuring ushered in by Howard Stringer & co. have given a greater focus to their product offerings in the failing portable music areas. It is very likely that this year will actually be a strong year for the Walkman in the United States, and possibly beyond.
