Pooh

Here's an excellent article from the Wall Street Journal back in late June which provides many of the really grubby details about what went wrong at Sony. I find it amazing that a large number of Sony employees weren't simply fired for gross incompetence and various displays of profound disloyalty to their employer. The recent fiasco over Connect software shows that the problems are a long way from being resolved. To be honest, I'm not sure I even care any longer. Sony have shown such a level of real contempt for their very loyal customers that it's doubtful the company deserves to survive. This last act of lunacy with their latest players should be the final straw. Wherever the good Akio Morito is spending eternity, I hope the news of what these incompetent fools are in the process of doing to the exceedingly fine company he built up over many decades is being kept well away from him. His memory deserved so much better. Sony's new CEO fights discord at rival units http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05180/530332.stm

I noticed a very slick TV advert for the new Sony players last night on UK TV. Also, the sales rankings for the Sony players seem to have shot up at Amazon.co.uk: 30GB iPod Black - Sales Rank -- 36 30GB iPod White - Sales Rank -- 63 NWA3000S 20 GB Walkman Silver - Sales Rank -- 42 NWA1000S 6 GB Walkman - Silver - Sales Rank -- 76 (The black 4GB Nano is at #7 and the white 4GB Nano is at #70)

FWIW, the first customer review of the 6GB version has just been posted on Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...8944936-0822865

Can one bookmark whole albums as opposed to individual tracks?

Thanks very much for that answer, Simon; it is much appreciated. Just one further question: are on-the-go playlists possible? Thus, is it possible to choose two or more albums and play them in sequence?

Simon, many thanks for that very interesting initial review. I'd be very grateful though if you could spare the time to answer a couple of brief questions: 1) Do titles (album, artist, song title) that are too long for the screen scroll to their fullest extent? 2) Is there a screen for the current playlist of songs? Thanks, Pooh

Could you tell us something about the player itself - sound quality, etc. etc.? Thanks.

Amazon UK now has the NWA3000S 20 GB (silver and purple) for £175.98 + free delivery and the NWA1000S 6 GB (silver) for £149.97 + free delivery. Dispatch time: 2-3 days. According to Amazon UK, the NWA3000B 20 GB in black will be released on November 14, 2005.

According to the websites belonging to Currys and Dixons, the NWA1000S 6GB is now in stock and can be ordered. The NWA3000V 20GB doesn't appear to be available as yet.

Three brief questions from a complete newbie: 1) Do any of the titles scroll in the now playing and search screens? 2) Is there a screen to show the current playlist? 3) Am I correct in thinking that there is a dedicated volume button (I know that this was indicated earlier; I just wanted to make absolutely sure)?