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Sony WILL Release WMP update for older Walkmans!

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veggiemusician

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veggiemusician Newbie

veggiemusician

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After calling Sony UK last week - they called me back today to comfirm that my walkman (A805) will be compatible with Windows Media Player and Napster soon. Sony will be relasing a "Compatabiltiy Update" for older walkmans so they can use WMP, Napster and other online music downloading sites. They shall be making a press statement soon.

Im not to sure when "soon" is but its before Connect store closes in March 2008 is how sony worded it.

Its good news neither the less :)

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6u0W Newbie

6u0W

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...I love my 808 to bits, with/without drag and drop.

Although that is true, I sum myself to the petition for a firmware update that unlocks the player for drag and drop.

WMP-wma support is ok, but i rather never have to use such formats, if i can use mp3-mp4.

Although the hardware may have some differences, including some "hardware" lock, im quite confident they can unblock the nw-a808 line of players, and as they can, they shall if we ask for such.

Lets wait and see what happens once they've released the "new" player, and made the firmware update to the "old" one.

If drag and drop is not supported, make a petition online, like this one http://www.petitiononline.com/opensony/ but asking for the drag and drop if it is feasible (very likely).

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shirleywhite_ Newbie

shirleywhite_

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Just over a week ago - while all this WILL/WONT upgrade firmware etc for 800's series debate was happening....................I posted a query on the Sony Uk Support site. Today just got a phone call back. Quote " There wont be any firmware update for the 808. The 808 and 818 are 2 different players. The first is an Atrac player -the 2nd isnt. They are completely different"

I gently suggested that from the look of these two they seemed rather "identical" (!) - but I was told "these are 2 different players"......................!

I asked about continuing Sonicstage support .................. "we will continue to support SS, you should upgrade to version 4.3 "

At that point I decided to give up ..........felt like i was taliking to someone who wasnt in any way an expert on this and almost certainly reading from a prepared script.................!!!! (Although I'm UK based - the support person was almost certainly speaking from a sub-continental call centre I reckon!!) I'm beginning to think that the different messages re WILL/WONT be upgrade of firmware is merely a function of local Sony reps not having a clue what's happening!! Am consoling myself that 800's are still great players in lots of ways - if only I could ignore the 818 ............???!!!!!

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juli_ Newbie

juli_

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I'm beginning to think that the different messages re WILL/WONT be upgrade of firmware is merely a function of local Sony reps not having a clue what's happening!! Am consoling myself that 800's are still great players in lots of ways - if only I could ignore the 818 ............???!!!!!

You'd think with something as important as this, that ALL Sony support sites would have been given the same information, ie; yes - a firmware date is available - or, no it isn't. It's quite maddening for them to give out conflicting information regarding the same subject.

Am consoling myself that 800's are still great players in lots of ways - if only I could ignore the 818 ............???!!!!!

LOL - I love my 808 and have no need for the 818's features (even though I was convinced I did at the time!)

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pelleeds1980 Newbie

pelleeds1980

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This is all a bit of a joke isnt it really! If they havent got a clue then I wouldnt hold your breath.....seems to be a few people using something that piggy backs Winamp using a plugin someone has developed but this seems to have its bugs. Odd that some people are getting calls saying yes and others saying no and sonys site seems to infer it will be a no...

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MindVision Newbie

MindVision

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I am really starting to get a little sick of this nonsense. I payed like 280 euro's for that thing, the least they could do is provide a clear answer. I don't think this suits the service-demands you'd have when buying this product. If they really do not wish to take their responsibility, they will lose me as a customer for sure. I'm seriously thinking about selling my cybershot and my Bravia TV, kinda fed up with this Sony-b*llsh*t. They don't even show the decency to at least tell concretely wether there will be an update or not. Now I don't even know what I'm waiting for! Their internal information-flows are obviously all messed up, why would they provide 10 different answers otherwise? Ugh.

Edited by MindVision
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6u0W Newbie

6u0W

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Opps, does anyone know what happened to the online signatures???

Last time I checked it was on 178 signatures (or around), now its on 145!!

How did this happen?!!

About the date of the "update" for the firmware, don't expect it any time before the RELEASE of the NW-A818.

After that date, its possible they will be willing to cooperate with their customers (sigh)...

If they do it before the release, whats the catch to sell the 818?

(anyhow imagine the hype a bunch of "unlocked" 808's would generate in the media)

But in the meantime, we could at least get a worthy and clear response.

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topbanana Newbie

topbanana

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Hi, I hope they do release an update and include the NW-E005 In that. I know it is an old player but I bought it for a steal and it is my first network Walkman. However why would they create an update when they have released newer models that have the features we hope update will. This is business...they would like us to upgrade. However Sony could shock me as they have with their latest line of players.....the abandonment of sonic stage etc.

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a808owner Newbie

a808owner

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Hey guys I've been reading this thread and e-mailed Sony myself last night, saying that I thought it was unfair that a firmware update was unavailable for what is essentially the same mp3 player as the a818. Having dealt with Sony customer service before on a few occasions I wasn't expecting a reply for a long time. So imagine my shock when I get a phone call first thing in the morning from a guy who definitely knows what he's talking about - and I'm annoyed. He said that there would be no firmware update for the a808 and then said that if I wanted it drm free I would have to buy the a818 (not a chance). He also said he knew how unfair it was and even seemed to say something about how Sony knew about this issue when they were releasing the a808 - anyway it was top notch customer service, but really not the response I was looking for. This sucks

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Guest Stuge

Guest Stuge

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Hey guys I've been reading this thread and e-mailed Sony myself last night, saying that I thought it was unfair that a firmware update was unavailable for what is essentially the same mp3 player as the a818. Having dealt with Sony customer service before on a few occasions I wasn't expecting a reply for a long time. So imagine my shock when I get a phone call first thing in the morning from a guy who definitely knows what he's talking about - and I'm annoyed. He said that there would be no firmware update for the a808 and then said that if I wanted it drm free I would have to buy the a818 (not a chance). He also said he knew how unfair it was and even seemed to say something about how Sony knew about this issue when they were releasing the a808 - anyway it was top notch customer service, but really not the response I was looking for. This sucks

Welcome to AtracLife !

I can understand your feelings ,but if they release Firmware for A8xx series ,then there will be no difference b/w A818 and A808 and since old series is much cheaper than the newer ones.Right now .So people will prefer to gettting older series rather than newer one .

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ceres Newbie

ceres

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They couldn't care less, I would say. :lol:

I was just wondering...........Is Sony in a profit situation with their Walkman range? Does anyone know anything about this.?

No I don´t know but given the fact that they still sell a lot in Asia and their products come with a price premium I´d think they are profitable.

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andrewh13 Newbie

andrewh13

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Welcome to AtracLife !

I can understand your feelings ,but if they release Firmware for A8xx series ,then there will be no difference b/w A818 and A808 and since old series is much cheaper than the newer ones.Right now .So people will prefer to gettting older series rather than newer one .

Dabs today, A808 - £171, A818 - £118!

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pomj Newbie

pomj

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Hi and welcome to ATRAC Life

Indeed the the A818 is selling cheaper than the older A808. Can't see the logic in it my self :unsure:

I think they are simply adjusting the price. The price was initially quite high (when I bought mine) because there was not so much competition. Then when apple introduced their new nano everybody is adjusting their prices accordingly. Sony is not alone. For example cowon and iriver are doing the same...

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markey Newbie

markey

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Okay. Will you been able to take a look at one and see what features are missing or extra.

Shinji, I will check this week for you

I think they are simply adjusting the price. The price was initially quite high (when I bought mine) because there was not so much competition. Then when apple introduced their new nano everybody is adjusting their prices accordingly. Sony is not alone. For example cowon and iriver are doing the same...

Yep, I think your quite right.

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bryue Newbie

bryue

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I personally don't think that they will release a firmware, otherwise, it'd cannibalize the sale of the A818 for countries that has the A808 already.

In my local Sony Store in Canada, they don't even have the A810 series in their shelves, they only carry the S610 series.

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Ascariss Newbie

Ascariss

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the new 8 gig a8xx is not at sonystyle, according to the sony canada press release it doesn't look like it will be sold here

Pricing and Availability

The NWZ-S610 series of Walkman music players come in three different capacities and four colors:

The NWZ-S615F player has a total capacity of 2GB; comes in black; pink; and silver and costs about $140.

The NWZ-S616F player has a total capacity of 4GB; comes in black; pink; silver and red and costs about $180.

– The red model is exclusive to the Sony store and www.sonystyle.ca

The NWZ-S618F player has a total capacity of 8GB; comes in black and silver and costs about $250.

The NWZ-A810 series of Walkman music players come in two different capacities and three colours:

The NWZ-A815 player has a total capacity of 2GB; comes in black and costs about $170.

The NWZ-A816 player has a total capacity of 4GB; comes in black; silver and pink and costs about $200.

The NWZ-A810 series will be available exclusively online at www.sonystyle.ca and at Sony stores across Canada later this Fall

The NWZ-B100 series of Walkman music players come in 2GB capacity and three colors: black; white; and violet and costs about $100

The Walkman NWZ-S610 series and NWZ-B100 series will be available in September online at www.sonystyle.ca, and across the country at the Sony store retail stores, and authorized dealers.

looks like I will have to wait for my new mp3 player purchase, either wait for the new 900 series to be sold here or eventually buy the 8 gig model from the US. In addition it is not worth buying an mp3 player in canada anymore, with our dollar even with the US dollar, it would be smarter to hope accross the border and buy an 8 gig a series for the same price as the 4 gig up here.

smooth move sony canada, really helping out the customer with choice.

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bryue Newbie

bryue

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I'm pretty much in the same boat as you, Ascariss.

I recently sent my PSP to Sony for repair. Now I can't listen to music anymore when I'm outside.

I would love to wait for the A900 series but I expect it to be much more expensive.

I would also love to hop to the US and grab a 8GB but now isn't a good time for me because of University

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shaft69 Newbie

shaft69

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I would love to wait for the A900 series but I expect it to be much more expensive.

You can still wait for the NW-A900 series I am not sure that Sony will release that series in the US or in Europe because the NW-A900 serie support atrac and sony of America and Sony Europe just gave up atrac and Sonicstage... maybe a NWZ-A910 series without atrac but it sucks because I love atrac

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pata2001 Newbie

pata2001

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I'll show my loyalty by using old walkman lol the new sucks they don't support atrac if I have to return to mp3 I don't have to stay with SONY they don't do the right choice

LOL :D How ironic. With MD, 1st gen HiMD, early Network Walkmen, HD1, everybody was saying how they suck because they only supported Atrac. It goes in full circle now. :D

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