OFFICIAL......NO Firmware Upgrade...read!

[aob9]

I hate to have to do this but you will see below a direct copy and paste of a query I sent to SONY IRELAND together with their reply. I received this by email today!!!!!!Can somebody please tell me what the hell is going on here???????????

My Query

In the light of Sony's plans to ditch ATRAC, SonicStage and Connect music

store I think it is only fair that they provide a firmware upgrade to

allow the most recent Walkman products (e.g the NW-A80* series) to be

compatible with Windows Media Player. I recently invested in this product

including cradle and charger, only to find that it is already 'old

technology'.I hope, like others, that Sony show respect for their

customers and do the decent thing!!!!

Regards,

A hopeful Sony Customer.

Sony Ireland's response ( note the SONY UNITED KINGDOM undersigning )

Dear Mr O'Brien

Thank you for your recent enquiry to Sony.

I am very pleased to learn that you own one of our walkmans but am sorry to read of the difficulties that you have been experiencing.

With regards to this I have checked for you and can confirm that there are currently no plans to create a firmware update which will allow these players to sync with Windows Media Player. As you have specified these walkmans require the file to be in ATRAC format to be playable.

Technological advancements are made on a daily basis, whilst products take many months of design before they are be produced. It is therefore unfortunately inherent in all consumer technology that it will be exceeded and become outdated at a very rapid speed.

I hope that you will find this information useful. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours Sincerely

Adam Callow

For and on behalf of

Sony United Kingdom

[matty84]

Firstly....relax!! A sony representative called me following my query assuring me of a firmware update int he "near future" to allow WMP11 etc functionality. i would imagine your email did not end up at the right place and you got fed wrong information.

Now breathe again

[p0rkch0p2007]

what the hell is going on with sony!!! does anyone no what on earth is going on at that company anymore???? i understand its the ireland branch and not from sony us or japan but u wud think that they would all no what was going on as he said it takes months for players to be designed before they are produced so surely sony knew when they released the a808's that the new players were in the pipeline!!! if it is true that we are not gonna get a firmware update then sony can kiss my a$$, and i will get another dap from someone else. i think you are gonna find people will be fed differing stories from all sony branches until there is some sort of official statement, so i will hang on and wait and see.

Edited September 13, 2007 by p0rkch0p2007

[navsimpson]

The rep also says that the player only plays ATRAC, which is obviously wrong - maybe s/he just doesn't know?

[pomj]

Here in sweden they are marketing them as two different branches of the same product. One with play for sure and one with atrac.

[p0rkch0p2007]

yeah they have the same thing on the sony uk site. that is what makes me think that they wont be releasing an update. maybe i'm wrong but it does seem strange that they are advertising them as separate players (like offering you a choice, an atrac player or an open player). time will tell on this one im afraid.

[cc@mp0s.cl]

yeah, relax man... If there is a new firmware release, someone will share it through the net if other don't have the update...