Sony Unveils the Android Based Walkman Z PMP. We Have Specs

by Sohrab Osati | Sep 13, 2011 | 3 comments
Sohrab Osati

Only a mere two weeks ago did we discuss the idea of Sony turning their then prototype Walkman Mobile Entertainment Player into a full fledge Apple iPod Touch competitor. If our poll was any indication, a majority of you are ready for a proper competitor for the iPod Touch with Sony hardware and Android software. Now, Sony is making this idea a reality with the Walkman Z and they’ve got a whole suit of features that will make the most diehard fans of any device give the Sony Walkman Z a second look.

The Walkman Z series is housing some of the latest features and technology from the Android world. Behind the Android Gingerbread 2.3 OS lies 512MB of RAM, a 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and a 4.3-inch LCD screen (480×800).  After the jump, you can find full specs, price, pictures, and an overview of the Sony Walkman Z.

For specs fantastics, there is plenty to marvel when it comes to the Sony Walkman Z. The specs include:

  • Android Gingerbread 2.3 OS
  • 512MB of RAM
  • 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor
  • 4.3-inch LCD screen (480×800)
  • Mini-HDMI
  • DLNA
  • WM-Port/Mini-USB)
  • Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 2.1
  • GPS
  • Gyroscope
From the specs above, it’s easy to see why the Walkman Z is one powerful iPod Touch like device for Sony and the Android community. Powered by Android 2.3, the Walkman Z is capable of fully accessing the Android Market and using any of the thousands of apps available. With features like Touschscreen, GPS, and Gyroscope, this means that all apps from games to maps will work without any form of modification needed. Music and video lovers will also be pleased with the Walkman Z which can do more then just apps. Sound enhancements and video playback includes:
  • Digital noise canceling
  • Built-in S-Master MX digital amplifier
  • Music codec support: MP3, WMA, ATRAC, ATRAC Advanced Lossless, Linear PCM, AAC, and HE-AAC.
  • 1080p/30fps through AVC/H.264 (10Mbps)
  • MPEG-4 (.mp4, .m4v at 18Mbps)
  • WMV (20Mbps) videos
  •  Clear Audio Technologies Mode (Clear Bass, Clear Stereo, and DSEE)
With the mini HDMI and headphone out, all video and music on the device can be played back through any home theater system. The Walkman Z will also be the first Sony device to feature their “Throw” technology, based on DLNA which acts as a competitor to Apple’s Airplay, allowing you to wirelessly stream music and video to other DLNA compatible devices. Preinstalled apps on the Walkman Z will include Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Talk, a calculator, audio recorder and others.

Featuring a 20 hour battery life for music and 5 hour video playback, the Sony Walkman Z will come in black, red and a limited to Sony Store violet edition. Launching this December 10th in Japan, the 16GB NW-Z1050 is priced at 28,000 yen ($363), the 32GB NW-Z1060 is about 33,000 yen ($428), and the 64GB NW-Z1070 is about 43,000 yen ($558). No words yet on when Europe and North America will receive this device but we can confirm that they will be headed to those territories.

[Via Cnet]