Can't take the sweat? Get out of the gym.
(Credit: CBS Interactive/Corinne Schulze)Update: W-Series Walkman owners experiencing an issue with their players can visit the Sony help site for more information. It appears the issue is only affecting devices within a certain serial number range, so not all products should have the problem.
Original post: The Sony W-Series Walkman is an MP3 player built into a set of earbuds, which feature modules resembling Bluetooth headsets connected by a flexible neckband that loops over the back of the ears and behind the head. The design is undeniably innovative, and the player's ultralight weight and lack of headphone wires does appear to make it ideal for active applications. And in fact, I found this Walkman to be quite handy at the gym during my testing for the review. However, several Sony customers have logged complaints that the device isn't actually sweat-resistant, a rather important feature for any fitness-friendly gadget.
The main complaint is that the Walkman has a tendency to short out after just one or two particularly sweaty workouts. Volume gets wonky, or the music just refuses to play back altogether. In some cases, the player's Zappin feature will turn on and off on its own. Although our review unit did not suffer from such problems, and not all users have experienced the issue, there has been enough negative feedback to warrant a response from Sony, which is just what I solicited after receiving a couple of e-mails on the topic. Below is the company's reply...rather canned, if you ask me, but at least it's something.
Sony makes every effort to ensure that its products not only meet its own strict quality standards, but also support a positive customer experience.
Recently, there have been comments made about the W series Walkman (NWZ-W202), which has been available for purchase in the US and Europe since April 2009. These comments involved a small number of W series Walkmans reportedly malfunctioning following exposure to sweat or other liquids.
We take all customer feedback seriously, so we have implemented additional safeguards to promote sweat/moisture resistance. We are confident that these measures will ensure all W series Walkman models support increased customer satisfaction and meet our high quality standards.
Sony will provide information for contacting Sony Customer Support and replacement unit availability by Tuesday, June 30. We sincerely apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.
Sony promised to supply me with a customer support link as soon as it is up and running. I will post that here when I receive it.
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Apple's iPod Touch is one of highest-rated MP3 players on CNET, but it's also one of the most expensive, starting at $230. That's a lot of money to drop on an MP3 player, especially when a touch-screen competitor like the Samsung P3 delivers many of the same features as the Touch for about $80 less. The price difference is dramatic, but it's unclear whether the Touch is suffering from an inflated ego, or if the P3's price is too good to be true.
To determine which of these touch-screen, music- and video-playing portable beauties is really worth your time and money, we've subjected each device to five rounds of criticism from three of our toughest judges. So let's stretch those fingers, and break out the good headphones, because the battle of CNET's top touch-screen media players is about to begin.
Donald and Jasmine bow to listener pressures and dedicate (almost) an entire episode to Bluetooth. On deck: a description of A2DP Bluetooth technology in detail, some fascinating info about the iPod Touch/iPhone's partially crippled BT functionality, and product shout-outs for Bluetooth-capable headphones and MP3 players. Also, consider yourselves warned: the hosts spend several minutes discussing the ousted "porn" app that was released in the iTunes App Store last week (not overly explicit).
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Apple's iTunes software makes it dead-simple to copy music onto your iPod, but when it comes to moving files in the opposite direction--from the iPod to your computer--there's no obvious solution. I get an e-mail on this topic at least once a week, usually from someone who's had his laptop stolen or watched helplessly as his hard drive crashed. After an incident like that, it can be a relief to know your music collection (or at least part of it) is backed up on an iPod.
Of course, relief can quickly turn to frustration when you plug that iPod into a new computer and can't figure out how to grab those files. Worse yet, iTunes will sometimes prompt you to erase the iPod if it's not recognized. Saying yes will only end in tears.
To be fair, iTunes isn't completely useless when it comes to pulling media off your iPod. Under the iTunes File menu, there's an option for "Transfer Purchases From iPod" that will work to pull any content purchased through the iTunes Store back to your computer. It's a nice place to start, but to get the rest of your content off your iPod, you'll need to download some additional software.
There are two, very useful, and very free applications out there that will transfer the rest of your music, videos, playlists, and metadata off your iPod and back to your computer. In truth, there are dozens of programs that can accomplish the same thing, but for the sake of simplicity, we'll stick with these two since they're free, easy to use, and work with all models of iPods and iPhones.
Depending on the type of computer you're transferring to, download Pod to Mac or Pod to PC from Download.com. If you're looking to get photos off your iPod, go ahead and download Pod Photo Transfer (PC only), as well.
To see how the process works, CNET's Tom Merrit made a handy video that walks you through the steps for retrieving files from an iPhone. The process is identical for iPods, so don't feel left out when Tom says "iPhone"--just overdub it in your mind with the iPod model of your choice. For a few extra iPod media transfer tips, check out our CNET slideshow.
The MP3 CD is the awkward love-child of audio CDs and MP3 players--a missing link from an era when the cheapest iPod still cost $300 and portable CD players were still the norm. Still, the format never went gangbusters, even in its heyday.
These days, even though MP3 CDs can be played on many recent models of DVD players, bookshelf audio systems, portable CD players, and aftermarket car stereos, most people are still pretty clueless about the format. It's really too bad, since the MP3/CD hybrid offers some practical advantages over standalone MP3 players like the iPod (no charging, easy to replace, no expensive cables to worry about).
Making an MP3 CD is easier than you think. All you need is a blank CD, a collection of MP3s, a computer with a writable CD drive, and five minutes. To see how it's done, check out my video tutorial and slideshow on burning your own MP3 CD.
Napster has come a long way since its inception as a file-sharing service 10 years ago, and there is little doubt that without it, Rhapsody wouldn't exist--at least not in the form we enjoy today. Now, thanks largely to the fact that most competing services gave up on the game and passed their subscribers over to the two remaining companies, these music subscription companies are rulers of the roost when it comes to paid streaming. But who will come out on top when we pit Napster and Rhapsody against each other in five bone-shaking rounds? Read on for the answer.
Donald and Jasmine discuss whether it's worth it for first-gen iPod owners to update to the latest software. Also, Sony takes the time to address concerns about its supposedly fitness-friendly W-Series Walkman not being so friendly for those who tend to sweat during workouts, and the hosts touch on yet another gadget aimed at active lifestyles: a wireless speaker that mounts onto the handles of a bike. Plus, JBL and Roxy team up to produce a series of headphones made specifically with surfer girls in mind, right down to the bright Cali colors. Finally, we address some listener e-mails and play at least one voicemail that we haven't all heard before.
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Q: Recently I have been considering a new pair of headphones because I am getting quite tired of the standard Apple earphones that the iPods come with. I have three products in mind, and I am having trouble deciding which one is the best choice. They include the Bose QuietComfort 3, the Beats by Dr. Dre, and the Shure SE530. As you can tell, they aren't the cheapest ones out there, but price at this point really isn't an issue. Which one out of the three is the most comfortable, has the best audio quality, and is the most durable; again, price really isn't a factor. Thank you very much for your help. -- John, via e-mail.
A: Comfort is a very personal thing, especially when you are comparing such different styles of headphones--in this case, an in-ear canalphone, an on-ear (supra-aural) set, and a full-size (circumaural) pair. Personally, I think they all offer excellent sound quality, although my personal preference probably pushes the Shure to the top with the Bose very slightly under that and then the Monster Beats very slightly beneath those. In any case, you are going to get great audio quality, so narrowing it down will probably come to comfort.
The safest bets in terms of comfort are probably the on-ear style (Bose) and the full-size set (Beats), but here I would eliminate the Beats because I noticed a slight rattle in the right earcup (where the noise-cancellation module is) whenever I walked around with the headphones on. Although it's only a minor annoyance, this leads me to think that Monster needs to fine-tune the design of those headphones before they are a sure-fire winner. Also, some people find that full-size cans make their ears sweat, which can lead to discomfort.
By process of elimination, that leaves us with the Bose, though if you have average-to-large size ears and are looking for something very compact, you would probably be quite satisfied with the Shures as well. However, the large earpieces will not fit all listeners comfortably.
MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature in which I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)
Many users laud iTunes for its easy-to-use interface and seamless integration with the iPod, but the digital-music jukebox isn't perfect. One of the chief complaints about the software is its inability to automatically monitor folders for new music. Not that adding new music in the program is difficult--simply open it up, click File, then select Add Folder to Library.
But going through this process each time you add music to a folder on your hard drive can be tedious, especially if you organize your digital media in various locations. Wouldn't it be much simpler if you could monitor exactly the folders you want (and none of the ones you don't) by just opening an app? Even better: let the software do it automatically in the background and you won't even need to lift a finger after the initial setup. This tutorial will help you do just that.
Cost: Free, but a one-time 7.50 Euro registration fee will be required for truly automatic monitoring
Level: Beginner
Time commitment: 5 to 10 minutes to set up folders
System requirements: Windows
TuneWiki is one of the most ambitious social music projects we've seen. It is part licensed lyrics spooler for your own songs and for streaming YouTube videos, and part network--you can see where else in the world other TuneWiki users are playing your track. What began as an Android app created for Google's Android Developer Challenge (and finished as one of 10 winners) grew into a Web site and is, as of Monday, a Windows Media Player plug-in.
TuneWiki for Windows Media Player has a few flubs and flaws, but on average, the lyrics and music maps add the utility and interest to make the free application a helpful addition to Windows Media Player.
Those familiar with TuneWiki's Web site will see the similarities right away. TuneWiki's interface reskins Windows Media Player's 'Now Playing' window. The top half of the screen displays either a music map of where else in the world songs are playing, a YouTube video, album art, or top songs nearby, depending on if you're playing a song from your library, watching a YouTube video through TuneWiki, or browsing the map.
The bottom half of the screen, below the ad space, is where you'll see the available lyrics stream, plus commands to translate into other languages, help TuneWiki resync the song, and expose the scroll bar for manual lyrics perusal.
The unskinned Windows Media Player playlist forms the right side bar unless you banish it. We suggest you don't--you may have a harder time queuing songs if you do.
(Credit: CNET/Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt)TuneWiki has its share of rough edges. Some tools aren't immediately intuitive, like the resyncing button. Instead of clicking it to have the song resync itself, you click it, then click each line of the song as it plays to help TuneWiki time the lyrics more accurately. Unless you're an approved editor, your version of the time-synced lyrics will be stored locally, but may not make it into TuneWiki's larger database.
Also not obvious is the fact that only approved editors can edit existing lyrics. A text notice on the editor-only area would wipe away potential confusion and frustration. Anyone, however, can add lyrics to TuneWiki's wiki if there aren't any to begin with. (You can apply to be an editor at forums.tunewiki.com. TuneWiki currently tallies abut 1,500 editors.)
Some other issues we encountered were performance-based or preference-related. We'd like the size of the YouTube video to be adjustable, for instance. If the YouTube video stops, as it did once during testing, we want to refresh it without closing and reopening the app. When searching for songs, we'd like a more elegant display of the artist and album information returned in the results. TuneWiki's plug-in is good enough to use on its own, but in a few iterations from now, after a scrub-up, it should be even more promising.
Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.
