Sony NW-S203 (1GB)

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Sony NW-S200

When info about Sony's NW-S200 Sports Walkman leaked onto the Web back in July, I was quick to lean on the company's PR team to get the inside scoop. It took many patient weeks of waiting to get my hands on an actual review unit of the fitness-minded MP3 player, hoping in the interim Sony might possible address its SonicStage jukebox software. Unfortunately, that was not to be, but the sleek little NW-S200 serves as a reminder that Sony can at least get the hardware right.

I can't get over how much the NW-S200 looks like a cigar in person (smoking it, however, is highly inadvisable). At 3.8 by 0.6 inches and formed in a cylinder, the player is nearly identical in both size and shape to the smaller cigars available on the market. It's also quite light, weighing in at just under an ounce. The player is available in 1GB (NW-S203, $120) and 2GB (NW-S205, $150) capacities. Both models are black and feature identical brushed-aluminum construction. Like the NW-E400, this player's main controller is a multifunction knob situated on the end of device. Next to this knob are the Play/Pause key, the volume rocker, and the mode button, then the single-line OEL display, which features brightly lit (and easy to read) light-colored text on a dark background. As with many current Sony MP3 players, including the NW-A1200, the screen is protected beneath the outer layer of the device.

Navigating the NW-S200 is pretty straightforward, and certainly more intuitive than with the NW-E000. The mode button takes you to the main menu, where you can select from several icon-based options. Twisting the aforementioned knob flips through the selections: search, sports mode, stopwatch, all songs, FM, playlist, and settings. If you push the knob all the way in toward the player, it activates the hold function; if you pull it all the way out, you can use it to navigate by album. (In the neutral position, it scrubs through tracks.)

One look at the NW-S200's extras immediately reveals its athletic intention. The player is packaged with an armband and sport-style earbuds. And it's water resistant, so it can withstand sweat and even rainfall. But the star of the show is the built-in G-Sensor, which allows you to use the NW-S200 as a pedometer. Of course, you can also input your height, weight, age, and stride so that the player will keep track of calories burned. And there's a built-in stopwatch with interval capability, which will automatically stop your music when a time-related goal has been reached. In sports mode, a short push of the mode button let's you shuttle between steps taken, calories burned, and time remaining. Unfortunately, while I found this data to be accurate in testing (using a treadmill), I'm not sure how useful it will be--Sony once again fails to note the importance of software. No program for tracking your fitness (à la the Nike + iPod) is included with the player, nor does Sony point the user in the direction of an appropriate third-party application. Sure, it's nice to have these features on paper, but in practice, it's a bit disappointing. (Still interested in this player? Check out our Tips section for ideas on how to track your progress.)