If you absolutely have to be the first person on your block (or city for that matter) to get the new Sony NW-HD1, you're in luck and out $570. DAP Review has discovered that Japanes retailer Audio Cubes has them and will ship worldwide.
Announced just a few weeks ago, the NW-HD1 Network Walkman has a 20GB capacity and sizes up at a relatively tiny 3.5"x2.4"x0.55", compared with the iPod at 4.1"x2.4"x0.62". Unfortunately, it does not directly play MP3 and WMA music. Sony has its own DRM format, ATRAC3, the only format the device plays. MP3s you want to put on the player have to be converted to ATRAC3 format first, degrading the quality of the sound in the process.
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Sony Debuts Another New Network Walkman