Pre-orders have begun in the US for the Walkman X, Sony's iPod Touch rival.
The OLED touch screen MP3 player will cost $299.99 for the 16 GB version and $399.99 for the 32 GB model. Sony's pre-order page says the players will ship "on or about" June 20. Pre-orders are also available on Amazon.com -- 5 cents cheaper for some reason -- with free shipping.
In the UK, the Walkman X went on sale this week, for £209 and £270 for the 16 GB and 32 GB models, respectively.
We've covered the Walkman X before, and even broke down the differences between it and the iPod Touch. In short, the Walkman X has an FM tuner, noise cancellation and a podcast direct downloader. It also features volume and command buttons for controling the player from your pocket. The iPod Touch brings the mighty App store, complete with games and other diversions. It's worth noting that in coming to the US, the Walkman X price has been scaled down to match the iPod Touch.
One feature that hasn't previously been mentioned is the new Walkman's Slacker radio player. Like the iPod's player, the Walkman X uses Wi-Fi to pull down the music, but with a key distinction: While connected, the Walkman caches the music, so listeners can tune in to Slacker even when there are no hotspots around, CNet reports.
The Walkman X's lack of third-party apps is certainly a downside, but people who just want the music might find this MP3 player most suitable.
