To complement the new NW-E00x series, Sony Japan yesterday announced a new series of accessories for its latest WALKMAN. The new accessories will be available for retail sale in Japan beginning June 10, 2006. Product info, after the jump..

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Have you ever lost precious photographs or data files stored on a Memory Stick? Yes? Well, in just a few simple steps you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you may have a chance to recover what you thought was forever gone. 

Sony Europe’s Recording Media & Energy (RME) division today announced the launch of its new Memory Stick Data Rescue Service. The service enables recovery of photography and data files which, once stored on a Memory Stick have been lost or deleted. The File Rescue software is free and can be downloaded as of May 25, 2006 from the Sony’s support site.

This online tool requires customers to register the Memory Stick model name and serial number before download of the recovery software can begin. The easy to use Memory Stick File Rescue software can recover .jpg (DCF format), MPEG1 and .mp4 (MS Video File Format) files and in addition, is also capable of restoring most office data files including PowerPoint and Word documents. Once the Memory Stick is plugged in, the software guides the user through seven straightforward steps, during which the files are verified, recovered and resaved.
 
Note: The Memory Stick File Rescue software is compatible with all Sony Memory Stick cards sold since 1998. The success of the file recovery is dependent on the state of the data and whether or not it has been overwritten.
 

Sony today released the firmware upgrade for Network Walkmans NW-E002F/E003F/E005F. The firmware update is of version 2.01 and amount to approximately 4,534KB.

Models Affected: NW-E002F/E003F/E005F

DOWNLOAD LINK: Sony Asia Pacific (4,534KB)

NEW FEATURES:

• Playback of AAC format* on the Network Walkman is available. It enables the transfer of AAC file on SonicStage CP 4.0 without converting to ATRAC format.
  *Note: Below is the format of the AAC file which can be played back with the Network Walkman:
  - AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
  - Sampling frequency: 11.025/12/16/22.05/24/32/44.1/48 kHz
  - Bit rate: 16 – 320 kbps, VBR(Variable Bit Rate) is supported.
  - AAC file which is copy protected or encrypted one cannot be played back.
  - It is not guaranteed that all AAC files can be played back even if the above conditions are met.

For Installation Instructions: Please read here

NW-A608/A607/A605 Firmware Update 2.01

A new firmware update for the NW-A608/A607/A605 is available for download as of May 25, 2006 from Sony Japan. The firmware update is of version 2.01 and amount to approximately 6,723KB.

NEW FEATURE ADDED:

• New “Flower2” display screen
• Fixed display issue – from “FUNCTION LIMITED” to “SIMPLE Mode” – when device is connected to the NETJUKE systems (NAS-M7HD/D5HD/M7HDS)

DOWNLOAD LINK: Sony Japan

Installation Instructions: click here

SonicStage CP 4.0 has finally arrived! As mentioned in our previous report, the new SonicStage CP 4.0 includes full support for features exclusive to the WALKMAN A Series. Therefore, we were hoping Sony will finally make SonicStage a fully unicode software since it’s been tweaked to support the WALKMAN A Series. Unfortunately, unicode support has yet to be implemented with this update. On the bright side, it is already apparent that there is a substantial increase in the navigational speed, especially in previously laggy areas such as ‘My Library’. Accordingly, SonicStage CP 4.0 now supports the following WALKMAN devices:

• Hi-MD Walkman
• Net MD Walkman
• NW-E series
• NW-A series
• NW-HD series
• NW-M S Series
• ATRAC CD Walkman

DOWNLOAD LINKS: Sony Japan | Sony Europe | Sony USA | Sony Asia-Pacific | JEB

NEW FEATURES/IMPROVEMENTS:

• Support for the Walkman A series. 
• Recording and playback support for AAC format – encode and transfer 3GP/MP4/M4A at 80-320kbps.
• AAC tunes in SonicStage CP can be transferred directly to the NW-A3000/A1200/A1000 without converting them to ATRAC format.
  Note:
  a. Firmware version 3.0 is required for this feature. –> click here for more details
  b. Copyright protected AAC files cannot be played back
• Artist Link function is now available on SonicStage CP 4.0.  
• Full support of Intelligent features exclusive to the Walkman A series.
• Selectable background image. 

MODULE VERSION

SonicStage : 4.0.00.05080
SonicStage Add-on for Personal Audio Download : 4.0.01.05160
OpenMG Secure Module : 4.5.01.04270
MagicGate Memory Stick Device : 4.5.01.04270
NW-E2, NW-E3, NW-E5 and NW-E8P : 4.5.01.04270
OpenMG CD : 4.5.01.04270
M.S. PRO : 4.5.01.04270
CD Walkman : 4.5.01.04270
ATRAC Audio Device with Intelligent function : 4.5.01.04270
Hi-MD : 4.5.01.04270
Music Clip, NW-S4, NW-E7 and NW-E10 : 4.5.01.04270
ATRAC Audio Device : 4.5.01.04270
Net MD : 4.5.01.04270
EMD Plug-in : 1.2.0.9
CD-R 書き込みモジュール(Audio CD/ATRAC CD/MP3 CD) : 4.0.01.05160
Px Engine : 2.7.33.500

Finally, the much anticipated firmware update that enables AAC support for the NW-A1000/1200/3000 is now available for download. The firmware update is of version 3.00 and amount to approximately:

1) NW-A1000 - 6,037KB
2) NW-A1200 - 6,037KB
3) NW-A3000 - 6,038KB

DOWNLOAD Links:

Japan/Asia-Pacific/Europe: NW-A3000 | NW-A1200 | NW-A1000

NEW FEATURE ENABLED:

• Playing back with AAC format* is available without any format change. Therefore, AAC format files in SonicStage CP can be transferred without converting them to ATRAC format.
  *Note:
  i. Sampling frequency: 11.025/12/16/22.05/24/32/44.1/48kHz
  ii. Supported bit rates: 16 - 320 kbps, VBR (Variable Bit Rate).
  iii. Copyright protected AAC files cannot be played back. In addition, it is not guaranteed that all of AAC files can be played back even if the above conditions are met.
• The Artist Link Shuffle mode is added to the Intelligent Shuffle.
• The clock display and calendar display functions are added. If CONNECT Player or SonicStage CP is used, the unit clock synchronizes to the computer when the Network Walkman is connected to the software.
• The screen saver is selectable.
• Group +/- can be operated using the compatible stick controller (RM-MC35ELK). Playback can be adjusted to the beginning of the first track in the previous or next group from the current group, regardless of the starting position or the playmode.
  It is also possible to move to the first track of the group in Playlist, Bookmark, Trash Bin and Favorite 100.

IMPROVEMENTS

• The sorting order is based on the album track number rather than alphabetical order when Artist ALL is selected from the Artist tree of the List search.
• The animation design which appears while the HDD is accessed is changed.
• The resume track information reset is prohibited with the recharge operation.

Sony Japan announced today of a new VAIO Bluetooth Audio Remote Controller for its WALKMAN product – the VGP-BRM1D/B. Bear in mind that the VGP-BRM1D/B will only be released as an exclusive SonyStyle (Japan) item on May 23 for 14,800 yen; pre-orders beginning May 16. NOTE: a standard VAIO issue – VGP-BRM1 – will also be available (in both black and white color) for sale on May 27 with an expected retail price of 9,800 yen. However, the standard version lacks the WALKMAN feature. Only the VGP-BRM1D/B supports WALKMAN feature.

The device essentially enables wireless playback control of your favorite WALKMAN (MD/HDD/CD) and it supports cellular phone equipped with Bluetooth feature (BT version 2.0) corresponding to A2DP, AVRCP, HSP or HFP profiles. In addition to these features, the VGP-BRM1D/B also offers wireless control of multimedia software such as Windows Media Player, WinDVD and of course SonicStage via Bluetooth connection with your favorite VAIO* system (*with Bluetooth support). Read the rest of this entry »