From Cnet:

Vaio Pocket--a device described by Sony as the "iPod killer." The device offers a storage capacity of about 13,000 songs in a 20GB hard disk. The music player can handle tunes in the MP3, Windows Media and WAV formats, as well as ATRAC3, which is the company's proprietary format. The music can be transferred from Windows PC via USB, and the device can run continually for 20 hours. Besides holding and playing music, the portable device connects to a digital camera and can display photos on its 2.2-inch QVGA color screen.

One of the new devices--the Vaio Pocket--will be the first portable music player with an embedded hard drive to be sold under the Sony name when it hits stores in Japan next month. Overseas launch dates have not been set, the company said.

Industry watchers say Sony will struggle to gain a stronger footing in the fast-growing online-music industry, now dominated by Apple. Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple has nearly 50 percent of the market for digital MP3 music players, thanks to the iPod's success.

The company recently challenged Apple's iTunes music store with its new Sony Connect service, but some analysts have said Sony also needs a device to counter the iPod.

Still, even after the launch of the Vaio Pocket, some observers were skeptical.

"In terms of actually attacking Apple, it's only a start. I don't see any major shakedown in the industry right now," said John Yang, Standard & Poor's equity analyst. "I just don't see how Sony could really turn the whole thing upside down with iPod."

You can see what the player looks like here.

Is every new Hard Drive player to be distributed now going to be called the "iPod Killer"? This thing looks and sounds cool but I'll let you all in on a little secret. I'm actual working on a secret "iPod Killer" fro Dmusic, it consists of a 40 gig mini hard drive connected to a 5 pound red brick and what you do is just slam the brick on to any iPod and voila, your iPod is dead!

Sorry to break it to everyone, but the Rio products, Archos, and RCA, and others have already Killed the IPOD, The IPOD doesn't hold the space that others do.

Sony will probably will have a durable device but willing to say the thing will most likely be difficult to use due to restrictions

apple is dominating the online music industry? Well I hardly consider 75 million songs in one year dominating.

To kill an ipod you need to be able to use the device like a hard drive. Meaning that you can transfer files directly between devices via a usb cable.

raoulduke1,
Archos, RCA, Rio, and others aleady do that and Much more! Others play videos, or MP4's, not to be rude, but the IPOD isn't that big of a deal anymore, but i see the media has a good strong hold on promoting it.

Let me clarify, to the best of my knowledge they can transfer files from Computer to Device.

compmore
apple is dominating the online music industry? Well I hardly consider 75 million songs in one year dominating.

So they say, they had that many downloads. Maybe, maybe notttttttt.
They wouldn't lie now. Would they?

not Steve Jobs.... NO........

Headlines could have been ...

Sony introduces "Ipod Killer", sues Chippewa Falls High School

What a PR mess that would have made

I thought we were boycotting Sony. Guess not.

Hmm... how about an RIAA Killer? Something along the lines of the ebola virus but with a copyright? ;-P

Wow 20 gigs of illegally downloaded/shared/copyrighted material on one machine. Maybe Sony will sue itself!

This unit is rather clunky, there are better systems out there.

It ain't no walkman, a far cry from it.

"Wow 20 gigs of illegally downloaded/shared/copyrighted material on one machine. Maybe Sony will sue itself!"

Why not? It happened once. Sony Entertainment sued Sony Electronics for making CD burners...

"Why not? It happened once. Sony Entertainment sued Sony Electronics for making CD burners..."

And then the head of Sony, Homer somebody, said, "Doh!" and called off the lawsuit.

But they'll probably try to sell tunes in ATRAC3, which will probably be DRM'd in some way, and you'll have another incompatible format out there to cause headaches. MP3 is the standard, boys. Learn it. Live it.

this would be good for riding. Presently, I have 128M of storage in my watch, and a dongle that lets me plug in to listen. I run the wires up my sleeve and I'm on the road in less than a minute. If this thing is as good as they say, I could put it in my inside pocket and cruise for hours!
Beyond that, I'll have to wait till I can put my hands on it before I say much else. I don't mind clunky, it's B I G that I have a prob with.
yes, we are boycotting sony..but I thought that was sonyMUSIC, not sonyElectronics? I just bought a clie handheld, so I guess I'm not on the same truck as everyone else.
ttmmm

*Is one of those lurkers in the woodwork that watches this place every day*

I use the Neuros Audio player, which is alot more open than anything I know of in terms of music players... Heck, you can take the whole thing apart and stick a standard 80 gb laptop hard drive in e.e

http://www.neurosaudio.com/

*hides back into lurker world.. noting his old login no longer works.. had to make new one*

Sony's products usually have very good hardware, but are saddled with nasty over drmed software that fucks up what coulda been a good machine.

Apple is leading the industry in that area. Despite what you may they, they sell a hell of a lot of ipods in a year.

To kill an iPod is easy: Sell something that does the same thing or more for less than half the price. That's such a no-brainer since the iPod is so ridiculously high priced, I'm surprised they sell ANY models of it!

Make one that has a 60-80meg HD that allows you to use it like a letter drive on your PC for $150 and you'll kill the iPod so fast Apple would go out of business.

iRiver's products appear to be a better value than iPod or the Vaio. Especially the iHP 120.

http://www.iriveramerica.com/

the ipods battery get buggered after about 6 months if you recharge it the time, believe i know you cant buy another battery

the iPod is the only thing thats keeping apple around today anyways, and what with everything having a i in it, they need something new

i personally like the ipod, why you guys diss it? i guess it is old now, btu it;s still a very nice machine, has the best sound quality.

if i were a rich kid, i'd buy it. as i am not, i'll leave it for others.

I just want to say "OGG" for no real reason. Why? Because I can without having to pay someone to.

Oh, I guess that IS a reason.

ipods are cool, coolness is a culture thing. Half price, forget it, full price, get it. so what if it dosen't work with my mac laptop. i can just stare at it and stroke it's furry skin. i think i've gone off subject....erm. mom ma help.

I picked up the iRiver ihp-120

ah, i guess i'll just stick to my good old cd player. how much do one of these things go for newayz.

I don't actually know anyone who owns an ipod or any type of analog

Don't you know that iPod is already dead?

Ipods are so dumb


I'd rather pay the same price($400)for an RCA Jukebox than a stupid basic ipod.

The RCA jukebox is like the ruler of all mp3 players. It plays videos, displays pics, plays mp3s, Records adio(i think), and has an fm radio(i think).

I dono bout this sony thing though....if i was ya'll i'd stick to RCA.....i have for about a year now and the service they give you is nice.

-Josh

The reason why Apple's winning is because of its simplicity or ease of use, not the number of features, not the "oh if its more then this does!" its usage. That's what makes the product quality. Just beaing small doesn't make it good. People these days tend to think small = better because it fits in the pocket, there is a LIMIT to how small things could get. If it's too small.... wouldn't you lose it more often? Unless you have an extremely clean room....

Consumers often don't think when buying, companines offer too many choices sometimes, this is what drives people toward the company that HAS only ONE product that does only one thing: play music.

I have an ipod. As far has playing music, it's quality is good, its easy to use, and fairly small. 20gb is a good size for just music too. It is incredibly expensive tho.

As far has video's go, that's not even the ipod's department, altho apple is probobly gonna release an Ipod Video, since they recently released the Ipod Photo.

"Why not? It happened once. Sony Entertainment sued Sony Electronics for making CD burners..."

Link please.

I still don't see what is wrong with CDs...

CDs are great..but this is very awesome!
On the down side...it's another step in the direction of Skynet taking over the entire world. (From the terminator movies) Meaning people are relying to heavily on technology more and more every day.