Sony 2003 Annual Report Download - page 32

Walkman
Walkman have been evolving continuously since 1979, when Sony first made music
portable with the introduction of the audio cassette tape Walkman. An MD Walkman
joined the lineup in 1992 and a Net M D Walkman followed in 2001. When linked to a PC
via a USB interface, the Net MD Walkman can record, directly onto an M D, music that has
been downloaded to the PC’s hard disk drive from a CD or an electronic music distribu-
tion service, all while protecting copyrighted material. Since its introduction, the Net M D
Walkman has been well received in Japan, the U.S. and Europe.
Sony has also introduced a Network Walkman that enables users to enjoy music,
transferred from their PC, to internal flash memory and IC recording media. The
model pictured here, which went on sale in February 2003, can hold the equivalent
of about 11 CDs (60 minutes per CD, recorded using the ATRAC3plus / 48kbps
mode) in its 256MB embedded memory. When used with the Memory Stick Duo IC
memory card, recording time is much longer, allowing users to enjoy an even greater
variety of music w hile on the go.
http://ww w.sony.net/Products/networkaudio/
http://ww w.sony.net/Products/walkman/
Memory Stick
Memory Stick has succeeded in becoming an offline network media since its introduction in
the fall of 1998. By the end of March 2003, 39 million Memory Sticks and 40 million
compatible products had been shipped. The M emory Stick is used in a wide variety of
products including not only digital still cameras, but also PCs, personal digital assistants,
mobile phones, audio components, automobile devices, televisions, printers and automated
terminals. Applications that can be enjoyed using a Memory Stick have expanded beyond still
images to include music and other applications.
During the year under review, three new versions were added to the M emory Stick family.
Memory Stick Duo is only about one-third the size of a standard Memory Stick and has only
about half the weight. Sony expects it to be used in mobile products such as mobile phones
and portable audio players.
Memory Stick with Memory Select Function has two 128MB flash memory chips for a
capacity of 256MB. Its convenient functionality allows users to easily divide their data for
greater organization simply by flipping the sw itch on the back.
Memory Stick PRO is an IC recording media for the broadband age. With a higher capacity
and read/write speed, this next-generation M emory Stick can be used for real time recording
and playback of high resolution moving images. During the year under review, Sony launched
three versions of Memory Stick PRO: 1GB, 512M B and 256M B. Going forw ard, Sony is
promoting the further use of M emory Stick as a netw ork media ideal for connecting a
multitude of products, content and services.
http://ww w.sony.net/Products/MS/
Memory Stick PRO
Memory Stick with Memory Select
Memory Stick Duo
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Net M D Walkman
Network Walkman