Sony Ericsson outs Android powered W8 Walkman phone

By on Apr 23, 2011 at 10:26 AM
mobile April 23, 2011

Looking for the newest Android 2.1 device? Neither are we. That’s why it’s no surprise Sony Ericsson quietly launched the Walkman W8. It’s the first Android device to sport the firm’s “Walkman” moniker, which should imply it has more music-centric services, but we’re not seeing anything extraordinary in its spec sheet. It’s loaded with the Walkman music player software, although that’s nothing to call home about. The phone sports a 3-inch touchscreen display with a low 480 x 320 resolution and it also has a 3.2-megapixel camera, an FM radio, and 128MB of RAM. The Walkman W8 will make its debut in Asia in three colors, blue, red, and orange. Our jaws will hit the floor if this ever hit the U.S. marketing running its current OS.

[Via Gizmee]

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  • Anonymous

    Why is it so thick?

    • Troll

      That’s what she said

    • Anonymous

      Because……’I was born this way’.

      • http://webhostingreview.info/uk-hosting/ UK hosting reviews

        ha ha well said

  • http://rmbo47.myopenid.com/ rmbo47

    128MB of RAM and a 3.2MP camera?? This would have been so hot – in 2008. Slapping Android on a Walkman just dumbs down Android.

  • Carl

    What a wasted opportunity. Take a great brand like Walkman and slap a lot of mediocre specs on it. Sad.

    • Anonymous

      Meidocre specs, I think you’re being too generous with that statement.

  • Anonymous

    This would have been hot in 1998… Yes, 1998…when people carried discmans

    • http://twitter.com/palfrei Peter Palfrei

      I carried one in 2001.

      It made a bulge in my pants that looked like I had a circular penis over my right tight.

      • LookLively

        So you’re saying it was false advertisement.

    • LookLively

      in 1998 this would have been the most revolutionary electronic device available. idiot.

      in 2011 its a good MP3 Player. Just admit it, you can only afford a cell phone and don’t have enough money to own both. lol

  • Anonymous

    yuck… its thick, orange, has a low res screen, no ram, and android 2.1(not upgradable)

    • LookLively

      In what instance would you need to upgrade an MP3 Player douche?

  • http://graydroid.wordpress.com Lezz

    Why do people find it difficult to accept that this phone is aimed at certain section who dont want to spend money on high end phone. There is a market for this and SE is trying to create one for it. It doesnt use all the newest technologies which helps them keep the price low.

    • http://fatedestinylife.com Tyson Edwards

      If there was a market, it would have sold well last year when it was released as the Sony Ericson Xperia X8 with identical features, form factor and build of Android.

  • http://www.sk1wbw.wordpress.com Wayne Williams

    What a bit of sly advertising here. Aren’t all smartphones basically considered Walkman type phones, since they can all play music?

  • madiha malik

    What a absent possibility. Train a amazing affectionate according Walkman and brief a lot of poor eyeglasses on it.If there was a market, it would accept awash able-bodied aftermost year back it was appear as the Sony Ericson Xperia X8 with identical features, anatomy agency and body of Android.

  • Anonymous

    This will do well in third-world countries where people haven’t any internet access so, they can’t find
    out about Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). And, where they probably still use walkmans [anyway]…

    Someone at Sony should be fired for being about 2 years late. Really, 2.1; I had to read that twice.

    • Anonymous

      Some areas in the U.S. are worse than third-world countries… :-)

      • Anonymous

        i’d have to disagree love… third world has it pretty bad, no wifi..lol

      • Anonymous

        They also think 56K is DSL…

      • Anonymous

        OMG! Hey gorgeous! Haven’t seen you around here for a long, long time. Maybe I haven’t looked hard (no pun intended) enough. Not too gentlemanly of me… :-)

      • http://www.droiddoes.com/ Norm

        I think even third world countries deserve DROID and this is a great way to make it happen.

      • Anonymous

        You said it hermano, at least we wear shoes.

      • Anonymous

        And not just ANY shoes… Zappos shoes!!!!

      • LookLively

        …..you’re an idiot.

  • http://twitter.com/KieronGibbs1 Kieron Gibbs

    It is very thin. Android should be more stronger than this. Although I use Sony Ericsson brand. I really love it.

  • Generatione

    I don’t think anything running 2.1 should be released.

    • LookLively

      Because 2.1 is virtually useless. smh. Somewhere a tech executive is getting a bonus check after showing your post to his boss. Don’t be such a mindless consumer.

  • http://twitter.com/palfrei Peter Palfrei

    Many people not intererested in pure smartphones might be hooked by this.

  • Anonymous

    This device is such a fail. Come on Sony why don’t you get your act together and give your users a real MP3 player that will knock everyone’s socks off. What I would love to see is a stock or maybe specifically taylored for audio Android OS with hardware like a Wolfson chip in the DAC and a headphone amp section with enough juice drive a set of audiophile quality cans. Come on Sony save us music lovers from those ugly Hifiman music players and those crappy sounding iPods.

    • Anonymous

      U should upgrade ya MP3s to AIFs or something better if music sounds crappy on your iPod. U may hate apple but they make a good product.

      • Anonymous

        First, I do use AIFF as well as FLAC and I have higher end cans which can’t be driven by an iPod unless I attach a mobile DAC and Headphone amp to it which completely defeats the word MOBILE. Secondly I didn’t even mention iPod or Apple I mentioned Sony which is a company with a far longer history in audio products then Apple. If Sony has the know how to create 700 dollar headphones that sound great they also have the know how to create a high end touch based MP3 player that will sound great with high end headphones. Thirdly, whats Apple even have to do with my post? As stated above I never mentioned Apple at all I just posted I wished Sony would make a far better sounding MP3 player, that’s it so don’t get your panties in a knot. You like iPod well good for you more power to you. I think iPod is OK but sonically its far from great and brings little to the word mobile head-fi.

    • LookLively

      You mean you want a MP3 about 3 price points above this one? K. Go buy one. Plenty exist. This is a low-to-moderate tier phone for students, athletes, hikers – active lifestyle folks who keep the “smart” in their heads and the “phones” in their pockets while they actually live life. Their activity is the hi-fi.

      • Anonymous

        The best out there right now is the Hifiman MP3 player which although it sounds great it looks terrible isn’t touch based and has a propitiatory OS which is primitive. All the other Android based MP3 players are mostly all mass market products which are sonically no better or barely little better sounding then any other non Android MP3 player out there. All I said is I wish Sony would get it’s act together and provide a better sonically sounding MP3 player using Android so why you getting so snooty?

  • madiha malik

    What a ashen opportunity. Take a abundant cast like Walkman and bang a lot of characterless specs on it. Sa

  • Doc

    What is wrong with them? Somebody make them stop!!!

  • LookLively

    BGR is missing the point – which is happening a lot lately.

    A Sony Walkman is not for tech geeks – read out of shape bloggers. Its for fitness enthusiasts and individuals that require a MP3 player that is separate from their cell phone – like a contractor or employee entering an area that prohibits phone usage. Or people that are engaged in an activity that doesn’t require phone capability. Some people like to job without a phone to avoid distractions. Some people like to separate their player so they minimize risk of damage to their phone in some environments. Some students are allowed access to players, but not phones. Lots of uses here. And the “thickness” doesn’t matter, these players are lighter and smaller than most cell phones.

    Let’s not be so cynical and quick to describe the worthiness of devices by their ability to feed our inner couch potato.

  • KieronGibbs1

    Amazing… Android with superb music opportunity. Sony Erricsson is on fire now. :)   But what will be the working features and easiness. By the way if anyone got it please tell the experience of using the phone. Thanks

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