Running and gadgets never really seem to get on. Nike+ and the iPod seemed to do quite well, but if you don't like running with a big elastic band Velcroed to your flabby arm, or spending £100+ on trainers to fully appreciate the "Nike+ experience", it's probably not your cup of tea.
Generic, non-Nike armbands are just as bad as once you've have your MP3 player Velcroed to your body, you now have to creatively stick your earbud cord into your gym shirt or into the straps of your sports bra. Sexy.
(Of, if you're like me, your armband was too tight and cut into the aforementioned flabby arm, and you now have an inch long scar to show for it. Even sexier)
Plus, if you've forgotten your circulation-altering armband at home, running a 5k while cradling your iPod in your sweaty little mitts isn't exactly comfortable. Or hygienic.
It's because of all this, that Sony's Walkman NWZ-W202 is a beautiful gift to runners/joggers/anti-social gym goers all over the world.
The Sony Walkman NWZ-W20-2 is a colorful, cordless, wearable MP3 player that is easy to configure, comfortable to wear, and will hopefully bring a quick death to MP3 player armbands everywhere.
The Walkman has 2GB of storage which is about 500 tracks at standard quality. And while I've more often than not hopped on the treadmill to find my iPod uncharged, the Walkman NWZ-W202 has a battery life of up to 12 hours, as well as 90 minutes of playback time from a three minute quick charge. That's pretty damn good.
When it comes to actually putting your own music onto the Walkman it's incredibly easy. Simply drag and drop your music onto the Walkman from your PC - no fiddling about with iTunes or configuring your MP3's to a special format.
So - the big question, what's it like to run with?
Essentially, it's a great MP3 player. I, stereotypically, have the bright pink version and have to admit that part of the reason I like this gadget is because wearing it makes you look as if you're being controlled by the Cyber Men. Awesome.
The "armstrap-free" feature truly blows my mind, but it's, of course, not perfect. I had to keep adjusting the headphones mid-run as the ear pieces would start to droop down my head and cause the earbud to pull away from my ear. This wasn't necessarily a huge deal, but it was disappointing as the headphones should just stay put.
Changing tracks and adjusting the volume proved to be very easy, as one would hope it'd be. A jog-dial and two volume control buttons are located on the outside of the right ear piece. Simply press the jog-dial in to turn the Walkman on and off, and "jog" it forward or backward to change tracks - see? Easy. And unless you have absolutely no coordination and are one of those people who can't chew gum and walk at the same time, adjusting the volume shouldn't cause you any physical harm.
My biggest complaint is that Sony brag that the Walkman features "13.5mm EX Series headphones" that make for "powerful sound" and a "high quality audio performance" . Yet, the "high quality audio performance" will be enjoyed by anyone within a three-five foot radius of you when listening to your Walkman.
The noise-leakage on this thing is astounding.
And, weirdly, it only seems to get louder when you put the headphones in your ear.
It's not so bad if you're in a noisy gym or running outdoors, but this Walkman is not for the bus, the Tube, a plane, a quiet office, or anywhere else where you have to sit in awkward silence near strangers. You will be that person. And your coworkers don't really need to know you listen to "Eye of the Tiger" on repeat while you compile spreadsheets, do they?
I'd definitely recommend buying the NWZ-202 if you're looking for a near-perfect MP3 companion on your morning jog or workout routine. It only costs £59 from Sony's website, you won't have to muck about with iTunes to put your music on it, and if you're unwilling to give up your iPod, this is a great gadget that you can strictly use at the gym.