Sony To Introduce Sports-Style MD, MP3-CD Portables

Park Ridge, N.J. — A MiniDisc Walkman, MP3-CD Walkman, and an MP3-CD boombox will appear for the first time in coming months in Sony's series of sports-style audio portables.

The launch of the S2 Sports series also marks the first time that several features previously available separately in select sports products, will appear together. They are AM/FM tuner, TV tuner and weatherband tuner.

The series also marks the first major cosmetic change in Sony's sports series. The Gen-Y-oriented series features more extreme styling, including pearl-white and orange colors and a reflective finish, replacing the black-and-yellow colors of previous years, a spokeswoman said.

Sony said it was the first company to market sports-style portables 15 years ago.

In non-sports portables, Sony also plans to expand its selection of MP3-CD Walkmans and boomboxes. MP3-CD playback appeared in one CD Walkman and one boombox each in 2001.

In the 2002 S2 lineup, the MD Walkman is a Net MD player/recorder featuring MD Long Play for recording more than five hours of music in the ATRAC3 Internet audio format on a blank 80-minute MD. With PC software and USB connection, it ships in April at an expected everyday $180.

The MP3-CD boombox, due March at an expected everyday $150, features antishock memory buffer.

One of three CD Walkmans features MP3-CD playback. It's the D-CS901, due July at around $150. On two Ni-Cd batteries and one AA alkaline, it delivers up to 24 hours of MP3 playback time.

Another CD Walkman, features CD-R/RW playback and ships in March at about $100. A CD Walkman with AM/FM/TV tuner and weather band is the D-FS601, which ships in July at about $130.

Two S2 Walkman cassette players feature AM/FM/TV tuner with weather band. They're due in March at $50 and $60.

Headset radios and headphones are also part of the S2 series.

S2 products feature reflective surfaces to make them easier to spot at night. They are also water- and impact-resistant.