This guide will include the Sony NWZ-X1061 (32GB) and the X1051 (16GB) OLED Walkman Digital Media Player.  I must start by saying "Believe the Hype!"  This new mp3/mp4 player from Sony is incredible!  I have had my X1061 for seven weeks now and the honeymoon isn't even close to being over.

The first thing you notice is that OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) touchscreen. With a 0.1ms response time and 10000 to 1 contrast ratio, it is the closest you will get to pocket high-definition. The only thing limiting it is the resolution and the three inch screen size. But it is nice!  Shadow detail is awesome and colors are so vivid. The red's and blue's just wake up even old movies. Like my favorite "H.G. Wells - The Time Machine". The black levels get so black between scenes you would think the screen shut off.  Viewing angle goes beyond LCD with no detail or contrast lost at even the most extreme angles. The touch response is flawless, no calibrating necessary or problems with touching one icon and activating another and damn those movies look nice!

This is no I-Pod Touch. To me, i-pod has gone the way of the VW bug. It has become the people's mp3/mp4 player/app machine.  Now...I'm gonna lose all of the I-Pod fans here, but that's okay because like Sony, I have weeded out all the riff-raff and got to the core of what I want. Maybe you too. The S-Master Amp. The same amp Sony has used  for many years in it's high end home theater systems. We are talking audiophile sound with absolutely no distortion at any volume level. It puts the WOW facter back into compressed music. The included headphones are the necessary link in the chain, with built-in digital noise cancelling the X series goes above and beyond any mp3 player on the market today. If you want your mp3's to sound as good if not better than CD's or even LP's...This is the player for you.

We have WIFI too.  I don't use this function much. I would have preferred bluetooth or even better both! But $399 (32GB) & $299 (16GB) only get you so much. The YouTube app gets you straight to the videos and playback is fast and smooth. The browser does it's job, nothing sepectacular. The keyboard screen could be better if it worked in landscape mode...Maybe it does, I just have not taking the time to find out. But web pages like Yahoo download fast and smooth. Signal sensitivity is really good for a antenna that is embedded in the top of the screen. The Slacker personal radio app is a nice feature too, you get three free stations and unlimited music skipping with a online registration. Stations that include Today's Hits, R&B, Comedy, Classic Rock, 80's Pop, 80's Rock and Alternative. Music stations are updated when you go online. FM tuner is also included. Battery life is another high point. I have had thirty plus hours of music playback thru the headphones per full charge and nine hours of video playback with the screen brightness set @ three which is the mid setting for screen brightness and is a good setting for viewing indoors. Using the optional Walkman Speaker cut video viewing time by one and a half hours per full charge. 

Enough of the function. Now for the form. What can I say, It's a Sony. You get what you pay for. A very nice solid feel at three and a half ounces you barely notice it in your pocket. The metal body has a wrinkle finish to the sides that give it a nice tactile grip and keeps it from slipping out of your hand. The dedicated PLAY/PAUSE, FWD and REV buttons on the top of the unit resemble titanium in finish and the HOME button at the bottom of the screen feels nice and solid when pressed. They are easily found without having to look at the unit as well as the integrated HOLD switch that can be set to deactivate both the touchscreen and the dedicated buttons or just the touchscreen, whichever you prefer. All in all a great media player with superb build quality. I highly recommend the X series...OLED/LED is the future of flat panel HDTV and you can have a taste of it in your pocket. Like a sweet piece of high tech candy. ENJOY!