Sony NW-S203F (1GB)

By Edvarcl Heng, CNET Asia
Oct 10, 2006

After Apple announced the iPod sports kit, it made sporty MP3 players cool again. But while the Apple Nike combo requires an additional Bluetooth-connected impact counter, a Bluetooth transmitter, an iPod nano and a pair of Nike shoes, the Sony NW-S203F does away with all the peripherals with an all-in-one solution.

Design
Look at it. The NW-S203F sure comes across as some cyberpunk fairy's version of a magic wand. Or the same pixie's karaoke mike. It's long, the body's metal, and there's a plastic knob at one end for twiddling with the navigation. It's no fancy Click Wheel, but it gets the job done.

	Knob, knob, who's there?

Navigation with the control knob involves rotating the barrel on a horizontal plane, either twisting right or left, but it's not all that static. Cleverly, Sony extends the versatility of the knob by placing it on a slider. With it, the knob can be shifted vertically into three different positions. The first is for skipping songs by folders, the second for left/right browsing of menu items, and the last acts as a Hold switch.

While we are not enamored with the monochrome two-line display, it's understood that dedicated runners wouldn't be impressed with a video-playing screen while pounding the track. But the screen is bright enough. Even in direct sunlight, we can still see the display, albeit faintly. Going monochrome also has a positive impact on battery life.

Buttons on the MP3 player are small and minute. Difficult to come to grips with. We aren't in love with the silk screen printing on the player body. After some use, we can see the Walkman logo coming off.

	All snug in slot

Like a Cuban cigar, the NW-S203F carries the same ostentatious flair. It has an aluminum body that's water-resistant enough for a good runabout in the rain. And, yes, the NW-203F is all about jogging. Its long cylindrical shape means it can be held comfortably in the hand while running. We like that the control knob fits well between the index finger and thumb. We could effortlessly skip songs while making a mad dash for the office coffee machine.

For non-relay runners, the baton-like NW-S203F comes with an adjustable black armband which the player can be slotted into easily. According to our muscle-bound colleague who took it for a whirl, it fits well, so no worries about flying MP3 players in the middle of interval training.

The mini-USB slot on the NW-S203F is well fortified against wet elements. It's screwed on with an interior rubber bund for a good seal to prevent liquid spills. However, there's a price. Normal mini-USB jacks are too short. We needed to use the bundled mini-USB jack in order to plug in, so it's as good as a proprietary cable.

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