Candy-colored Walkman creates playlists to match your mood

Sony is unveiling all kinds of cool stuff at the IFA electronics show in Berlin, including the world's thinnest production LCD TV in the market (more on that later), but those on a budget can stick to watching videos on the slimmest Walkmans yet.

Say hello to the S-Series, E-Series, and B-Series Walkman, all priced under $180 and sporting attractive features rarely seen in these type of media player.

For starters, the top-of-the-line S-Series media player creates playlists to match your mood. A new SensMe Channels option analyzes your music collection and suggests playlists based on the song's speed, mood, and rhythm. You can create 11 playlists ranging from upbeat to relaxing songs without touching your computer.

This particular model also includes EX headphones that work with the player's 3-way canceling system which shuts out background noise so you can enjoy your tunes no matter your surroundings. Other outstanding features in the NWZ-S630F/S730F players includes 'format friendly' support for audio and video, 8 pre-loaded music videos, wallpaper, drag and drop music transfer, and improved battery life that lasts up to 40 hours when listening to music. Prices will range between $150 (4GB) to $180 (8GB).

The E-Series is similar to the S-Series, but with far less features. However, the player does have 'format friendly' video and audio support, drag and drop transfers, a viewing orientation that changes when flipped horizontally or vertically, and a 2-inch QVGA LCD screen. This player will be out in 2GB and 4GB capacities for $100 to $140 respectively.

Last but not least, is the B-Series. Probably the least attractive of all three, but I think this one is very practical for college students since it's basically a USB stick with a screen that has an FM radio, voice recorder, and either 1GB or 2GB of storage. This one will be a hot seller since it retails for under $60.

All players come in four different colors and will be available for purchase in October according to Sony.

Link: PC Magazine