6. Sony NW-E307 Walkman Bean: Who Says Beans Aren't Musical

If any player deserves the prize for most original design, it's Sony, a manufacturer that generally emphasizes restraint and elegant lines. (Maybe they're now outsourcing their design.) Unfortunately, the build quality is also below the bar set by the competition - it gives the general impression of rather poorly-fitted plastic.

The design does make for excellent handling; the joystick operates with your thumb, though it lacks precision. The menu is very basic and not necessarily easy to master right away. The one-line, two-color OLED display is tiny but has good definition and contrast, making it easy to read. The Bean also has a built-in FM tuner in case you want a change of pace.

Sound reproduction is good and the earphones that are included will satisfy most users. We found the sound had good presence, but a tendency to emphasize the highs, which is a familiar trait of Sony MP3 player earphones. A retractable USB port is built into the player for file transfers, so you won't have to worry about forgetting the cable. Recharging the battery requires you to have a computer handy, though, which is not always a given, especially if you're traveling. Fortunately, battery life is rated at an excellent 30 hours, which should handle daily commuting use just fine.

The player comes with Sony's not-so-great SonicStage software, but check out this article for better alternatives. Note that you can still find the Bean in its 512 MB version (NW-E305) and save a few bucks if you don't need the higher capacity.

Characteristics

Storage medium: Flash memory, 1 GB Display: 1 line File transfer: USB 2.0 Dimensions: 2.7" x 1.5" x 0.9" (68.2 x 39 x 24.1 mm), weight 1.6 oz. (45 g) Formats: ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus, MP3, WMA FM Tuner: Yes Battery life: 30 hrs.