[T.W.G]

I love Sony and I love their Walkman devices since years!

BUT: Yes, it's provocative and true and it is not understandable why Sony develops mobile devices with a display that you can NOT use outdoors, especially when the sun is shining. Don't they take any Walkman device out for a walk on a sunny day and realise "Oh, I can't read anything on that display!"?
Except their first devices with black and white LCDs (like NW-E3, MS11, MS77 etc.) nearly all the color and especially the OLED display Walkmans are totally bad outdoors. But why? Sony has the knowledge and the technology. inhouse

personally used:
(...)
- NW-E3
- NW-MS11
- NW-MS70
- VGF-AP1L
- A608 (sooooo beautiful!)
- A800 series
- A3000
- S700 series
- A864
- S638
- A35
- Ipod Classic
- ZX1
- Pioneer XDP-100
- ZX 100
- ZX 300

That they CAN build a device with a great display was demonstrated e.g. with the Vaio pocket series (VGF-AP1L; I loved it!) where they used a transflective display that was usable (= readable) indoors and outdoors. The iPod classic (and others) used those displays, too, so that it was no problem to use it on a sunny day either.


I still buy the Sony Walkman series, I'm just a fan of them, even with the display issue.

What's your opinion about the displays and which devices are more suitable outdoors?

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

It's just cost cutting. AK dap's are in the same boat. Just recently I switched from AK SP1000M to a Sony ZX507. The Sony has the better display, brighter and sharper, slightly better contrast and color, but still behind modern phones. I'm on your side, I'd happily pay more for a better display, but to Sony, raising the price on an already niche small volume product is a bad idea for sales.

I'm pretty happy with the display on the ZX507 though, it is the best display on a Walkman so far I believe, just a bit small at 3.6".