Times Online reviews the Walkman v iPod and wrote – ‘The W800i is only a small device (about 10cm x 4.6cm x 2cm). But it carries both the Walkman brand and the hopes of Sony and its future in the digital music market. So, how does it fare against the iPod?

First impressions are promising. The smaller Sony machine is not quite as sleek as the original iPod, but its cream and orange livery holds its own in the aesthetics stakes and Times Online found its preview model drawing nods of approval.

The Jukebox’s laundry list of near-miss design decisions would be easier to live with if the unit were simply more fun to use. Unfortunately, the interface is strangely unintuitive (due in part, perhaps, to the lack of any sort of Enter button), and the graphics look a bit cheesy.

Sound quality is decent, but Gateway doesn’t throw in any extras like an FM receiver or a voice recorder. Moving files (music or photos) onto the unit is a straightforward affair, but even charging the unit is onerous: You’re forced to connect the AC adapter cable to the USB cable through an add-on jack before you can plug the whole mess into the wall.

Overall, if you’re a music lover, you are unlikely to swap your iPod for the W800i anytime soon. That said, once you get to grips with it, Sony’s Walkman phone is a very nifty bit of kit.

Special mention should be made of the excellent FM radio and the 2.0 megapixel digital still and video camera included in the deal.’

Read more about an Apple iPod and Sony’s Walkman.