Press Release

August 14, 2006

SONY UNVEILS NEW WALKMAN® DIGITAL MUSIC PLAYERS, ELEVATING "MY MUSIC. MY STYLE." TO NEW HEIGHTS

Canada's audio style leader debuts sleek, water-resistant listening device TORONTO, Ontario -- Sony of Canada Ltd., Canada's leading electronic and computer products solutions provider for consumers and business, today unveiled its next-generation, style-leading Walkman® digital music players.
Offered in a first-of-its-kind water-resistant, cylindrical aluminum casing, the sleek Walkman NW-S203F and NW-S205F digital music players will be of particular interest to those seeking both sports and fashion solutions. They weigh less than one ounce.

Based on Sony's G-Sensor technology, which recognizes speed variation, the players' Music Pacer™ feature integrates music into the workout experience, for example. With the Music Pacer feature, the player gauges tempo, automatically switching to the appropriate personalized walking or running playlist to match a user's stride. The Shuffle Shake feature lets a user easily and quickly switch to shuffle mode by shaking the player three times within two seconds. Based on the fact it is water-resistant, the new Walkman digital music players are suitable for all types of sporting activities.

If users want to increase intensity when walking or running, the set target feature allows them to input the amount of time, calories or distance they want to achieve for their workouts, so the music will play until the target is achieved. (in Sports mode).
The player will record the step count, distance and calories burned history from a users' last seven workouts, so that they can track their progress. They can also use it as a stopwatch to time themselves.

The built-in FM tuner (87.5 – 108.0 MHz (megahertz) not only lets users listen to their favorite radio stations and sets the most visited stations so they can easily and quickly find them, but it can also be used to tune into TV programs playing in many gyms, for example. As with the last generation of Walkman digital music players, just three minutes of charge-time will result in up to three hours of playback. At full battery capacity, users can enjoy up to 18 hours of uninterrupted listening pleasure (achieved when power save setting is "ON-Super," the sound quality setting (Equalizer) is "OFF" and G-Sensor setting is "OFF.")

The new Walkman digital music players fit easily into the included armband, which straps securely and comfortably around one's arm. Though compact, the players can store up to 1,350 songs on the 2 GB (gigabyte) NW-S205F model and 685 songs on the 1 GB NW-S203F model.

"Sony created the portable music category in 1979 with Walkman – and Walkman is continuing to set the standard for rugged individualism in digital music players with this latest generation of products," said Gabrielle Holmes, Senior Marketing Manager, Portable Audio Products, AV/IT Marketing Group, Sony of Canada Ltd. "Walkman allows consumers to listen to the music they want to listen to anywhere, anytime on a device that is dramatically different than anything currently available in the Canadian marketplace."

To simplify the music management process, these new devices support MP3, ATRAC®, WMA (non-DRM) and AAC (non-DRM) music files. They include SonicStage® CP software to import, manage and transfer music collections.

For added flexibility, the new Walkman digital music player's distinctive one-line organic electroluminescence (OEL) display accommodates both left-handed and right-handed users alike. With its ability to rotate the orientation of the display, track and title names, the time and date, plus other information can now be viewed however the user prefers.

The devices come with black, sports-style headphones and an armband. To enhance the sound, users can set the equalizer to match the type of music they are listening to (jazz, pop, heavy or custom) or simply turn it off.

The latest Walkman digital music players will be generally available in September. However, sonystyle.ca will begin accepting pre-orders in late August. The NW-S203F will have a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $149.99 and the NW-S205F player will have an MSRP of $179.99.

About Sony of Canada Ltd.

Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in the manufacture and marketing of electronic and computer products for consumer, business, electronics publishing and multimedia applications on a global scale. With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver and Montreal and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,000 employees support about 78 Sony stores and a network of more than 500 authorized dealers across Canada.

For further information, please visit us at www.sony.ca, www.thesonystore.ca, www.sonybiz.ca or www.sonystyle.ca, Sony's product information and e-commerce Web site, or contact:

John B. Challinor II   APR
General Manager, Advertising
& Corporate Communications
Sony of Canada Ltd.
(416) 495-3740
john_challinor@sony.ca

Michelle Cowan Lefler
Counsellor Technology Practice
Silverhammer Public Relations
(416) 324-2024
michelle_cowan_lefler@ca.cohnwolfe.com

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