Sony Unveils Gold-Plated Walkman for Surprising Price

The company logo of Sony Corporation is seen at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
The company logo of Sony Corporation is seen at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
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Sony Unveils Gold-Plated Walkman for Surprising Price

The company logo of Sony Corporation is seen at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
The company logo of Sony Corporation is seen at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo

Sony has unveiled a new 'gold-plated' Walkman music player that comes with high quality lossless audio and an eye watering $3,200 price tag, The Daily Mail reported.

The gold plated, oxygen-free copper chassis is designed to improve the overall sound quality by reducing electrical noise and promote a more 'nuanced sound' that matches what came from a studio, according to Sony. This model is named NW-WM1ZM2.

There is a cheaper model, the NW-WM1AM2, still priced at a staggering $1,600, that comes with a strong aluminum alloy frame, also reducing electrical noise.

The two versions of the device are available from next month, according to Sony.

They also have a five-inch touchscreen and up to 256 GB of storage, which will come in handy as an Apple Lossless file is 5MB of storage per minute of music. Although that will still leave enough room for thousands of high-definition songs.

Inside the chassis of the more expensive of the pair, Sony used high-end braided cables, to further improve the quality of the sound. Made using advanced braiding techniques, the four wire-braided cables are handcrafted to seamlessly handle high power and deliver ultimate sound performance.



North Korea Holds First Pyongyang International Marathon in Six Years

Pyongyang citizens walk in a street of the Moranbong District in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP)
Pyongyang citizens walk in a street of the Moranbong District in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP)
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North Korea Holds First Pyongyang International Marathon in Six Years

Pyongyang citizens walk in a street of the Moranbong District in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP)
Pyongyang citizens walk in a street of the Moranbong District in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP)

North Korea on Sunday held its first Pyongyang International Marathon in six years, hosting foreign runners in the reclusive country that has largely closed its borders since the pandemic.

Athletes from China, Romania and other countries visited to participate in the event, state media KCNA news agency and Rodong Sinmun reported on Sunday.

About 200 foreigners arrived on Friday and Saturday in Pyongyang where those running practiced at a hotel for the Sunday race, said Simon Cockerell, general manager at Beijing-based Koryo Tours, in Instagram posts showing streets and a recreational area in Pyongyang.

The Koryo Tours is an official partner of the Pyongyang Marathon, aiding the sign-up process for international competitors.

The isolated state sealed its borders in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but has been slowly lifting restrictions since 2023.

It has allowed Russian tourist groups into the country, but its capital remains closed to regular tourism.

The marathon is a return course running through central Pyongyang, passing major landmarks and heading out into the countryside before coming back through the city to a stadium filled with 50,000 spectators, Koryo Tours said.

At the stadium, a crowd of North Koreans - some wearing masks - greeted the runners, and foreign participants took pictures of the spectators with mobile phones, pictures posted by Cockerell showed. Local media have yet to announce the victor.

The Pyongyang International Marathon is one of several events held to celebrate the April 15 birthday of Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founder and grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un.