Sony brings A800 video Walkman to US

Following months of availability in Canada and Europe, Sony today quietly released its first video-capable Walkman player in the US. The A810 series is a near-direct translation of the original with a 2-inch LCD large enough to play video in either H.264 or MPEG-4. Sony also provides JPEG photo viewing and music in AAC, MP3, or WMA formats; battery life runs up to 33 hours for audio and a record 8 hours for video, the company estimates.

Color options and prices are relatively unique to the US. The 2GB A815 ships for $140 in black, pink, or silver, while the 4GB A816 ($180) comes in both these colors in addition to white. The 8GB A818 will also be on tap in black for $230. Sony expects all three models to ship from its online store by Friday.

The company's new Walkman release comes just a week before Apple is expected to respond to competitors in the portable media player arena through a special event, which may include smaller video-capable iPods priced in line with today's iPod nano models.