Flash! Ah-ah! Saviour of the Universe! sang Queen, about, I presume, flash memory. While Freddie and friends were perhaps being a little over the top regarding the potential of the technology, I'm sure that they would be glad to see it being used in Sony's latest range of Walkman. The new E-series music player boasts an impressive 512MB, 1GB or 2GB storage space for such a small device (24.6 x 79.0 x 13.6mm) with a display, and claims "3 minute charge for 3 hours of playback" - a feature that I love; I'm constantly forgetting to charge my various devices the night before a long day, and usually stress myself out with a hopeful five minute panic charge. You're not limited to those three hours though, the total playback time is an impressive 28-hours with a 2-hour charge. The Walkman also features a built-in USB jack for transferring songs onto the player, as well as an optional radio for the 512MB and 1GB models. I fall apart when companies display their products in a range of colours, and in this instance Sony is happy to exploit my weakness, with the player available in six colours: black, violet, pink, blue, silver and lime green.

The three models are priced at £59.99 (512MB), £79.99 (1GB) and £99.99 (2GB) in the UK, and In the US, between $120 and $180.