Product Description

Digital tuner; Water resistance sports case; 22 hours ext. battery life; Auto reverse tape playback; Built in clock stop watch; Large LCD display; Anti-rolling mechanism; metal tape capability; automatic volume limiter system (AVL), Dolby B noise reduction.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69802 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Sony
• Model: WMFS499
• Dimensions: 1.62" h x 4.62" w x 3.87" l, .80 pounds

Features

• Heavy-duty, die-cast aluminum
• Digital synthesized AM/FM stereo tuner
• Rugged, water-resistant sports-series case
• Adjustable action grip
• 20-station preset tuning (15 FM, 5 AM)

Amazon.com Review
There's something about the sporty, yellow and silver casing of this unit that makes you want to go out and get in shape. In addition to its good looks, the Sony FS-499 Walkman also boasts a stopwatch/lap counter for the serious exercise buff.

This unit's sturdy belt clip has a stabilizing frame to keep it from moving around while you're exercising, and a hand strap offers a sure grip when you're really sweating. The cassette buttons are large and well-spaced, making them easy to push during a hard-core workout; however, we found the number of buttons to be lacking when compared to other portable players. And we had difficulty reading the Play, Fast-Forward, and Rewind buttons while on the run because of sun glare off the casing's silver finish. On the other hand, tuning in AM/FM radio stations was a breeze. The five black, programmable buttons--which program up to 20 different stations--are easily located, as they contrast against the player's yellow surface. We also found the digital display easy to read.

Pros:

• Durable
• Good sound
• Auto-reverse feature on cassette player
• Can preset up to 20 FM/AM stations
• Comes with convenient belt clip and hand strap
• Features a stopwatch, lap counter, and clock

Cons:

• Battery case is difficult to access
• Device is bulky
• Headphones slightly uncomfortable

From the Manufacturer
There's something about the sporty, yellow and silver casing of this unit that makes you want to go out and get in shape. In addition to its good looks, the Sony FS-499 Walkman also boasts a stopwatch/lap counter for the serious exercise buff.

Customer Reviews

Buy one now- while you still can!
I have two older model Walkmans and I dropped both of them by accident and the cassette tape player feature no longer works. To my surprise, when I went to several local stores, I couldn't find a similar Walkman for sale. I guess with the i-Pods and other new technology, the tape players are being phased out. I bought a newer model Sony Walkman at Target and the sound quality of the tape was so awful I took it right back. These players that only use one battery have terrible sound quality I've found. The FM radio stations had terrible reception, too.

I found this Sony WMFS499 Sports Walkman for sale here on Amazon.com and purchased it and I love it! Since I use my Walkman for walking and running, I need a durable player that can withstand being dropped and getting damp in the rain, and the case on my new player seems indestructible. The sound quality of both the FM radio and tape player are fantastic! I decided to buy another one to have as a spare in case I lose this one. That sounds kind of crazy, but having a good tape player for exercise is important to me and I don't want to ever risk being without my Sports Walkman.

Classic Sports Walkman
Bought this because my previous Walkman died after many good years of service. Nothing lasts forever and my old one took many a bump and drop. So I approximated this model would be a good replacement. I was right. It's a nice heir to the line of Sports Walkman's. Like the clasp, the lap counter is a nice feather and the mega bass really helps with the right music. This is a fine product. You will not be disapponted.

Good quality, but the radio...
This walkman is awesome! It's sound is un-matched! The headphones are really cool! The only problem with it is that the radio stations do not play very well. I have to constantly move the walkman around to get a good perception. If you don't care about the radio feature, but need to play your tapes, go for this one!