Sony’s C404S DiVA CDMA One Phone + Memory Stick Walkman

Sony’s C404S DiVA is a cdmaOne phone terminal Memory Stick Walkman (cdmaOne is a brand name for CDMA). It costs an outrageous 45,000 yen (US$700) when you buy it with a new phone service subscription. If you’re switching from your current handset to the DiVA, the price is a murderous 60,000 yen (US$930)! Not recommended for the fainthearted.
The phone part of DiVA is not particularly distinctive. Rather, the true heart of the DiVA is Sony’s MG (Magic Gate) Memory Stick, which can store up to 64MB of music files in the ATRAC3 format. As such, the DiVA can play either 60 minutes (high-quality sound) or 120 minutes of music (low-quality sound).

As required by (young) consumers, the DiVA has a remote control that allows easy access to its various functions. Hence, you don’t have to yank the whole unit out of your pocket when you want to change the volume. What if you receive a call while you are immersed in Bach’s Brandenburger Konzert? No problem. Just pause the music and speak into the microphone that’s built into the remote control unit.

One thing that’s a bit complicated with the DiVA is music download. Since only Sony computers support the MG Memory Stick slot, you would perhaps have to use a Vaio notebook or PC to transfer music files. For converting audio CD tracks into ATRAC3, users could use Sony’s MagicGate Memory Stick Reader/Writer software. A photo-digital/analog jack is also provided for recording from a CD player.