Now, the Beat Really Can Go On and On

Now you can walk the walk and hear the talk hour after hour with Sony’s new Walkman, a sleek little stereo cassette player that has an impressive 62 hours of continuous playback time.

WM-EX5, which was introduced last month, offers 41 hours of continuous playback time on one AA battery and 62 hours with a AA battery combined with an internal rechargeable battery (included). Today’s standard Walkman units have about 13 hours of playback time on two AA batteries.

According to Sony representatives, the mirror-finish WM-EX5 also offers 36x fast-forward/rewind speed for quicker access to favorite songs, a one-song repeat function for repeated play of a single selection, auto reverse tape playback for uninterrupted play of both sides of a cassette, improved headphones and a built-in battery meter.

For more information on Walkman EX5 ($299.95), one of 50 kinds of Walkman products, call (800) 222-SONY.

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Gardener Alert: For spring planting, consider the new Mini-Planter, a high-tech, ergonomically designed tool with a sharp pick for breaking soil at one end and at the other, a planter head for digging holes.

The unusual tool head is made of corrosion-resistant ductile iron and has a rectangular-fitted 15-inch hickory handle. V & B Manufacturing Co. says it was designed “to eliminate some of the strain and wrist motion required by existing hand garden tools.” Mini Planter ($13) will be available in late May; call (800) 443-1987.