SanDisk SansaSanDisk is a company well known for their flash memory cards (SD, Compact Flash and Memory Stick PRO), which are widely used by computer users. The company has recently introduced the new Sansa™ line of compact and lightweight flash-based digital music players designed for maximum portability. The e130 ($99.99 with 512 megabytes) and the e140 ($149.99 with 1 gigabyte) both support MP3 and WMA audio files and are fitted with USB 2.0 interfaces for fast downloads. The e130 512MB MP3 player unit measures only 2.9" x 2.17" x 0.55" and weighed 1.4 ounces without the battery. The unit can store approximately 120 MP3 songs. Windows XP users need no additional software to transfer files to the 512MB MP3 player and it will appear as a standard mass storage device when connected. SanDisk says the unit can play up to 17 hours continuously on a single AAA battery. The package includes the e130 512MB MP3 player, a see-through carrying case, a black armband, and stereo earphones, an alkaline AAA battery, USB 2.0 cable and the Quick Start guide and CD. It should be noted that the earphones included with the e130 512MB MP3 player are in-ear earphones and not ear buds. A small CD that contains software for managing music (Rhapsody™) and content downloads is included with the 512MB mp3 player unit. 512MB mp3 player unit also includes services for digital radio (Audio Feast) and audio books (Audible®) with a wide range of listening options. Individual music tracks can be purchased online for 79 cents. Although the Sansa™ e130 512MB MP3 player is small and only contains 512MB of flash memory, it does includes an SD card slot for up to 2 gigabytes of additional memory. Downloading songs into the 512MB MP3 player unit is quite simple. The short USB 2.0 serial interface cable included with the MP3 player is all that is needed to transfer music. Upon plugging the 512MB MP3 player unit into our laptop (Sony Vaio K23), the system immediately recognized it and the unit appeared as an additional drive on our system. In short, the new Sansa™ e130 512MB MP3 player is a very compact and lightweight portable MP3 player that is ideal for outdoor running or inside the gym. The user interface is intuitive and didn't require us to even look at the manual to benefit from the features. The audio performance of the 512MB MP3 player was great for a portable unit and navigating through the menus were easy. The blue backlit screen was easy to read and had excellent resolution. The downside is that the 512MB MP3 player unit currently does not support play lists. This is something that can hopefully be added in future firmware updates. |
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