A small, portable player that uses embedded flash memory instead of a rotating hard drive and plays for up to 15 continuous hours on a single AAA battery. The new Digital Audio Players combine crystal-clear sound with a sleek design and sport a three-button/one-joystick design and easy-to-navigate user interface. They feature MP3, Windows Media® file and Windows Media-based DRM file playback, FM radio and voice recording and can double as a USB data storage device.
Features - Plays MP3, WMA, and WMA DRM
- Digital FM tuner with 20 preset stations
- Voice Recorder with built-in microphone
- Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port for fast and easy transfer of files
- Up to 15 hours continuous playback using one AAA battery (included)
- Indigo backlit multi-line LCD display
1 Pretty Good Unit.
I am pleased with the size of the unit - and it's capacity. (I fill it with WMA's.) It's very easy to load the player up with songs. Plug in the USB cable, and it's just drag & drop. The sound is great - but I don't use the included headphones which made my ears hurt & kept falling out.
I do not think that the controls are very user friendly. The various menus are hard to navigate.
The FM radio is good, but I have yet to figure out how to add the pre-set channels.
It ran for a long time off of the included AAA battery - 2nd battery, not lasting as long.
An occasional glitch makes the unit hang up when I turn it on. Re-inserting the battery corrects this. I am not interested in doing the firmware upgrade, as several people have mentioned that after upgrading, that the unit crashed. It's hard to get the battery out when the case is on, and it's a pain to take the case off.
I was really surprised at the construction of the unit - all plastic. Without a battery, it weighs about the same as a two ply kleenex. Even with the included plastic case, I am afraid of breaking it.
2 Pleased with unit, though first one was defective
I wanted an under-$100 MP3 player mostly for listening to audio (podcasts, public radio FM broadcasts), so although I am a Mac user I didn't seriously consider the iPod Shuffle. All the specs and reviews of the SanDisk looked promising. Based on my experience, I'd second the positive comments of previous reviewers, adding only a couple of caveats:
* The first one I received from Amazon had a hardware defect. The FM tuner worked once and then stopped working, and the LCD screen sometimes wouldn't come on when the unit was powered up. (I upgraded the firmware, tried fresh batteries, no help.) So I had to return it (kudos to Amazon for shipping a replacement right away). The second one I got is fine, so it's probably a statistical quality-control issue. If I'm the only one who got a bad one, it's not a big deal. But I would highly advise you test all of the functions listed in the owner's manual to be sure they all work.
* The FM receiver is not a miracle worker. I was hoping to be able to listen to a public FM station with a fairly wimpy signal. It's only borderline possible, because the signal fades unless the SanDisk is pointed just right. But realistically, no inexpensive FM tuner in such a small physical case is going to pull in weak stations the way a desktop radio with an antenna would. Sound quality on the strong, commercial FM stations is just fine.
Despite the caveats, I'm pleased with the value I got for the cost.
(Re: complaints in other reviews about too-slow fast forwarding: it is possible to increase it to a 10x rate in the System menu from a default of 8x, though maybe that's still too slow for some people.)
3 Great out of the box
It's great out of the box. You can use it with minimal studying. Loading files is easy.
My only complaint is that for some reason the files play out of order, and the player is not set to shuffle.
4 Worth Every Penny
I've had the sandisk for a month now. I have not had a single problem. Don't waste your money on anything else. This is the BEST MP3 player on the market. I researched for months and this was the best buy for the buck. If you really want an MP3 player, BUY SANDISK.
PROS
---------
1) cheap
2) easy to use
3) tons of storage
4) long lasting battery
5) great style
6) lightweight
7) FM radio works great
CONS
---------
1) no expanable memory
2) head phones are junk
5 Very surprised
I was really amazed at how good this thing sounded for such a small unit. Extremely easy to use. I was up and running in a matter of a couple of minutes. Computer recognized and installed required drivers when plugging in the USB cable. Unit is quite capable of being loud. Headphones sound really good but they hurt. Way too big. Guess that's the price to pay to get good sound but I will be buying a different pair of ear buds as I need something that will fit inside a motorcycle helmet. Great unit.
6 I'm happy
Before I bought a blue 512M unit, I read the customer comments. There were more good than bad comments so I bought one for my wife to use at the health club. I got her a lanyard to attach to the eye on the unit, loaded her music and waited to see if it was going to work or if she was going to have trouble with it. She has had it for 2 months now and has no problems. So, I decided to order a 256M red unit for myself.
I am very happy with both units. I have had no lock ups or any of the problems that others have mentioned. But then I didn't load SenDisks CD software or try to exceed the capacity of the flash card either. I hook up the MP3 players to my computer via the supplied usb cable and it instantly recognized the player as removable drive E. Then I select the song/songs from my song folder on my computer that I want to download into the unit. Then I right click the mouse to get the drop down box and select "send to Drive E." Zoom, its gone! Deleting a song is done the same way...via the computer, right click and drop down box. Select delete and its history
A typical song take around 4 to 6 seconds to download. I only load MP3 files. I have experienced that "popping" that was mentioned but it was only on one song. I deleted it and have no more popping. The problem was in the file that I downloaded. The other thing is the earphones. The sound quality is just fine for me but I can't get used to that stupid unbalanced cord. One cord on the earpiece is a lot longer than the other. A new standard set of ear buds work great.
I have used little "red" on long rides on my motorcycle and had plenty of volume. Some songs aren't as loud as others but that has to do with the recording level not the playback level. Another really cool thing I found is that it can be hooked up to your computer speakers and it sounds like a crystal clear CD or radio and the volume control on the speakers will control the sound level. Just plug the speaker jack into where the earphones go.
Last, the FM radio. It works much better than I thought it would. I wish the battery would last a little longer but for a AAA and what it does, I reckon its ok. My wife and both love our little red and blue players and like I said, if the soft ware isn't loaded and the units are operated within their parameters, they will do what they are supposed to. I would not hesitate to recommend these inexpensive little jewels to anyone. I love mine and it goes everywhere I go.
BTW, I am 60 years old and, for certain, not a computer geek. If I can make these little jewels play, ANYONE can. Also Amazon did a great job of handleing my orders in an expedient manner. Only took a few days from the time I ordered it. The initial order said 7 to 10 working days. It was more like 3!
7 Taken for a fool
My entry into this farce most likely will be accounted for by being over 60years of age. I had hoped to say that running my five miles today was even more pleasurable than usual thanks to a new little SanDisk 256 MP3 Player Red.
The 1 (One) Star recognizes that the battery connection functions. Realizing I had been taken to the cleaners, I just belted on my old CD and tromped out; accepting that I'm probably not the only sucker. The user guide might accompany treasure seekers'maps or someone versatile in an other-galaxy language. I received what I hoped would be a chance to enjoy music without bulk. Nobody said I should not be able to enjoy downloading music from my PC on my own without without hiring consultants with 4hr.minimum billing repuirements. Nobody said that by not buying the high-end I, as a consumer, should expect to be taken as a punch-line to a joke.
And Hell, what company needs to hear from someone when their actuaries say I probably shouldn't be in their market.
I wonder how many people tried to take the route of going to the companies involved in this connivance; "MusicMatch" or "SanDisk". Try to get one minute of their time if the phone rings. If you can get the right number.
If I could reach the conjurers, I might even have a chance to give a better rating. I'd even give a second star to them if they could parse the 'User's Guide'. Beyond that I might even want to recommend 3, 4, 5.
But, 'experiencia docet'. It's just the American Way of Today.
8 Good beginning model
I am new to the world of MP3 players and waited a long time to buy one. I really like this model. It will hold the equivalent of about 6 CDs - depending on the size of the tracks. I have used it with Windows Media Player and iTunes. It is about the size of a pack of gum and very light. I have had it for 3 months and use it at least 4 times a week and I just had to replace the battery for the first time. The only problem I have is with the head phones. They are too big to fit in my ears and have a scratchy sound. I replaced them and now everything is fine! This would be great for a small child or a technology beginner.
9 Awesome so far!
I bought this MP3 player about 2 months ago and it has been working great! I like that it is small and it fits just enough songs for me. I previously owned a Rio MP3 player, but after just a year the thing died on me. This one has been better, it has better features, and more memory. The radio works good and I like the preset stations feature. It is also very easy and quick to put music on the player. I use it mostly for when I am running, and it is small/light enough to carry.
10 Are you for real
I continue to read various reviews regarding MP3 players and many other items on Amazon... I must say the reviews regarding MP3 players do not appear to be written by actual consumers, but rather individuals paid to review a product.
The product is simple to use and easy to navigate. The product will meet the needs of a "new" consumer to the new world of MP3s. If you don't want to spend the money on an ipod, but want a reasonable player, this is your product...That is my review of this player.
I may be wrong. The reviews of other items may be written by well written individuals that are well versed in business writing or they may just be paid to write reviews. The sales pitch is there and the wording is just to close to that on a product package...
I hope I am wrong, but I may not going to rely on the information I read in these reviews for future purchases.
Thanks
11 Great...probably should be 5 stars...
Amazed at how useful this MP3 is - I use it every day. Almost as small as a pack of chewing gum, and just as light. This is one of the sleekest designs, and happens to be one of the least expensive. Good accesories too. Nice protective clear plastic case(which might eventually be very important) and armband for jogging. Good earphones. Sandisk is the company that made the original MP3 disk drives(I think) so it's a reliable name and the interface is very good - quick access to volume and to navigate the folders. After looking at every MP3 at the store I figure there isn't much difference between brands. The long battery length makes using batteries preferable to getting one with a rechargable battery. This one uses one AAA which make it that much more transportable. Very good price - over 1/3 cheaper than Best Buy with no tax. Great sound of course.
Great out of box. Didn't need to install drivers - USB connection identifies the Sandisk as a hard drive and you just use windows to create folders on it just like a miniature harddrive. No way to erase without computer connection, but that's standard with all MP3s I think, and that may be a good feature anyway. I suggest also the very useful FM (modulator?[20-40$]) which is a tiny FM broadcaster that plugs into the MP3 earphone jack, and you can tune your car or home radio into a specific station to listen to the MP3 [with no connection from the MP3 to the radio!]. I'd hate to be the guy who owns the CD factory right now.
I divide MP3 players into two categories - small keychain models(128meg-1gig which is 4-24 hours of music) and the larger 40gig+ Ipod type models(which can hold over two months of music). 256meg means 8 hours of music, which is fine for me, but the small players go up to 1 gig(24 hours). One model I almost bought didn't have the armband but had a laniard(necklace string) that the guy at the store said would hit him in his tooth as it flopped around while he jogged.
Again, all the MP3 brands seem very similar in functionality and memory space, so I chose this one primarily on price, sleek thin design, and the fact that it came with an armband. The included protective clear case might prove to be very important for longevity.
12 Great
Got this because I wanted a FM tuner. It's been great so far. Sound quality is good. I only wish the display screen moved faster and fast forwarding FASTER.
13 NOT Apple/iTunes Compatible - USB 2.0 Compatible
Apple users - the only thing about this device that is Mac compatible is the USB 2.0 interface!
Yes - technically since your OS will recognize this device through the USB port it is hardware compatible. Perhaps this is OK if you download and play MP3 files and have some non-Apple music management software.
I use iTunes and .m4a files because I have an iPod. I wanted a solid state device and liked the display and FM tuner on the Sandisk compared with the Shuffle's lack thereof. My error - naively thought compatibility would extend to this player interfacing / converting file format with Apple software. Yeah, kind of dumb in retrospect but maybe I can save somebody else the same error.
I did give it four stars because although (like others have commented) it feels low end, you gotta remember it's an awesome value for $67 (in a Windows / .mp3 environment).
14 Very nice player for Audibooks and Old Time Radio
I use this player mostly for audiobooks and OTR and I find it pretty ideal. The only thing I'd change if I could is to give the fast forward and rewind accelleration; but it's fast enough that it's only a problem on files over an hour.
It plays all the bitrates. I haven't found anything it won't play yet including a number of files way under it's specs low bitrate. Resume is the default and it's solid as can be as long as you just use it for one book at a time, which I do.
It's a great little player.
Barry
15 Decent for its price
I was in the market for a Flash-based mp3 player since my (hd-based) Archos Jukebox was getting up there in years and felt too bulky to bring to the gym, especially given the recent options.
What I wanted was something exactly opposite to what I already have, basically I wanted something light and small, both in terms of size and amount of space for songs. Since there were many different options out there for a small, Flash-based player, the price became the ultimate deciding factor. That's how I ended up buying this player.
Pros:
- Very light, the perfect gym accessory (especially since it comes with an armband)
- Limited space for songs (I find this to be an advantage since it forces you to constantly update your song list so it won't get stale)
Cons:
- Battery life is a bit on the short end since it only uses a single AAA. When I leave it unattended for a week, I see a dramatic decrease in battery life.
- You need to use a USB cable to transfer songs. I wished I could directly connect the player straight into the PC's USB port.
Tip:
If you really want to conserve your battery, you can take it out while you transfer songs via the USB cable, provided your PC has USB 2.0
Passing thought:
For the reviewer who complained that the armband was too big for his arm, I think it is because he failed to loop it around properly. My body frame is smaller than his, but the armband fits snug as a bug in a rug...
16 great little gagdet
I brought the sandisk for my runs, i had been running with a very old cassette player and was a little nervous to buy something i was so unfamilar with.
Wow it was so easy to put my music on, once i had learnt how to put my music in the files to put in it, it was easy, i had music ready to go before the sandisk came so all i needed to do was plug the usb in the back of my pc and away i went.
It is so nice to put it in my pocket and the sound is so great i am so pleased with my choice and if i can use it anyone can.
17 Liked it enough to buy another one
After doing quite a bit of research on MP3 players, I ended up getting the SanDisk Red. I wanted the most bang for my buck. Something with an FM tuner as well as MP3 storage. It's not the largest capacity player on the market, but SanDisk does offer bigger ones. I have used it quite a bit and love it. The only problem I had with it was when I tried to download songs according to the directions, it didn't seem to download them all. However, I "synced" them from WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER and everything went smoothly. When you connect it to the computer through Windows Media Player, it also lists all the songs on the player already so you can manage them easily. Also I don't like that there is no instruction booklet informing you about features (just a sheet of paper for downloading songs). You have to play around with it to figure it out, which wasn't hard.
I considered the IPOD Shuffle, but after all was said and done, I realized the only reason I wanted it was because it was the "cool" thing to have but didn't really meet my needs. I am not one of those people who walk around with a radio plugged into my ears all day long. My husband and I joined a gym and all I really needed was something to get me through an hour long workout. I have yet to fill up the player with songs to capacity. When I get tired of listing to my downloaded songs, I switch over to the radio. You can also tune it in to the gyms radio stations and watch TV (while on the treadmill, my personal favorite).
All in all, I think this one is perfect. There are bigger players on the market, but if your not even going to fill up a 256 mg player, why buy a 1 G and waste your money. As a matter of fact, I like it so much, I'm going to buy one for my husband so he will keep his hands off mine.
18 BEWARE OF THE FIRMWARE UPDATE !
IMPORTANT UPDATE !
I just tried to update the firmware as described in their webpage and the player went totally DEAD ! Don`t do it ! I am waiting for a response from customer service.
Old review:
This player will not play audible files and doesn`t have a bookmark function, making it pretty much useless as an audiobook player. The resume function is only useful if you don`t change the file. If you stop the book from playing and listen to a song, you loose the resume and it goes back to the beginning.
Navigation is also a nightmare. I also have an old Rio 600 which is ten times better in terms of navigation.
Otherwise, the sound is good and it is an ok player for those who only want to listen to some mp3s.
19 great and lightweight and the price is right!
i have been looking for the perfect mp3 player for months and i finally found it. very lightweight you barely even know it's there. it was so easy to download songs off of my computer to it. i didn't even need the disk that it comes with to do so. it took less than five minutes to sync 50 something songs onto it! i am very pleased! the other reviews about the earphone being crappy was simply an opinion because i think they are actually pretty good. maybe some people have fat earlobes. oh well. you will be happy if you don't wanna spend a lot of money on a pricey mp3 player. it's all good.
20 Great player at a great price
Amazon wins with this one. They have the best price if you consider the free shipping.
I have never owned a flash MP3 player before although I have tried the Shuffle at the Apple store. This player is amazingly light and is a more attractive design than (gasp!) even the ipod. So far, everything seems intuitive. I ripped a CD using the variable bit rate option under WMP and the entire CD - 30-min long - is only 19 MB! The sound quality is exceptional. FM reception also is very good.
Now about the ear phones. They are not ideal but if they are causing you pain, then you are misusing them. You don't want to stuff them up against the ear canal, you simply want to hang them off the hook on the botton part of your ear, above the lobe. I believe it's called antitragus. In this position, the speakers are directed toward the ear canal, and your ear does the rest. Try it!
Of course, this is less than satisfactory if you're moving around a lot in which case you should get one of those over the head earphones or the type that fits into your ear.
21 Economical little MP3 player!
I was contemplating buying one of the new iPod Shuffle units but after reading the reviews for it, and this little one, on Amazon, I opted for this Sandisk unit. Why? First off, it's considerably less expensive. Yes, the capacity (memory) is less, but I have to tell ya, I have more songs on my Sandisk MP3 than I would ever listen to in one sitting anyway. Plus, it's really easy to switch out songs if your memory gets filled up.
Secondly, this unit has an FM tuner with several programmable stops. So I have all my favorite radio stations available at the touch of a button. The iPod Shuffle does not have an FM radio.
Thirdly, the Sandisk unit has a display (iPod Shuffle does not) which simply makes navigating the features so much easier. I can't imagine trying this with an iPod Shuffle.
Fourth and fifth - Amazon had this item in stock (iPod's site listed a 2-week ship date) and it shipped free! I realize my location may have had something to do with it, but it was only about a week transit time.
Things I love about the Sandisk MP3: Small & lightweight (even with the battery it's still a mere couple of ounces); Has an easy to use joystick-like button for navigating the different features or switching to the next song, etc.; The FM tuner comes in crisp & clear; It's easy to add and remove songs using your computer and compatible with iTunes (which I use instead of the software that came with it).
Things I don't like about it: As people mentioned above, I can't figure out why they include these wierd earphones - so I bought some cheapo earbuds at Walgreens and use them instead); It's a little awkward to manage if you have your music set up like I do - I have a "folder" for each type of song - country, rock, jazz - and I haven't been able to figure out how to move from country to rock without skipping through all the songs in the country folder first. I know, I should read the manual, but then again, who bothers with that?
I highly recommend this Sandisk MP3 player and don't tell anyone but I'm going to buy one for my hubby for his birthday coming up.
22 Great MP3 player for first timer...
This is my first MP3 player. I have looked in several stores and websites to check prices. For this size player, I find it stores roughly around 120 songs depending on size of file. (.wma) The headphones are not the best but will do in a pinch. The color is great and although the case is plastic, it helps to keep the player from getting scratched. The sound, look, and feel are all 5 stars with me. My main complaint at first is the fact that their manual is on CD and their quick start guide sucks. If you know how to use your computer to download to other devices then you shouldn't have a problem setting up. It took me a bit but I'm a happy camper now. I also want to say that based on price and s/h. I couldn't touch an MP3 player of this quality and for this price. Thanks Amazon.com!!!! I used the free s/h...however it really tests your patience if you're in a hurry.
23 Good Player, Strange Ear Buds
This is my first DAP and has turned out to be perfect for my main use: listening to spoken word MP3s (mostly White Horse Inn episodes and Bible readings) while walking my dogs. I love the fact that the unit remembers where I left off when I stop one of my MP3s in midplay or when I shut the unit off. The voice recorder is also a nice touch and allows me to record thoughts for retrieval later.
The accompanying software is easy to use. I'd never converted CD files into the MP3 format before, but it turns out to be fairly easy, especially after reading the instructions when I couldn't figure out how to set the order of the tracks that get played (Playlists! Now I know what they are).
I'm not sure I understand the ear buds. Originally, I suspected they were manufactured incorrectly since the "wire" for one of the ear buds is much longer than the other. But now I'm guessing it might be to allow for the extra length required to get the ear piece in place on one side of your body should you decide to wear the player on the arm of your other side.
I run, but I've never brought music with me before. I decided to try it out with this unit. Not a very comfortable situation yet. The music is fine (I christened the unit with Ultravox's Rage in Eden), though the unit didn't provide enough bass for my tastes. From what I understand, I might be able to tweak something in the way I record the MP3 to get a deeper sound. What bothered me, though, was the arm band. It feels too tight around my arm, or if I loosen it, it feels like it's going to fall down. It could all be in my head, so I need more time to play with it. Also, the ear bud wires kept gripping the back of my shirt and eventually tugged the buds from my ears twice during the run. I probably need to go out and buy a better set that will stay in my ears. The player itself is very lightweight; not noticeable at all.
The controls seem easy to use. I've been just learning by trying, and only refer to the manual if I get stuck.
The FM radio works as well as my other portables and is convenient since the unit is so small and light.
24 Solid cheap media player
I was very happy to open the package and find this media player to be about the size and shape of a cigarette lighter. I was looking for something for use at the gym so I didn't have to listen to 24 Hour Fitness' terrible piped in tunes. This player is the perfect size to put on your arm with the comfortable included strap and forget it is there. In the real world it holds about 90 to 100 songs comfortably, but more than that and the menu gets a little slow. I like the player very much, but have one reservation- the included headphones are absolute crap. Replace them with a decent set and be happy, otherwise you have to walk around holding them in your ears, and they sound pretty muddy.
25 I love this mp3 player!
It suits my purposes perfectly, because while I'm at the gym I can switch between radio and mp3 files easily. The instructions are a bit confusing, but after playing around with it a bit, I have found it very easy to use. It is also so tiny--I get many comments from people about it! I would recommend it completely!
26 Excellent with some reservations
I've always been the type that wanted my whole collection with me at all times so for the longest time I've wanted an Ipod, but when I saw how cheap this flash player was, I just went for it.
I'm not going to repeat what others have said about this device, but there are some issues with it. Like others have mentioned, the firmware upgrade takes care of the random welcome-screen freezing. Also, while I was waiting for the package to arrive, I used the time to convert all of my mp3s and re-rip all of my CDs to WMA so that I could store more in the limited 256mb. I thought I'd go with the latest wma codec, version 9.1, but that proved to be a huge mistake. Only after encoding hundreds of music files did I realize that the device will not play WMAs encoded in Microsoft's newest version 9.1 codec. Version 7 works fine and I haven't tried version 8. I don't think this problem has been mentioned in any other review.
Another issue of a lesser magnitude is the build quality. Although it is extremely lightweight, I would have liked it to feel a bit sturdier, even if it meant added heft.
I've seen complaints over the convoluted UI; it's not that difficult to figure out. If you're the least bit savvy with electronics, you should be fine with the basic features (some do require looking up in the pdf file, such as setting radio presets).
Basically, as long as your collection is in mp3s or version 7/8 or less wma, this is a great player. Once I get around to re-encoding my files, I hope to enjoy the device lots more.
-EDIT-
I also just realized that the unit does not seem to be able to read my wma files' ID3 tags; even though I set it to display tags, the full filenames scroll.
27 Sturdy Little Thing
Having read other reviews and looking at other players I decided this one fit the bill. Traveling with it, having had it for 2 weeks or so I was pleased with my purchase. Everything changed the night I accidentally dropped it in a pool of water. I was pretty sure it was toast but I unscrewed it, popped the pieces apart (which was really easy) and set it out to dry, hoping against hope there was still a chance.
Two days later I put it all back together again (again easy)and unbelievably the little thing turned on and played with no problem! It's been playing fine ever since.
28 THe perfect choice
If you are looking for something cheap, something small, good looking and good quality mp3 player, this is what you have to buy, It has a lot of functions and the sound is perfect, you can use it as a memory disk too, so i recommend you this product instead of an ipod shuffle
29 Nice Player
This is a nice little MP3 player. It's my first one and it is pretty easy to use. After browsing the pdf manual I figured out the stuff I needed to know and am just cruising right along. If you have Windows Media 10 you don't need to install any software from the CD, just plug it into the USB and use the SYNC feature and import play lists.
Pretty cool toy. Nice features and I think the volume is fine. I gave it four stars because 5 seemed like too many.
30 Really amazing
This mp3 player is absolutly awesome. I have dropped it and abused it and it still works. This mp3 not only has indigo backdrop, it just takes one triple a battery, and it can last forever, and u can turn it up load as *#$&! This mp3 player also has a radio, but I did not purchase it for this reason. The radio gets perfect reception anywhere, which is amazing also. This company should keep up the good work, making us happy.
John- ranger1909@hotmail.com
31 Review from a Teen, great mp3!!
This mp3 is awesome! It's so light weight and very easy to use, I don't know what everyone is talking about with it being complicated and everything. I must admit that the earphones are worthless, but did you buy it for the earphones? I've gotten a lot of compliments on it, and it's working great so far. When I got it and saw the little plastic case thing, I was unimpressed, but it works really well. Oh, and the loading music thing is a breeze, just drag and drop the file. Great for anyone, bang for your buck!
32 AWESOME BUY!!!!
This is a great little MP3 player. The joystick makes it easy to get to any song. For the money it is a great first MP3 player.
P.S. It DOES NOT freeze! Some people said it did...
33 Product Issue / Rotten Customer Service
There are two issues with the SanDisk 256 that I purchased a few weeks ago.
1. If eq is changed from "normal" setting the music slows down and is garbled.
2. After my attempt to get customer service to respond via email, my experiece with calling the SanDisk Tech Support was also a failure.
My recommendation would be to buy a mp3 player from a company that stands behind their products and appreciates their customers.
34 Great Simple Player
I got this MP3 player about 2 weeks ago, and I love it! I've used it nearly everyday with hardly any problems at all.
I love the size, the controls are easy to navigate (just make sure you check out the manual Amazon gives you), and I love the radio feature (something I didn't expect). All you have to do to put files on the player is drag and drop, which is about as easy as it gets. I haven't used the recording feature, so I can't comment on that.
The earphones are interesting (the connecting cord goes around the back of your neck) but I like them. The buds are easy to pop in and out - great for when I'm going in and out of classes, but I haven't tried them while working out yet. I would, however, recommend getting some rechargeable batteries if you're going to use it a lot. They don't seem to last as long, but in the long run, it'll be cheaper.
The only problem I had was with freezing, but this was entirely my fault for both putting in too many files and not making sure they were the correct format - easily fixed. I haven't noticed any problem with crackling that others have described.
Overall, this is an excellent little player for the price and I'm very satisfied with it.
35 Nice mp3 player IF you download the update
As you may have read in other people's reviews, this mp3 player has one really bad problem...it occasionally freezes on the welcome screen and you can't do anything except take out the battery. This really pissed me off, and I was about to return it, however, I checked the Sandisk website and they had a firmware update that fixed the problem completely. Now it works perfectly, and I have no problems with it at all, so make sure you download the update, otherwise you are going to get really frustrated. BTW, will probably need to get new headphones because the ones that come with the player are really short. Also, the battery compartment is a little difficult to open, but if you press the arrow thing in a diagonal motion (down and forward) it opens fine. Anyway, good mp3 player for the price.
36 SanDisk 256
I was a little apprehensive at purchasing my first mp3. I was in the market for one to use at the gym, quality, and a good price. I read up on each that I was interested in, Rio, SanDisk, I-Pod Shuffle, and Iriver. I looked into the Rio Cali and all the ratings where not very good. You all know the cons to any IPod. I liked the Irivers, but none had the memory and price I liked. I decided on this red SanDisk 256. For $70 plus Amazons great reputation for returns and shipping I figured it was worth a try. I waited impatiently for 2 days. Finally recieved it!!! Right on time(Thanks Amazon). I opened the package looked at the small page of instructions, decided against them, turned on Windows Media Player, plugged in the USB cord and "synced" the music right over. WMA at 128 KBPS. It transfered my files flawlessly and at a great speed!! So far I only have 61 songs added and still room to spare. I tried the FM tuner and got a couple great stations with no interference. We are a long ways from a transmitter too! So far, I am very impressed with this little guy. I have only had it for 2 hours so that is why I have only given it 4 stars. They also could have put better instructions in concerning the features it has. But I would recommend this little guy to anyone.
37 A KIDS REVIEW
My friend has this mp3 and it rocks! I ordered it recently and waiting for it to arrive. I know the headphones are weak but that can be eaisly fixed. The red color is totally radial dude.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE ORDER TO COME.
38 Time to Scrap the CD Player
If you have never owned an MP3 player before, this is the best one to begin with! After realizing my CD player was near death, I decided to buy a new one. However, most decent CD players were only about $20 cheaper than the Sandisk. It was finally time to upgrade. It is extremely small, easy to use, and great for use during any physical activity. While many people complain about the earbuds, I have found them to fit fine. It may have something to do with my ears, but regardless, I don't think anyone bought the sandisk explicitly for the earbuds.
Second, many people complained that it is "hard to use". This is probably because they aren't use to using digital equipment. I am no master when it comes to using computers and other items, but the Sandisk is fairly easy to use. You can also control any of the preset controls such as the fade in, how fast you can fast forward, and even the actual speed of the music. As far as the battery, I have not found any problems associated with changing it. I am not sure if it lasts the full fifteen hours, but who really cares? It will last at least ten, and if you are that concerned then you can buy triple A batteries at the dollar store!
Lastly, my only complaint really has nothing to do with the sandisk, but the music you can play on it. Unfortunately some of the songs I have ripped from CDs will not play on an MP3 player. This is because during the whole "napster age", some music artists placed restrictive licenses on their songs. For example, one of my Dave Matthews CD's will download to the player, but the player will not play the songs. I know there has to be a way around this (using another program to rip CD's), but I found it to be quite irratating. Especially when I purchased the CD in the first place. So before you buy it, you might want to look at some of the songs you want to play and see if it may be a problem or not. Otherwise, this player is excellent for first time users who are looking for quality without paying the price.
39 Great price for a great product
I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about what I getting when I purchased the Sandisk MP3 Player but it has absolutely won me over. My biggest gripe with digital audio products is how sensitive to touch they are and thus how often they unintentionally turn themselves on or off. When I first looked at the cheap plastic case that came with the player, I sneered at it but it does a remarkable job in stopping unintentional touches to buttons on the player. I understand that there a lock feature but considering I place my player on the inside of my jacket and like to adjust it without taking it out of my pocket, the lock feature is a nuisance and you always have to remember to lock after you are done using the player. So it's brilliant to never have to use the lock feature and yet never end up wasting batteries.
Beyond this the buttons are intuitive and easy to use. The audio quality is great but I am not an audiophile. The FM reception in the NYC area is excellent. My only critique is that similar to most other MP3 players, it does have a relatively short battery life but it is bearable.
Finally for the price you pay, this is a magnificent bargain.
40 great player
I have had this for about a month and am very happy with it. Drag and Drop music files, its TINY, abt the size of a pack of gum. I really wanted to replace my big clunky FM radio and found this. Use it walking and at the gym. It was pretty easy to figure out, ear phones stay in even tho they feel like they will fall out, you dont need to force them into your ear.
Arm band is lame, as is the plastic case, they should have included a lanyard in the package, I am just using a piece of string for now.
Big thumbs up, am very happy. ;)
41 DAP choice: How I chose.
Having to first wipe and then reburn a CD-RW just to hear a few new songs on my MP3-CD player was an inconvenience I wanted to be rid-off -- plus the inability to fast-forward to a certain point in a track made listening to audio books a pain. So began my hunt for a MP3 player.
Since I didn't plan on having my whole collection with me (simply 40 songs, if not less, at a time), a 1gb+ player would be overkill. True portability, plus not having to wait for a recharge and potentially having to send the player back 3 years later to pay x amount to replace the battery, meant that I was looking for something that runs on AAAs or AAs. I might also jog with it and a read through the on-line forums showed mixed results for micro-drives in this capacity which placed me in the market for a 512mb or 256mb flash DAP.
Examining the reviews and user opinions on CNET, Amazon and various on-line, audio forums, the companies to consider were Apple, CreativeLabs, iAudio, iRiver and SanDisk.
Apple has a great reputation and everyone seems to agree that the quality (both finish, ease of use and sound) of their players are excellent. The only controversy was with the short life of the lithium ion batteries but all players with this energy source will have this problem. (According to Battery University, if the user leaves the battery at 100% charge at 77 degrees Fahrenheit, at the end of 1yr, the total charge level will only be at 80% which means that if you were able to get 20 hours of play, a year later, you'll only be able to get 16 hours)
The new iPod Shuffle didn't appeal to me because it lacked a LCD screen (try navigating a CD-RW with 107 songs and you'll know what I mean) Also, I heard that the Shuttle was binded to your home's iTunes so the only way to transfer files from your office was to first format the thing. It doesn't have a FM tuner, runs on lithium with ~12hr life, and doesn't support WMA but is the only player to support AAC. You can only have 1 playlist. So it wasn't for me. However, if you have a large iTunes collection, have an iPod and just want a excellent sounding player with familiar controls to workout at the gym with, this player is for you.
CreativeLabs, the guys who brought us the awesome sound blaster cards ( I have the Audigy 2 ZS), offers a wide array of DAPs which have just as much mind-share among the enthusiast as Apple. Their most popular models are Zen Micro followed by Zen Touch. The major issues were: 1. bad firmware update for the Micro and 2. the headphone jack on the Micro seems to degenerate too quickly. Sound quality-wise, vox poplui is that Zen Micro and the iPod 4gb sound about the same.
Among the flash players, only the Muvo N200 and Muvo Tx FM have a FM tuner and run on AAA batteries with ~15hr life. Both are exactly the same but the Tx FM can act as a USB key without having to use a small adapter like the N200 -- this also means that the Tx FM is slightly larger. Reviews and discussions suggest that both have pretty good sound quality but not on the level of a iAudio or iRiver. I favored the Tx over N200 because the former can be a true USB key but ultimately decided not to go neither because the LCD was so small. (Went to J&R to see one).
Of interest, the original Tx FM could not fast-forward to the middle of a song, however, a firmware update has fixed this plus added support for Audible.com. I have also read the manual and found the controls (jog wheel that can be depressed to select and volume + & -) to be as intuitive as Apple's. Overall, the N200 & Tx FM are for people whose willing to sacrifice a bit of sound quality in order to get a small LCD screen. Both have FM tuners and so-so voice recorder ability but has no playlist support and you can only have 1 subfolder (C:\Level1\Level2). They support MP3, WMA and Audible.
iAudio is a company that appears to be quite popular in Korea. They don't seem to have as big a following in the states due to fact that their players, before the recent price decrease, were rather expensive and had limited distribution. Their most popular models are the U2 and iAudio 4 (there is a 5 out now, different look, same insides). Both had FM tuners, excellent voice recording ability with playlist support and fast forward ability. They support MP3, VBR, WMA, WAV, OGG and ASF
Since there wasn't too much on the forums about them, the CNET reviews were the main source of information and the U2 was rank the top flash player with some of their other players also taking top spots. The U2, with its extremely small form factor, had excellent sound, on par with the iPod Shuffle and a beautiful design. The only problem for me was that is used lithium rechargeable batteries. The iAudio 4 used AAA batteries and had the same sound quality as the U2 but didn't navigate via joystick. Both had about a ~15hr battery life.
Taking a look at the manuals, the i4 did not appear to be as intuitive as the CreativeLab Muvo or Apple iPod. The U2 is good for people who want excellent sound with an easy to read LCD and navigation plus small footprint. The iAudio 4 is for those who are looking for everything in the U2 but is willing to trade slightly larger form factor and navigation to have a non-lithium battery. I have ordered a iAudio 5 512mb (The i5s are gorgeous!!!) and am waiting for it to arrive. An interesting note is that you can change the short boot-up screen for the i4. Just download the software from the company's site and it makes converting a moving gif for the start-up screen a snap.
iRiver is iAudio's rival in Korea and it seems that both have about the same sound quality (which means excellent sound and on par with the Shuffle). iRiver is also known to have elegant designs and their iFP-799 is no exception - this player looks very similar to the U2. The review on CNET and elsewhere were very favorable to all their players however, it seems that quite a few users in the forums have quality problems and report the units breaking about a few months later. I was going to get an iFP-799 which supports MP3, OGG and non-protected WMA but didn't want a lithium battery (these things are everywhere) and the fact that it doesn't work as a UBS key killed the deal. You have to install iRiver's software in order to transfer anything onto the player but you can't save songs from the player to your computer - perhaps done to please media companies. Battery life, at ~40hrs, was the longest of all.
SanDisk has been in the flash memory business for awhile and it was a logical step to create more value-added products like a MP3 player. Their entry seems to have forced prices of flash players down. I have brought 2 of these (gave one to my youngest brother who loves it) and found the value, relative to price, to be the highest among all the flash DAPs. It supports MP3s and both protected and non WMA files. There is no playlist.
The sonic quality of the item was a bit worst than your average CD player and the included headphones sounded mono. Switching to my Sennheiser HD 457s, gave the sound a better range (lows were lower and highs were higher) but it came with a slight decrease in volume.
The FM tuner had trouble auto-scanning but you could manual select and I found the reception to be no worst than a standard walkman. I have not tried the voice recording but heard that it was only good for personal messages. Don't expect to record lectures like the iAudio and iRiver DAPs. The unit itself only supports one folder level (no subfolders) and couldn't seem to handle more than 10 of them. My brothers and I found that the navigation wasn't a problem for us. Reading the manual, however, was required in order to get all the options. How can someone know that holding down the select button for 3 seconds while in any mode will bring up the systems menu?
The LCD screen was a decent size. With a blue backlit, there were no issues reading it. Since you could just drag and drop your songs via Windows Explorer, I have not tried the included software. You can also create your folders via Windows Explorer. The small form factor meant that you could place it in any pocket and not notice it there. No problems were had connecting to our 4 PCs via the included USB cable. File transfer was very quick. A reviewer complained that file deletion was difficult but that was not the case. Just select the song and hit Rec, press the Play/Stop to confirm. We had been using the 2 units for awhile now and the 15 hour stated battery life appeared to be correct.
This DAP is definitely good for those looking for a ultra portable device. It's not much bigger than your thumb. The sound wouldn't blow you away (audiophiles would be better serve with a iAudio, iRiver or iPod Shuffle) but the low price will surely impress. SanDisk looks to be a strong contender in low-end flash player market.
General note about what storage size to select. Besides, the SanDisk 1GB, non of the other 1GB items could be recommended. Often times a 4GB unit can be had from the same company for just $25 to $30 more which means that the user should choose between 256mb or 512mb. Assume 6mb per song, you can have around 42 and 83 songs, respectively.
42 Very short lived happiness ...
I was very excited about the product for a day. With its FM capability, resume function, enough memory space to carry an adequate music selection, high level of portability, ..., I thought the product was a bargain. Then, on my second day, the whole player kept on freezing when it reaches to play a certain file. The only way to unfreeze the player was to remove and put back its battery. But once it reaches the same audio file, either by playback or navigation towards it, the player freezes again. I deleted all audio files on the player and reloaded new files, but the problem persisted with the new set of files.
To cut the story short, I ended up sending the player back to Amazon.com for a refund. It would have been better if this product were designed with a chip based player and FM tuner, and with a removable flash drive or some other storage medium attached to it. That way, if the storage sector goes bad one does not end up throwing the whole unit.
Looks like these flash memory based players have a long way to go before they reach a satisfactory level of reliability.
43 value for money
This is a great little player, but the headphones are crap!! so make sure you buy some decent headphones when purchasing this!!
44 Sounds Good, Hard to Navigate
This is a fantastic little player that serves as an FM radio, MP3 player and memory card. You'd swear the earphones were going to fall out of your ears, but they don't and, when one masters the player and can use different software, the device is a bargain.
The weaknesses, though, make things difficult for a novice. The software is dreadful, forcing users to find their own MP3 encoders. I also have not been able to record albums to their own directories and have them play in order -- probably a navigation problem on my part. I would have thought with arrow keys, one could navigate their way UP to the ROOT directory, SELECT a CD directory with songs in it and play those songs in the order in which they were recorded. Ah, but that would have been too intuitive.
The bottom line is there are better deals on the market unless you have your own copy of Nero or Easy DVD Creator and can dedicate the time to guessing your way through it. The instruction book certainly won't help!
45 A mainstream player. Without the frills.
If you're here, you're probably trying to figure out whether you can live with 256 MB with all the "bigger fish" in the sea. What features you can live with, and what you can't. Maybe even how much a brand name like iPod is worth to you. But if you're like me, you have your eye out for value, too. With this in mind, I can heartily recommend this little player to a good number of (though not all) prospective listeners.
Let's be clear here. SanDisk's 256 MB player in particular is designed for a specific niche of users. It's not for audiophiles, nor is it for people who want to take a ton of music with them all the time. You're probably a good match for this player if you need some portable music during a task - the gym, the library, a bike ride, a morning's commute - and don't intend to be jamming non-stop to fresh tunes the entire day.
Here's what you'll get: a sleek little red player that scores solidly across the board. We have mainstream support for the old (MP3) and the new (WMA DRM), a suprisingly readable screen, a pretty good form factor and some little extras here and there. Yes, this comes at the expense of space. But you get everything that you'd expect on an MP3 player. And consider how much your money gets you here, compared to the competition. Without question, the going price of this 256 MB player is one of its key strengths - it's not a serious investment.
With that said, if you're willing to invest more, there's a few issues to bear in mind with this player. The menus and controls, while quickly grasped with a bit of experimentation, may be confusing to users who don't intend to read the manual (which, unfortunately, is not very extensive). Sorry, you only get one color choice here. And the plastic sleeve that comes with it is functional, but feels like a cheap afterthought. But hey. That's what I'm trying to get at with this review. The player is functional AND cheap (in the good sense).
Many people have been complaining about the radio. But I think it's fair to say that nobody's buying this player primarily to listen to the radio. It's just there for value. Think of it as a supplement to your space - if you were to play through all 256 MB of your stored music, the radio's there in case you need it. I'd say the same about the voice recorder - just in case.
If you were thinking about the iPod Shuffle, as I was for a while, consider: this is still definitely pocket-sized; the screen is there to help you navigate; you don't need to install iTunes; you can change your own battery. On the flip side, you'll be carrying around less music, and you'll need to keep a USB cable handy at your computer.
In the end, you just have to weigh your options. Know what you want, and find the best player for your needs. For the gym, this was the best choice, and I'm happy with it. SanDisk's little player is going to give you your music, when you need it, without cleaning out your wallet. Best of luck in your search.
46 I love this player!
I ordered this player because I did not want to spend a lot of money. It is so compact! I couldn't believe it. I use it at the gym and just keep it in my purse all times (you never know when you might get stuck in a long line at the groccery store or have to wait). I have even used it in my car with an old adapter from a portable cd player to use with your tape deck. I read the reviews before buying this product. They were right about the menu it is somewhat difficult to use. I usually have it shuffeling my music and therefore do not have to use menu often. I probably will get the i pod someday but will still love this player for the gym and just having around. This was my first mp3 player and I am thrilled!
47 Don't Buy - 2 Frozen Units So Far
After purchasing the device as a Christmas present for my daughter, the unit worked for approximately 20 days. Went through the RMA procedure with SanDisk so that they could ship a replacement unit. Just got the new unit back and it too has failed on first try. New battery in, power on, download one song to unit, goto playback and the unit is frozen on the Welcome screen, can't shut off or anything else. Just like the first unit. A piece of junk - don't waste the $70.
48 GREAT MP3
I am listening to the radio as i am writing this and it has great sound. I havn't even used up half of the storage and i have like 60 songs so the sheet is wrong. like i said it gets great reception and it is so small and compact that it is great. I also love the plastic cover and have gotten many compliments. Loading songs was simple but if u have windows 98 make sure that u download the required software that comes with the player! It definetly made the 14 hour drive to Florida a lot better.
49 Excelent product with a minor nuisance
I gota' tell ya', for the price it is absolutely worth owning, especially if it's your first mp3 player. I couldn't be happier with it: the display is great, it's very light, and it has many features.
Some people have complained that it's a bit too difficult to use. True, but after a couple of rounds of forward and backward any user will get the jest of the most important functions. Programming the FM player gets a bit confusing but it's doable.
It's really a pleasant surprise as how many features are put in this product; it's actually fun trying to figure them all out. Although the manual is not very helpful, you can figure it out for yourself.
You can organize your mp3s or wmas any way you like. Maneuvering through your folders and files is also easy. The FM radio has 20 preset stations that you can program, the signal is not great but it works. The mic picks up conversation from almost 2 feet away. Just a good product.
The only downfall is the immense consumption of batteries. I go through 4 batteries a week!! I know the company promises 15 hours of play time, but this is misleading because it uses a lot of juice when you're transferring songs to the player from your pc (or Mac). Now, I only transfer songs sporadically, to deter some of the battery usage. I also figured out you can turn off the backlight, which also saves some juice.
Overall, I'm happy with it. Keep in mind I haven't experienced any other mp3 players, but objectively I think it's wonderful. Enjoy.
In My Humble Opinion
50 sandisk 256mb mp3 player
Product performs well. However, the company has yet to write a decent manual. Your basically on your own to figure out how all the features work. As the technician on the phone said "just fool around with it until you figure it out"
51 Good Little Player
There is something to Y Jiang's review below. I just received my player in the mail today and have been listening to it for the past 8 hours. Within the first 2 or 3 minutes of listening I heard this horrible crackling sound - very loud and audible. Since then, there have been sporadic (barely noticeable) crackles here and there. I think I can live with the unit as is. The price was right ($67 with free shipping). I can get plenty of songs on this thing. Actually the last 2 hours (straight) I have been listening I have not heard a single crackling sound, so maybe it's getting better?
I went running with this unit tonite. I placed it into my jacket pocket where it was bobbing up and down (I only zipped up my pocket with cord hanging out, I didn't really secure the unit). It promptly froze up. I was only able to get the unit back working by taking the battery out and putting it back in.
The supplied armband is wayy too stretchy and long. It falls down too easily and I am a fairly large 5'7" male, 176 lbs.
Audio quality is good. It is not audiophile quality but then again, for $69 what do you expect? Sounds seem to be faithfully reproduced. Treble could be a bit more clear and stronger. Bass is good. Amplification through supplied headphones seems ok. You have to set it around 30 to get it fairly loud (out of 40).
The supplied headphones are good. The sound is actually quite full and the range is decent.I'm listening to my Grado SR80's as I write this so I do have something good to compare them to. My qualm about the supplied earphones is that they are uncomfortable to wear and kind of large, even for my ears. I can't imagine how they would fit on a person with smaller ears.
Some reviewers complained of lack of bass. Let me pose a question: Maybe your rip wasn't all that great to begin with. Also, perhaps your headphones aren't that great at producing bass. Maybe you had the EQ setting on "Classic" where the Bass is set at -3 at 14khz.
Speaking of the EQ it is a 5 band from 50khz to 14khz plus or minus 12 decibels. There are presets with Pops, Classic, Rock, Jazz, Normal, and User selectable. So far my experience with the EQ has been very negative. Every time I try to use the darn thing not only does it start crackling but it actually starts to slow down (play speed decreases). I turned that sucker back to normal and everything went back fine.
One cute option: While in playback mode you have the option of viewing the peak level meter (right and left frequencies), amount of time left in the song, EQ, or volume bar. I have it set on amount of time left in the song.
Other complaint: The player will occasionally stop playing. I'm not sure if it is doing this because it is at the end of the playlist inside the directory or what. It would be nice if it just kept playing into the next song on the next directory.
User interface: I don't find it difficult to navigate menus on this unit (The joystick is kinda small however). In fact, I actually found it be be fairly intuitive. I didn't even have to look at the manual to figure out how to move from one folder to another. One nice feature: you can configure it to right or left handed persons. This way the screen will actually flip horizontally so you can use the directional pad with either hand. One thing I do not like is the way songs are displayed on the menu. Yes the names of the songs do scroll across, but they do so at an agonizingly slow rate. If you are looking for a specific song and you are trying to run through the list quickly, you will have to select the song, and then sit there and wait until the name scrolls by. What I have done is eliminate the name of the artist altogether or trimmed it down to 2 or 3 characters. This way the song title is (entirely or partially) visible as soon as you view the menu.
Setup was a snap. I downloaded the drivers from Sandisk website (I could have used the CD but I chose not to); Restarted my computer, hooked up the MP3 player through the USB port, created a directory under the new drive and threw some songs into it. I could have thrown all the MP3's into the root directory if I wanted to. The instruction manual (PDF) from Sandisk website tells you to install and use the MusicMatch Jukebox player to transfer files. You *don't* have to use this program to transfer files to your MP3 player!
The FM radio reception is good. The auto scan feature is nice as it automatically places the strongest signals into the presets for you. Luckily the unit didn't find more than 20 stations (that is the max number of presets). I was able to delete the stations that I don't listen to (like the Spanish ones).
The voice recorder does a decent job. Sounds a bit muffled, but I can use it to record info for my upcoming Natl Board.
This unit gets 4 stars overall but 5 for value. Ole! Good job Sandisk. Hopefully you will do better in your next series, there is room for improvement!
2/13/05
This is an update of the previous review above: I bought the 850mah Nimh rechargeables by Energizer and these are horrible. I got about 10 minutes of run time. Looks like I'll have to go with disposable batteries. An online search turned up no better than 1000 mah AAA Nimh's. I seriously doubt these will perform that much better than 800 Nimh. Just something to keep in mind. I wish Sandisk had gone with AA, that way I could use my 1700mah AA's and get good performance.
Incidentally I have only had sporadic occurrences of the small clicks and pops that I had mentioned earlier. The supplied headphones are much too uncomfortable for me to wear, despite the fact that they look nice and sound good too. Plus they fall out easily when I run. I have purchased a set of Sony EX81's and will report on that if I get the chance.
I really love this little player and take it wherever I go. :) The size is so small and cute. I went to Best Buy and looked at the other MP3 players. Wow! This MP3 player is definitely among the smallest players out there. I just wish there were better quality AAA rechargeable Nimh's available. It is hard for me to say how long the batteries last. I have been using the player an average of several hours per day for the past week. I just burned through the original supplied battery tonite after 5 days of use. If I had to guess, I would probably say I got about 12-15 hours out of it.
By the way, the reviewer Jack Dantes "John G" is completely wrong about battery consumption. This mp3 player does not use any batteries when you transfer songs to and from the player. As a test, I took the batteries out and transferred some songs to the unit and it worked fine.
52 Great price, does everything it needs to do
Why pay hundreds of dollars for a huge hard drive player? Do you really need days worth of music at once?
This little player works great,
File transfer is a breeze, it uses the same system as your windows harddrive. Just drag files into the player icon, and arrange them at will.
Volume is good, I like my music loud, and for most songs (assuming you have a quality mp3 track) I keep the audio at about 26-30 out of 40. I have a nice pair of sony sport headphones so that probably helps too. The Earbuds that come with the unit seem just ok, but they are free after all.
The FM feature is nice also, I have not used the voice recorder yet though.
53 This Player May Have a Fatal Problem!
I was usually very careful while buying electronics online. After reading all the user reviews here at Amazon.com (including those for the Sandisk 256m, 512m and the 1G versions, coz they should be the same unit besides the storage capacity), I also googled other reviews for this mp3 player before i placed the order. Mostly, people rate this player pretty high and agreed that it has a very good music playback quality... besides two reviews, one found here and the other on CNET.com, reported that there's a "periodic distortion/crackling sound" that occurs when the beginning of the scrolling file name reaches the left side of the display. And these reviewers said this crackling noise is very NOTICABLE and Irritating. I just thought if it is so, then there's no reason for the other 100+ reviewers to ignore it. So i just decided that two units with the crackling sound should be just accidentally defective and should not be common. So I place the order.
After I received it and put some songs in it, I heard the exact same annoying noise as described by those two reviewers! It happens periodicly (every 8-12 seconds) and is indeed very NOTICABLE and IRRITATING. Later after multiple trys using different software (including the one came with this player and Window Media Player and itunes) encoding different songs in different formats I found that the annoying noise happens when you encode the music into MP3 format, but not if you use the WMA format. To me this is definitely unacceptable for this is namely a "MP3 Player" and it fails to function when playing the music in its designated format!
I already arranged a replacement with Amazon and hopefully the next unit won't have the same problem. If it does, no options left to me other than asking for a refund.
FOLLOWING IS AN UPDATE OF THE ABOVE REVIEW:
I have posted a review on this mp3 player a few days ago talking about the crackling noise the player generates when playing music in mp3 formats. Yesterday I received the replacement unit from Amazon. To my surprise, the same problem is still there! Now it seems this Sandisk mp3 player is indeed seriously flawed and at least the problem is not uncommon. Still wondering if the other reviewers, or at least some of them, who gives big credits to the music playback quality of this mp3 player have just missed that crackling noise, which sounds so apparent and annoying to me? If you already bought this player and haven't noticed that noise yet, i urge you to listen some music encode in MP3 format (NOT WMA) REALLY CAREFULLY and see if you can find it. THe sound is very close to the one you wound hear every time when you start playing a song by pushing the PLAY/STOP button or when you stop the player in the middle of a song, though not as loud and apparent. It should not be too difficult to identify that noise if you are listening to some clear music like the classical music or some easy-listening pop songs. If you still cannot find that noise, then congratulations you may be lucky. But be aware that those really loud music, like the heavy metal, may just help to hide the noise.
As a portable music lover, I own quite a few different portable music players like the tape Walkmans, Diskmans, MD players and a third genneration IPOD. To be fair, if it is not for this noise, I should have been very satisfied with this MP3 player and give it a 4-5 star rating. It looks good, has a reasonably small size and light weight, the sound quality is very good except for the periodic noise, and of course, the unbeatable price. I even found the much criticized stock ear buds not bad. It has a fairly good performance on the mid to high range (maybe not the bass) and sounds clear and loud. Maybe the size is a bit big so may not fit small ears. As to the unequal length of the left and right cord, it is just the design of the earphones (and such a design has long been used by the Japanese and Euro earphone makers like the SONY, Panasonic, and Philips, just to name a few). Some may not like this design, but i have no problem with it. Unfortunately, that irritating noise comes along with the music failed this otherwise fine mp3 player.
I'm going to contact Amazon for a refund and meanwhile I'm looking for anther MP3 player.
54 Nice little device! Does it freeze up on you???
I got this because I was attracted to the reasonable price. I don't need a ton of memory; don't even need a stellar fidelity experience.
I looked for shuffle play, which this player is capable of. However, when I loaded it up with files, it froze up after about three songs! And removing the battery is the only way to reset it. This is not good, and I thought maybe I made a mistake with my purchase. HOWEVER, I THINK I know how to get around the freeze ups until this is fixed. So I wrote this review. Here's what I recommend to stop the 'freezing' (hopefully I'm not writing too soon!):
1) Turn OFF the repeat function when using SHUFFLE mode. When repeat is turned ON, you'll see an arrow pointing right over the DIR or ALL or 1 song and another arrow pointing left - indicating it'll go back and play them again. So make sure it's OFF. The firmware has internal memory. I suspect that the system overloads when it tries to keep track of which songs have already played AND attempts to repeat the whole set. If repeat is turned OFF, the unit appears to handle this tracking better.
2) Put all the songs in one folder. (I know some may not want to do this, but it has worked for me so far.)
If this solution works for the long term, I'm satisfied with my purchase. It makes a good first MP3 digital audio player!
55 A smart buy!!
Pros:
1. You cant beat this price.
2. You cant ask for more features(for this price)!!
3. Incredibly easy to use.
4. Outstanding quality of sound.
5. Feather light.
Cons:
1. The earphones are a disaster!!
2. Only has a female USB port. So, you have to carry the cord around if you need to double it as a storage device.
3. Records well from small distances only.
4. The preset 20 stations are a joke.
Conclusion: For all its features.........its well worth ur green. Also, you can trust the brand as they've been in the storage business for a while. They are not a bunch of guys catching on with the hype of media players.
56 If you're a novice to MP3 players (as am I), this is for you
I would've given it five stars, but those darn headphones kept falling out of my ears at the most inopportune times! I use my own headphones which I've had for years. I just like them better anyway. And to be fair, I've never had any luck with those jam-'em-in-your-ears type of headphones.
Fits right in the breast pocket in my body warmer vest with a whole lot of room to spare. It's tiny. And even though the one-page instruction sheet leaves a bit of info out, this player is very user friendly. I'm not completely a techno-phobe, but I'm no wizard, and I think I've got it all figured out.
And the sound! WOW! A real little piece of big sound.
I'm very happy with this. And 60 or so songs (give or take) is more than enough for me.
57 great inexpensive mp3 player.
I've had yepps, a dell jukebox, rca lyra, and a few other mp3 players... this is by far my favorite. Its easy to use, weighs next to nothing, and its cheap. The quality of this is compable to units costing double. I love it.
58 Great and easy to use!!
Pros
- Very inexpensive
- Very easy to use
- small and compact
Cons
- no belt clip
This MP3 player is exactly what I was looking for. Its a simple, easy to use and inexpensive MP3 player that I use in the gym. I couldn't believe how simple it was to transfer music from my computer to the MP3 player. In the past I've payed more than 4 times the amount of the SanDisk for other MP3 players and they all were impossible to get working properly or even work at all. I'm not at all interested in some of the other MP3 players that hold 500+ songs. I just need a simple player that will hold 30 or 40 songs to get me through my gym workouts. The SanDisk is fairly inexpensive so if it does get broken or smashed in the gym, its no huge loss (I've broken plenty of CD players in the gym over the years). About the ONLY thing I don't like is the arm band. I would rather have some sort of belt clip. Overall, this is a great product. I wish I would have bought this a long time ago!!
59 Not perfect, but worth the money
The important stuff first: It sounds great and it's not flimsy.
I was so eager to get it out of the box that I accidentally launched the entire unit out of the packaging and across the room onto the hard kitchen floor. I picked it up, plugged it in and everything was fine. The sound is also very good, but of course the quality of the MP3s that you input is also important.
On the downside, it's not as loud as I'd like it to be. Don't get me wrong, it is adequately loud, just a tad bit under the max volume from the average Walkman or portable CD player. It may be possible to fix with headphones with their own volume controls but I'm not sure.
This unit is also great when it comes to battery life. I've been playing around with it all day and it's still showing three solid bars, the maximum.
According to the box hype, it's supposed to hold something like 60 MP3s or 8 hours of music. I honestly doubt that it could fit 60 MP3 encoded at the optimum 192kbs; it's probably closer to 40. But with such a fast transfer rate it's doesn't really make a difference. Two seconds drag and drop from Windows Explorer and you're all set. It doesn't get much easier than that.
Overall I would have given it 5 stars except for the volume issue. I'm not at all disappointed with this purchase or Amazon's usual fast delivery.
60 One of the best mp3s available!
The simplicity and functionality of this product are superb, not to mention the size.
Don't miss out on this great deal. Two thumbs up
61 great for the price
This is my first mp3 player and I love it. I was a little worried at first that I wouldn't be able to use it, because I'm no computer expert,but within 10 minutes of getting it
out of the package I had music downloaded and playing!!!!!! The set up sheet provided with the player is very brief but gave me all the information I needed to get started. The sandisk website has full instructions on how to use this player, which I have found very useful.
I'm not a great music expert but the quality of the music sounds great to me. I use the player at the gym and it is so lightweight on my arm I barely notice its there.
I would recommend this player to everyone, its so small and compact its hard to believe so much music can fit into it, and the price is excellent compared to other MP3 players I've seen around.
62 Just Great!!!
I bought it for Christmas because I wanted something for when I didn't have anything to do at work... this device is just GREAT!!! Easy to use, Great sound quality... Only thing is the earphones... but other than that is great, and the price is amazing too..... Someone mentioned a noise with MP3 format and the song scroller... I don't have that problem... and someone said that it freezes... Don't have that problem either.. the only time when it starts to freeze (to call it like that) is when the battery is about to die.. I just love it... I'm thinking of upgrading to a 1gb version and give this to my girlfriend...
63 Cheap and sounds Great
This thing is tiny and sounds great. I wish it had playlist support, like Amazon is saying, but it does not. It is, however, cheap, tiny, and sounds great.
Other reviewers who did not like that it couldn't resume (see Audio menu, resume feature (Mine was defauleted to on, actually)) and the sound faded in (see Audio menu, fade in, turn it off, dur) are not even looking into the menu of this very simple player.
Sure, I would have liked more storage, but that's what being cheap is about.
Updated: I like this even more after about a month with it. I've turned into a 64kbps WMA person rather than a 128kbps MP3 person. I love how you can delete a song easily when it pops up with just four button presses. I also really like how you can select a certain track while in shuffle mode (like if you hear a song and think "I'd like to hear this other song" you can, all while still in shuffle mode.)
I'm wearing mine in a lanyard around my neck and using some better earbuds than what came with it (Sonys, and I have even better Sony buds on the way.)
I've never had a problem with it freezing, but if the battery gets really low, it forgets where it was and resumes from the first track on the drive.
I would definately buy it again, but I'd get the 512. But this is working great for me. Battery life is approx 14 hrs.
Note: People who don't know how to navigate this aren't trying or are challenged in some way. This thing is really simple.
64 Convient Music
I really enjoy the MP3 player that I received for such a low price. I really just wanted an item in which I wouldn't have to drag my cds and cd player around with me everywhere anymore. This item is very small, if you lose things easily I would not recommend this, but the size is definatly a plus. The case that comes with it fit fine for me and prevents scratching. At least it is not as cheesy as the cell phone ones that strap onto your belt. The only concern I have with this product is the number of songs of which you can load. Above it clearly states that you can load 4 hrs of MP3/ 8 hours of wma. Now realize this is not a combined 12 hours it is either or. Plus, they say for WMA 120 songs, YEAH RIGHT. I got around 60-65 songs on here that are all from range 3-5 minutes. But todays music is not two minutes long like the 50's, there are long songs. Another thing that I did not enjoy is not being able to review all folders at once. You cannot review all of your songs, only one folder at a time. I would prefer to have the folders individually, but if you enjoy random music you would be able to review all of it. This is no IPOD but than of course it was only 68 dollars. The good outweighs the bad and if your lookin for a small collection of your favorite songs than buy this, but if you want all of your favorites on one player than you need to upgrade.
65 Nice player at bargain price
I was looking for a small player which I would be able to strap on while working out. For the price, this is a very nice player. 256 MB is more than sufficient to store enough songs to last one session (unless you work out all day!) There are a few gripes though. The headphones are pretty much useless, you will have to buy a pair for yourself. It would be good if they provided the clip-on sort of headphones (and phones with better sound quality). The ear plug sorts simply dont stay on when you running (or maybe its just my ears, but still, worth noting). The plastic carry case sort of thing which comes along with the player is also kind of flimsy. On the good side, it is very small and light and well-built. Worth the money (especially when comparable stuff is more expensive). However, if you thinking about space issues, this is the wrong player. for that you should go to a hard-disk based 5GB+ player. This one is only for working out etc. And the space on this thing is more than sufficient for that!
66 WoW!!! This is a Nice 1!!
Wow!!! I just bought the Sandisk 256mb mp3player and wow.
It was so easy to use. all i did was plug it into my windows98 computer and it automatically it opened a folder for it. all i had to do was drag and drop. With the USB2.0 cable it has it is very fast in transfering the files. I would recomened this to any first time buyers of mp3's.
67 Incredible deal
You will be unable to beat this player in terms of bang for the buck.
Clean sound, quick download, EZ enough to use, tiny.
The armband is kinda odd, I'd use it pendant style.
PS - update. I did notice a crackling noise sometimes, but for $65, I'll get over it.
I did let somebody use it and they froze it up ... weird, cuz it never happened to me, and I use it ALOT (in the car, as a stereo source at home, working out). eh, just pulled the battery for a sec and it was happy. The freezing problem might be related to a low battery.
FYI, It seems to download quicker from a XP machine that an OSX/iTunes machine.
68 My first MP-3 player
I just got my MP-3 player today. For what I need it for its great. You would think that SanDisk could have provided a better case rather than the cheap plastic cover and an instruction manual. But overall I like it.
I purchased this MP3 player for the following reasons:
1) price - compared to other more expensive MP-3 players this is alot for the money. Fits well in my budget.
2) size - since I got to school afterwork, it won't take up any room in my bookbag or pocket, unlike my discman which is bulky, and I can take this to the gym too.
3)ease of use. Its pretty easy to use, but I like have the manual to refer back to.
The cons:
the cheap clear plastic case that doesn't really fit well
Would I recommend this to other people? Yup! if you are on a limitied budget but want an MP-3 player, this is the way to go, and the price has dropped since I purchased it.
69 Incredible Product.
This is one of the best purchases I have EVER made from Amazon. The audio quality is great, it is EXTREMELY easy to upload songs to the player (drag and drop), and I believe that for the functionality it provides it is quite easy to use. In addition, this player is perfect for the gym.
A previous reviewer commented that a one-page manual was the only accompanying documentation, but what he/she is referring to is the quick start manual that is included with the package. However, there is another manual shipped with the package on the Installation CD -- This manual is much longer and will answer any question you may have about your player.
The only criticism I will make is that I don't care for the headphones that ship with the player, and it would have been nice to have a belt clip in addition to the armband carrying case.
70 Functionality good, ease of use bad.
Granted, I've had this player for only a few days (so I can't attest to its reliability over time), but so far it SEEMS great. The sound is good. The price was the best I could find for 256MB. It also has FM radio, too.
I like that no software is necessary. And, contrary to what someone else wrote, it IS Mac-compatible. I just tried it out before writing this review. I plugged the USB into a new Powerbook with OS X, it showed up on the desktop, and I was able to delete files and add files with a simple drag-and-drop. I don't know what problem that other person had, but it's not a problem with the player. I've also used it with XP, and it works the same way.
Unfortunately, the player itself comes with only a one-page instruction "manual" that doesn't really tell you much of anything. Amazon has a 29-page manual that goes far more in-depth about what the Sandisk 256MB can do. It kept making reference to a "select button," which I had no clue about until I realized the select "button" was pushing the joystick in (as opposed to up, down, left, or right). It took me a good 15 minutes to figure out how to use the player and customize it to my liking. Afterwards, though, I was charmed by its light weight, clear sound, and general sturdiness.
Other down sides that aren't really that bad: The clear plastic case that comes with it is lame. Maybe some people like it, but I think it makes the player look tacky. The player looks fine on its own without the cover. Also, unlike some flash drives, this one does not plug directly into computers. It needs a separate USB cord in order to connect to a computer (the cord comes with the player, though--don't worry).
To the reviewer who said "If you are listening to a rather long recording, say a book, you can't return to the same spot after turning the player off as far as I can tell. And if you pause it, and can't get back right away, it shuts itself off and won't return you to the same spot": The Sandisk player actually gives you the option to "resume" or not. Sure, the interface is confusing, but it does have high functionality. If you turn "resume" on, the player picks up just where it left off.
I've done a lot of research, and this is definitely the best buy you can get for a small flash drive with FM capability. The Amazon discount is a nice one, as this is usually well over a hundred dollars otherwise.
P.S. 2/1/05 At around two and a half weeks later, I'm still using the AAA battery that came with the player. Granted, I listen to the radio half the time, but the FM radio is part of the reason I got this and ditched my iPod.
71 Sandisk not really Mac compatible
The Sandisk MP3 player is not wholly compatible with the Mac. You can't seem to delete music files from your desktop. You have to do it one by one from the player itself. I only have the 256K so it only takes about 15 minutes to do. Also, to find files to play or delete, is not fully explicated in the 29 pages of instruction. Once again, a company skimps on paying enough (here's a good job for all those English majors) for accurate and intelligible instructions. If you want to delete voice files, you can only do it from the desktop. You can't do it from the player. If you are listening to a rather long recording, say a book, you can't return to the same spot after turning the player off as far as I can tell. And if you pause it, and can't get back right away, it shuts itself off and won't return you to the same spot. Did I mention it won't play mp4 files, which is all you get if you download your CD's to iTunes, at least recently. And, what the Mac is to the PC, the iPod is to this player. The GUI is hell, here, so confusing to figure out the right combinations of buttons to push. It has the joystick like the iPod, but then has three more buttons, and instead of getting easier, with more buttons, it is wholly un-intuitive. I think I'm going to save for an iPod mini. Anyone want a cheap Sandisk?
72 Great First Time MP3 Player
My 15 year old daughter loves it. Couldn't be easier to set up and use.
73 Great Player, Need More Space
This player is good as far as price and quality go. As most people can attest, the space issue is the biggest concern. [...]
74 Good MP3 Player for the Price
Overall this is a great device. File transfer is very easy. Just drag and drop and you're all set. I'm running Windows XP and didn't even have to use the included installation CD. Just plugged it in via the USB port and it was ready.
The sound quality of music files is very good and holds plenty of songs to suit my needs. Unfortuanetly the voice recording feature doesn't work very well on mine. I was hoping to use it to record lectures at school, but anything more than a few feet away gets recorded muffled. As a test I spoke right next to the mic and even then the quality was poor. The FM radio works well and the ability to set up to 20 presets is nice.
The controls took a bit of getting used to and even after owning it for a while I still get thrown off. Sometimes because the controls are a bit small (the price we pay for having a small device) but more often they just don't seem to be laid out very well. I wouldn't want to have to mess with the player while working out.
The included arm band is very handy to have for exercise. The earphones leave a bit to be desired, but no big deal. There are plenty of different options available in the setup menus, just don't expect the 1 page instruction booklet to help in that area.
For the price this is a great player. The sound recording feature was a disappointment, but on the whole I'm very happy with it.
75 My MVP of the year
This is my first digital audio player and I love it. Its definitely worth the bucks! Its compact and the one thing I like the most about this player is the digital display. It displays the file format, the balance level and the volume level. The controls are easy to use and it comes with a belt clip and case which is nice! This player sure is the Peyton Manning among the MP3 players in the market.
76 It grows on you
Wow, great product. Build quality is good with obvious chinese origins to be expected in this price range. Sandisk however has done a great job of making the player look stylish with a good overall design and effective use of chrome accents, this player has a big "how cute" factor and everyone I have shown it to comments on this. The display quality is excelent, its a bitmapped display not merely a fixed display like the ones you see on most low end players.
Here are the things I really like. Great looks and perfect size for me. It is just like a USB drive and can be used for data storage just like you would use a USB drive. Sound quality is superb (lots of equalizing controls with preset setting and configurable settings). Single AAA battery lasts 8-10 hours, using a standard battery means you dont have to wait for a battery to charge. But if you use it a lot, you can use a rechargeable NiMH battery, this is what I do. I bought a set of four 850mAh rechargeable AAA batteries and a 4-channel charger so I can charge one battery at a time. I get 10 hours of use per battery on a single charge. I am so unconcerned with batteries that I sometimes dont bother turning it off and leave it running for hours.
The things I dont like. Headphones sound good but are not a good fit for me, however I went to the local store and looks like this style of headphone is whats common now and I could not find a better replacement, I miss the headphones with the foam inserts, much more confortable. The arm band thing doesnt really work for me either, I think I will find another solution.
The things I wish for. Being able to record from the built in FM radio (actually its my sister's wish as she is too poor to pay 99 cent a pop). Line out connector. I have an FM receiver in my garage, it would have been great if I could hook up the player to it and listen to MP3s.
Overall I have to give this product 5 stars. I got a lot for my money and I have to admit that it has grown on me after using it for a while, and after buying an early model MP3 player quite a while back I think flash MP3 players have come a long way. The only problem is your whole family is going to want one. I bought one for my sister for christmas and soon everybody in my hose wanted one, this got expensive real quick. Hope this helps you, I'm quite certain if you buy it you will agree that this is a great value. (I actually bought the 256MB, and 512MB version but am posting this review for all 3 models as they are identical except for capacity)
77 Voice recording bad, navigation not intuitive & frustrating
This Sandisk MP3 player is easy to drag and drop MP3 and wma audio files from your computer, and the playback for these files can be very loud and clear, depending on the quality of your own files. However, the other features are very lacking compared to other brands of MP3 players.
Voice recording is acceptable only if recorded within 3 feet from the speaker, so this player is useless for recording classroom lectures. (Even a cheap cassette tape recorder can pick up voices 10 feet away). The voice recorded with this Sandisk sounds muffled and distant. Also, when playing back the voice recording, you'd hear a constant ticking sound in the background. This is mysterious as the player is digital and has no moving parts or motor, and so there should be no ticking sound.
In contrast, the Creative Muovo Slim model can record 15 feet from a person speaking, and the navigation is very intuitive and you don't even have to refer to their manual (which is too brief anyway).
Navigation with just the Sandisk joystick and the few buttons is extremely frustating. It is not intuitive, and I have to constantly refer to the manual supplied in the CD, also from Sandisk website. This defeats the purpose of a small portable player if you have to carry a printed manual everywhere. Even then, the manual is not clear on many things. For example, to delete a file requires many steps, and even then, it is hit or miss. So, I have to delete files by connecting to the computer.
FM radio reception is okay, gets static, and not as clear as the Creative players.
As the voice recording is lousy and navigation is so frustrating, I am returning my Sandisk player, and look for another brand. Hope you have better luck in your search.
78 Awesome MP3 player. A++++++++++
This is the greatest MP3 player. It is so simple to use it. I have windows XP and all I did was plug the mp3 player to my usb port and BAM!. A File opens. Then the next part is to drag the mp3 into the file and you have beats. It hold alot of songs to. It comes with a strap to go around your arm, which is key while working out. I give it 5 stars. I also put all my family and friends so they can get one. Plus the price is right.
Lets Go J-E-T-S
79 A great entry into the flash-based MP3 race
The SanDisk MP3 player is an excellent little device. Connecting it to my laptop was a breeze and, with USB 2.0, provides an extremely quick file transfer. Within minutes, the unit was filled to capacity (approximately 60 songs at 160 bits) and performing exactly as it should. My only complaints revolve around the joystick navigator and the minimalistic three button design that can be frustratingly counter-intuitive at times; I had to consult the PDF manual included on the CD on more than one occasion to learn how to perform mundane tasks like setting up a "Shuffle" or deleting files.
Despite this, the player provides a plethora of customization options, high quality sound, and a big, bright, back-lit display. Little players like these rarely provide options like a fully adjustable equalizer, but this unit delivers. Overall, this is a very nice player at a GREAT price.
Just get some new earbuds and you're all set. I'd recommend Sony...
80 horrible file transfer support
This thing is easily confused... Don't try and put a folder in it... don't try to overwrite a file... don't try to do anything more than deleting or adding normal files to the root directory or you'll have to keep restarting the player... luckily under windows xp you don't have to restart your whole computer...
I really hope that sandisk plans on making a firmware update for this baby so it works correctly.
81 GREAT LITTLE PLAYER! Can't beat it for the price!!
Just got this, have been playing with it for about an hour. It is easy to use, didn't even have to load the software just hooked up USB cord and got started. Very simple.
Controls are small but so is the player, in fact it is tiny but it is excellent! Awesome sound from two tiny little earphones.
Holds about 44 songs at 128 KBS, which is cool. Doesn't skip!!! super light, comes with strap to attach to whatever.
Only complaint is that I can't figure out how to keep the backlight on for more than a few seconds but who cares - for the price this is a steal!
FM Radio feature also works really well. Picks up local stations that I have a hard time picking up on my small shelf stereo.
**Tip for new users. Copy the files you want to a new folder and then load them onto the player so that they go in alphabetical order, I havent figured out if there is a category option but this seems like the easiest way for me so far!
Listening to it now "Blinded by the Light" by ELO, awesome sound!! Really the best deal at this price - why pay 300 for an IPOD when you can get this for less than 100??!!
82 Out of Box is Perfect
Well, I got this device and looked at it for 5 seconds. Ok, there's the USB connector. Bang, it's on the computer. Since I was looking forward to this player showing up, I went ahead and created a file of music for it. So about a minute or two later I had 115 songs on the player, even before I got around to putting the battery in it.
I took out a pair of cheap Sennheiser headphones, the full sized kind. The sound quality is just fine with no adjustment. Unfortunately, now I ran into the first problem. The unit is so light, and the Sennheiser headphone cord is quite thick, so the darned thing wouldn't just drop to the bottom of my pocket. Geeminy, the stuff you have to put up with to use these little gadgets.
I suppose it would be a good idea to use rechargeable batteries. But the good news is that you can get 2 of them, the NiMH kind, for 10 bucks. And if the first one goes bad, you should have a few spares for the 10 dollar outlay. Who needs a player with a battery only the factory can replace?
Well, now my only regret is not getting the 1 gigabyte unit. That would be 500 songs (mostly wma at 64 and 96), and might not be too good in terms of naviagation. Like I say, you can transfer the full capacity in a couple of minutes with USB2.
Why go with a huge capacity hard drive player? Do you really need a fancy program to track every song and synch up with a player? Look, if you want simple, this is your baby. Just transfer the songs as files, to the player. That's it. WMA or MP3.
Way to go, Sandisk. Just last a year, OK?
83 Good-bye old CD/MP3 Player, Hello Sandisk
This is an awesome gadget! I use it for when I go to the gym. The sound quality is excellent, but don't use the headphones that are included, go buy a new pair. Besides, we didn't buy this for the headphones, right? I purchased a separate belt clip and you don't even notice it's on. It's incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is plug the USB cable into your machine, drag & drop files and you're ready to go. Best of all, it doesn't cost $400! This is a reliable product that has excellent sound quality, is easy to use, and doesn't hurt the bank account.
84 Excellent, stylish and compact`
I recently bought this player in the recent Friday sale in Circuit city amd I found it really impressive. Sound quality is excellent and the usability is great. It is a great mp3 player with Am/FM and voice recorder. It is very helpful for my gym work. The only thing that concenrns me is the headset which does not fit my ears correctly. Apart from that everything is perfect. I strongly recomment this for someone who is on the lookout reasonable less priced mp3 player for your daily needs.
85 Why Are People Fooling Around With HIGH PRICE Players
T.Stork said it all..
This is the best you can get right now..People need to realize..Digital sound is digital sound no matter what u pay for it.Sandisk are already marvels at flash drives and memo ,,It was so simple for them to add a nice LCD display to a flash and a Nice machine is born..It should be a no brainer to pick this Newly underrated Champ of a machine..Be it the red, blue or silver model ,,depending on the memo u want,,U won't lose anything with sandisk..But u WILL save tha Dollar Dollar Bill...
P.S..People complain of low volume on MANY mp3 players...Download an application called "Mp3 Gain"..U can set your mp3 decibles up before u drop the tracks to your player..(I set the decibles to 97.0 before draggin' to tha red player..
I let Iriver go up tha river and decided to chill on tha beach with Sandisk.....
86 Great Player for the Price and Category!
I recently bought this player. Both my wife and I have been in the market for new MP3 players and just haven't been interested in a hard drive based player, iPod or not. We don't need to carry that much music around and I like the non-moving flash thing a lot better. We mainly want to use a player for workouts and traveling. So far, I think it's an excellent player with some minor exceptions.
The player comes with a clear plastic snug carrying case that not only provides screen protection but also can be worn on a thin belt or on the provided stretchy armband. It also comes with the USB cable and headphones that are too short for my liking, but then maybe you don't want long cords when it's attached to your arm. It takes one AAA battery and I haven't done any form testing or anything, but my original battery has lasted several days now with several hours playtime each day. The battery meter is flipping between one bar and no bar so it is getting low. There is a quick start guide, but the manual is a 29 page PDF on the CD. The CD also has Musicmatch and 98SE drivers.
This player has been compared to the iRiver series of MP3 players, and I would have to agree they are very similar except that the iRiver takes a AA and is triangular while the SanDisk player takes the AAA and reminds me more of a thick cigarette lighter both in shape and size. I was also told the iRiver is bit pricier. I like the finish and look of the player, which shows through the case. The red and silver is very sharp and the whole look of the player is very clean. It has the USB port, which has a rubber door on one side of the player and the headset port, microphone and neck cord hole on the opposite side.
The actual operation of the player is also very good although it has a lot of features and functions that are only accessed by the joystick and three side buttons. With so many features, it takes a little bit getting used to navigating around the player and of course the manual does not go into great detail about the features, although it does have an exploded menu diagram which is nice. This is probably why I only gave it four stars. I might have actually done 4.5 stars if I could have, because once you have the chance to play around with things and read the manual it isn't a big deal.
There are three modes: player, FM radio and voice recorder. I am most impressed with the radio as this was a minor reason why I bought the player. The radio actually does a decent job of picking up the stations here in the Phoenix area and the reception and sound quality is fairly good. Considering how small the player is, I was surprised I am getting as good a sound as I am. The player will automatically scan available stations and add them to the presets and you can tune manually and add presets manually as well. You can also choose if you want mono or stereo mode, although I don't know why anyone would want mono, unless it saves on batteries. I don't see myself using the radio too often, but it's nice to know it's there if I needed it. I haven't really played around with the voice recorder either, but it records at 32kbs and 8Khz so not the greatest of quality. Again, voice recording is not the reason I purchased this for so not a big deal.
So, as far as the Audio Player mode, it is a great! A few minor quibbles, but for the most part, I think both my wife and I will be very happy with this player. I have uploaded mainly 192Kbs music files and 64kbs spoken word files and they all sound excellent. As a non-audiophile, the sound and volume are quite good for me. Maybe even better with a quality pair of headphones. I can't even get past 32 (of 40) on the volume scale before my ears are hurting so I know the volume should be just fine while working out at the gym. The display is blue backlit and somehow they manage to put a lot of info on the LCD without cluttering everything up. And supposedly,It does read the ID3 tags and displays them. I am not going into all of the features here, but it is packed with them: sleep, hold, repeat, shuffle, playback speed, A->B play, equalizer. One feature I will go into detail about is Resume. I am a big fan of the audio book and my previous MP3 player did not have resume so when I had a long file playing and I had to stop the player, it would not pick up where I stopped it but at the beginning of the file. Not this baby. It picks up right where it left off when you power it down. Whoo-hooo!! No more fast-forwarding to find my spot on an audio book!
The joystick on the player is a multi-function device that navigates the file browser and the menu system. This is the only part of the player I am not thrilled with. The file browser can be cumbersome to navigate with joystick and sometimes I end up hitting select or the wrong direction and end up a different place than I thought. The other thing that seems counter-intuitive to me is that rather than selecting a directory or file by pushing select, you need to select the file or directory by pushing right (or left, the display is rotatable). I keep forgetting this, and I end up back at the currently playing song. But other than that, I really can't complain about it. I can easily see folders and files, and files that are too long for the display scroll to the left to see the entire file name. These minor things are the other reason I did not give the player a full five stars. Just a matter of getting used to it and someone else might not even agree that it's a problem.
The joystick also is the way to get into the main menu of settings and functions: Audio, Display and System. From here you can customize just about anything on the player including: display orientation (useful for righties or lefties), backlight time, ID3 tag scroll, display info, auto power off, sleep timer, FM region, FM scan sensitivity, resume control and a ton more. You can see the memory usage, firmware and format the player as well. Full featured and well designed. The other three button, A>B, Rec, and Play/Stop/Power also do multiple functions depending upon if the player is playing and the mode it is in.
Windows 2K and XP both recognized the device as a USB drive no problem and I used both Media Player and drag/drop to add music to the player. Although I did notice today that if you build folders or add files via drag/drop, then Media player will not do anything with those particular files and you will have to change them via the directory listing in Windows. Haven't bothered with the included Musicmatch as my media is already set up in Media Player. According to the instructions it will play MP3, WMA and WMA DRM files. Voice recording is in ADPCM format.
Since this is to be my wife's player, the real test was if she was going to like it and at first look, her comment was ""Ooooh, look how cute!!" And she liked the weight of it as well. So, now I just have to instruct her on how to use it. I ordered the 512MB model for myself, which was probably a good move since both of us will have the same player and I can answer any questions she has since I will have the same way to do things. I highly recommend these players for anyone looking for a flash based player with all the basics of today's digital audio player and a few bonuses as well and a great price.
