The alternative path
Surprisingly, the number two player in the market isn’t Sony or Samsung or any other consumer products giant but SanDisk, a company that made its name in memory cards for digital cameras and similar devices.
While SanDisk offers many devices, the heart of its range is the e200 series, which comes in sizes from 2Gb up to 8Gb and goes head to head with Apple’s iPod nano.
The Sansa has a different menu system to the iPod, going for icons rather than the text-based system Apple is using. The system is easy to use, even if the scroll wheel, which lights up blue when in use, is a bit stiff for my liking.
Compared to the nano, the Sansa has a plethora of extra features, including video support and a voice recording capability. While voice recording is useful, especially if you need to record something on the fly, the video playback on the small screen made my eyes strain even after a short time. If that’s a valuable addition or not depends on personal preferences. The screen, though small, is bright and excellent for viewing photos.
While most punters will stick to the iPod, Windows users looking for something different should seriously consider the Sansa as an excellent alternative.
Finweek
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