Apple Inc may have popularized the portable MP3 player with
their iPod product, but thinking that Apple make the only useable MP3
player on the market is a little naieve. These days, there are
tens, perhaps hundreds of manufacturers making portable media devices. It
was natural for SanDisk, manufacturers of flash memory products and
readers to join the rush,
and today we will review their Digital Audio Player offering.
Does Size Matter?
The question must be asked... Does size matter? If we are talking
about memory or disk size, then yes, it is an important factor. Digital
audio devices with larger memory or drive capacity can naturally hold more
data, and hence, more music. The problem is that those units with 10 Gb or
20 Gb (or more) capacity are also much larger physically. There is no
question that larger players are somewhat less portable, although even
some of the
larger models can still fit into a reasonably sized pocket.
For the record, SanDisk's Digital Audio Player measures
2.96" x 1.28" x .82" (L x W x H) or 75.2mm x 32.8mm x 20.8mm in metric
measurement and weighs in at a tiny 37.9 grams, and that even includes
battery weight! The player will fit in even the smallest of pockets so the
portability rating is very high.
The Issue of Price
Larger capacity players also attract a higher price tag. Depending
upon your intended use, you may actually want to go with a smaller
capacity unit because, a) they are lighter and more portable, b) they
generally cost much less, and c) you may not need to store 10,000 songs or
gigabytes of data at any one time. Players under 1Gb capacity are actually
very popular for many but the true hardcore audiophiles. A smaller player
also offers the latest technology to those on a budget.
The SanDisk Digital Audio Player
This brings us to the product at hand. The "Digital Audio Player" line
from SanDisk actually incorporates several products, all with the same
physical look, functions and design. The only difference is the storage
capacity, and color. The Digital Audio Player is available in 256Mb (red), 512Mb
(blue) and 1Gb (silver) capacities.
So just how much music can you put on these devices? The
following table shows roughly how many songs will fit on each device. It
assumes audio encoding at 128kbps (MP3 format) or 64kbps (WMA format):
|
Model |
Playback time* |
No. of songs** |
| Red, 256MB |
4 hours (MP3) |
60 |
| 8 hours (WMA) |
120 |
| Blue, 512MB |
8 hours (MP3) |
120 |
| 16 hours (WMA) |
240 |
| Silver, 1 GB |
16 hours (MP3) |
240 |
| 32 hours (WMA) |
480 |
|
* Approximate playback at 128kbps MP3,
64kbps WMA
** Approximate |
The player can play back MP3, WMA and WMA DRM formats,
although it is likely that most consumers will be most familiar with the
MP3 format over WMA. With the CD software included in the package, you can
readily convert all your existing CDs to MP3 format to play on the device,
so even those with no experience converting audio to MP3 shouldn't have
any major problems.
When connected via the supplied USB cable to your computer, the player
acts like another disk drive, and you can freely move files from your hard
drive to the player, or copy, paste, delete etc, just as you would on your
normal hard drives. You can create folders for specific CDs on the player's
inbuilt flash memory or simply leave all your music files in the one
folder. Because it acts in this manner, the player can also be used as a
portable storage device, holding virtually any file needed, as long as
that file's size does not exceed the capacity of the player itself.
Transfer speed between player and computer is limited to the maximum
speed capable over a USB 2.0 transfer link. Its not as fast as
transferring from hard drive to hard drive, but it wont keep you at the
computer all day either. Maximum USB 2.0 speed is rated at 480Mbps
(megabits, not megabytes per second). The software and player is
compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, ME, XP; Mac OS 9.2.x+, 10.1.2+ and you
require a system with a free USB port and CD-ROM drive to use the included
software.
If you are not too tech savvy, I might add that the
internal flash memory is used just like a hard drive in that you can
delete files to make room for new songs, or wipe everything and transfer a
whole new set of songs as needed. Flash memory, unlike hard drives, has no moving parts, which means you can get excellent battery
life and the storage media is generally more reliable.
Speaking of battery life, the Digital Audio Player runs on
a single AAA size battery. It is estimated you will get up to 15 hours of
continuous use from a single battery, although it does depend on the type
and brand of battery you use. Not all batteries are created equal. We use
a rechargeable NiMH AAA battery and the battery life is pretty awesome,
and when it runs dry, re-charge it and away you go again. Energy-wise,
audio devices like these are very cost-effective. One quality AAA battery is
included in the pack to get you going.
Voice Recorder
The SanDisk Digital Audio Player doesn't just play MP3 and WMA audio.
It can also be used as a voice recorder thanks to its built-in microphone.
This is useful for recording your own voice, or anyone else's and is a
great tool for keeping reminders for daily tasks so you don't
forget. Just record, and play back later. It is also useful for recording
personal interviews, the odd college lecture (if the lecturer speaks loud
enough) or even shopping lists!
Digital FM Tuner
The unit also features a FM radio tuner with up to 20 pre-selectable
station positions. Because FM radio waves are very much universal
globally, you can use this feature almost anywhere in the world, and
despite the lack of an external antenna, the unit picks up local FM
station remarkably well and delivers very clear audio. You can manually
tune the stations or have the unit "search" for a station signal. You can
then save those station settings for faster access next time around.
Display
All functions and music are selectable from the indigo backlit LCD
display. This display is readily visible in both light and dark conditions
and is a good choice for use on an MP3 player. The display is clear and
easy to read and can show a lot of information on-screen at once. It will
show file folders, the current song being played (which can be scrolled
across the screen), battery status, showing current state of battery, type
of file being played (as well as it's bit-rate), and various other bits and
pieces of information. During active selections and button use the screen is backlit for easy viewing
before returning to a non-backlit state after several seconds of user
in-action. This is to save battery power, and it does not affect the use of
the player in any detrimental way.
Earphones and Arm Band
A set of stereo earphones are provided in the package and these are
actually very good for a standard inclusion. I have not found a need to
purchase a replacement set at all. They deliver crisp, clear audio. They
are marked "L" and "R" as they are ergonomically designed for a
comfortable fit in the ear. The player sits in a clear plastic pouch which
has an arm-band attachment to allow you to strap it to your arm, or even
attach it to a waist belt. I would have liked to have seen a spring clip
on the unit as well just in case you don't have/use a belt, or don't like
strapping it to your arm. You can however, quickly find a way to attach it
to your body easily, or just leave it in a pocket.
In Use
With the major features covered, let's have a quick discussion on the
usability of the player. Apart from the main LCD display, there is a
multi-directional
push button next to the main display which helps you navigate your way
through all the features and file structures of the player. It is very
much like a hat switch on a computer joystick, it acts in a similar
manner. On the side of the unit are 4 additional buttons. These allow you
to switch between various modes (audio playback, voice recorder, FM
receiver etc), allow you to turn the unit on and off, play/stop/pause
songs and activate the voice recording function, among many other uses.
Admittedly, mastering how to navigate around the player can be a learning
curve in the beginning, particularly if you want to use all the features
of the player. With practice, and after a week or two using the player,
they will become second nature. If you just want to play audio, then the
controls are much simpler and easy to master. A smaller unit generally
means less buttons, so the confusion occasionally rises because the few
buttons have multiple functions depending on the current feature mode you
are in. But again, with a little use, I found there was no problem finding
my way around and using all features of the product relatively easily.
General audio quality is a reflection of the source audio
quality, and I can say that with reasonable quality audio playing
(128kbps+) the sound output is pretty good in my opinion. You have the
option of a virtual graphic equalizer to fine tune the music to your
listening preferences, and onboard menus allow you to tweak the unit's
settings to suit your location or LCD display preferences.
Overall, I am very satisfied with this product. I think it
offers good value for money considering the retail price of around
US$80.00 (Sept 2005). Sure, more capacity would be great at times, but
even with just the 512Mb unit we tested I rarely found I needed extra
space. It depends how many songs you want to have loaded at once.
In comparison to other units on the market, the SanDisk
Digital Audio Player offers similar features, and generally at a much
lower price. I would recommend this product to anyone on a budget looking
for a solid portable MP3 player/ FM radio receiver. It has yet to fault
us.
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