SanDisk Releases $20 Sansa slotMusic Player

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/10/15/sansa.slotmusic.player/' target='_blank'>http://www.electronista.com/article...otmusic.player/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"SanDisk on Wednesday unveiled the Sansa slotMusic Player, its new MP3 player for listening to music on the go. According to the company, the plug &amp; play, portable music player was specially designed for use with the new slotMusic cards available today in the United States. The company rolled out both a Sansa-branded player and new personalized, branded slotMusic players for popular artists such as Robin Thicke and ABBA -- both of which are shipping to U.S. stores today, including Best Buy and Wal-Mart and are expected to be available from retailers in Europe and other regions of the world in 2009."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1224084172.usr1.jpg" /></p><p>Well, it looks like slotMusic wasn't just empty industry hype - <a href="http://www.digitalhomethoughts.com/news/show/90716/music-publishers-preparing-to-launch-new-physical-music-format-slotmusic.html" target="_blank">we posted on it back in September</a>, but I wasn't sure if this was really going to happen or if it was one of those "let's make this public and watch the reaction" scenarios. SanDisk has <a href="http://www.sansa.com/players/sansa_slotMusic" target="_blank">released the Sansa slotMusic player</a>, and it will sell for a mere $19.99. For that price, you get the Sansa slotMusic Player, slotMusic player shell, earbuds, an AAA Battery, and a Quick Start Guide. That's right, SanDisk is pulling us back into the world of disposable batteries - a very curious move considering the "Go Green" mantra that many people are now chanting. They even tout this as a feature, stating "Free yourself from the hassle of charging". The single AAA battery will apparently give you 15 hours of playback, which is impressive, but who wants to have the hassle of manging a collection of rechargeable AAA batteries? File support for the player is MP3, OGG, FLAC, WMA without DRM.</p><p>I'm more positive about slotMusic as a whole than I am this SanDisk player. Do people really want a cheap, low-end player like this? Is listening to your new album on slotMusic worth buying a special player just to do so? I kind of doubt it, but I guess we'll see. What's your take on this new player from SanDisk?</p>

[Chris Gohlke]

That's right, SanDisk is pulling us back into the world of disposable batteries - a very curious move considering the "Go Green" mantra that many people are now chanting. They even tout this as a feature, stating "Free yourself from the hassle of charging". The single AAA battery will apparently give you 15 hours of playback, which is impressive, but who wants to have the hassle of manging a collection of rechargeable AAA batteries?

Actually I'd argue this is greener. Think of it as a standarized user replacable battery. When the device dies, you can still use your rechargables in other devices. Since there is no real standard for device chargers, I'd like more devices to use AAA's so I could just have one set of batteries to swap amongst everything and then carry a single charger.

[Jason Dunn]

Actually I'd argue this is greener.

SanDisk sure isn't marketing it that way though - they actually say that you don't have to worry about recharging it. As in, they expect people to use disposable batteries. And I suspect most people will - the average person probably won't fuss with the cost and hassle of using rechargeable batteries.

Think of it as a standardized user replaceable battery. When the device dies, you can still use your rechargeable in other devices. Since there is no real standard for device chargers, I'd like more devices to use AAA's so I could just have one set of batteries to swap amongst everything and then carry a single charger.

I know you're very keen on devices using regular AA and AAA batteries, but I'm still not convinced it's the way to go - at least, not unless you're going to spend a month on top of a mountain without electricity and you need to power your devices with batteries. It's not a coincidence that the vast majority of devices out there use built-in lithium ion batteries...the biggest reason is power. Rechargeable batteries don't pack as much power per mm as proprietary batteries.

Ashley and I switched to a new type of electric toothbrush, and in doing so we went from ones that used built-in rechargeable batteries to ones that use AA batteries. I didn't want to go through batteries constantly for them, so I bought a Panasonic rechargeable battery kit and four AA batteries. $60! The systems aren't cheap, and it's an added hassle for me to have to recharge and swap out the batteries - I'd have MUCH preferred the simplicity of built-in batteries.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

You got seriously ripped off. $60???

On electric toothbrushes, I specifically go for the AA ones. The Braun system (which I like) doesn't use lithium ion batteries the last time I looked. Given the proliferation of low self-discharge NiMHs I'd much prefer AAs for those.

As for the player, it's probably for those with iPods. :P

[Chris Gohlke]

That is the fun of "green" discussions, so often there is no definitive answer.

Regarding rechargable batteries, that seems awfully expensive. I've been picking up the new hybrid batteries (like Sanyo Enloop) for around $10 for 4.

[Jason Dunn]

You got seriously ripped off. $60???

Yes, for a wall charger that charges 4 AA batteries and the kit included the 4 AA batteries. You do know that you're on the other side of the world, right? And that things aren't always going to be the same price as where you live? :)

[Jason Dunn]

Regarding rechargable batteries, that seems awfully expensive. I've been picking up the new hybrid batteries (like Sanyo Enloop) for around $10 for 4.

But I didn't have any kind of a charger, so I needed to get both. There was one kit for $40, but it only charged two at a time - the one for $60 charges four, but connects directly to the wall socket rather than being the kind that sits in the ground, and it included four AA batteries. Everything there seemed to be around the same price.

[Chris Gohlke]

Still - stand alone wall charger and 8 hybrid rechargable batteries - http://www.amazon.com/Rayovac-Rechargeable-Charger-Batteries-Included/dp/B000PB90UA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224158546&sr=8-3 for $15.

[Jason Dunn]

Still - stand alone wall charger and 8 hybrid rechargable batteries - http://www.amazon.com/Rayovac-Rechargeable-Charger-Batteries-Included/dp/B000PB90UA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224158546&sr=8-3 for $15.

Well what can I tell you Chris, Amazon.com doesn't ship to Canada, Amazon.ca doesn't sell electronics, and Rayovac isn't sold in Future Shop or Best Buy. I did the best I could, m'kay? :)

[Chris Gohlke]

Just bustin' your chops. I definitely would not like AAA's as much if I could not get them cheaply. :)