SanDisk Sansa Shaker 512 MB MP3 Player (Blue)
by SanDisk
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Our Price: $76.06 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $74.95 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of SanDisk Sansa Shaker 512 MB MP3 Player (Blue)
Customer Review: Good for the young and young at heart
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this mp3 player for my mom, who is not too tech savvy, so she can listen to podcasts of radio broadcasts that she missed. Although this player is definitely aimed at children, it's also great for anyone in need of a simple player. There are several features that made the Sansa Shaker the ideal purchase for my mom:
1) an external speaker, since she doesn't like using headphones
2) uses a AAA battery, this way mom doesn't have to worry about recharging through a USB port, or buying an extra charger
3) uses an SD card, this is actually good for me since I'm the one filling up the player, using my computer's built in SD-card reader it's extremely easy for me to get the podcasts on the device, and it allows for cheap memory expansion
I have to say that the quality of the external speaker is pretty good given the players small size. The only downside we have discovered is that powering down the Sansa Shaker results in losing your place. Not a problem with music, but more annoying with a long podcast. Although you can fast forward through the podcast, it's a bit cumbersome to do with the "ring" control and no time elapse display. Otherwise, mom and I are both extremely pleased with this product.
Customer Review: Perfect Player For Children
Summary: 4 Stars
Overall, this is a great MP3 player for kids. If you are looking for an adult-oriented MP3 player, this is not for you.
We've had ours for several months and it still works perfectly. Very sturdy. The "rings" which allow you to control volume and track selection are perfect for young kids, since you simply twist the top or bottom of the device. The only button to press on the unit is the on/off switch. The ability to shuffle tracks by shaking the device (with a corresponding goofy sound effect) certainly appeals to kids.
One of the main selling points for me was the built-in speaker, so the kids are not reliant on wearing headphones. I worry about hearing damage to young ears while using headphones, and the speaker is a FANTASTIC option. On the down side, I was expecting / hoping that the unit would be a little larger (it has the size, shape and appearance of an average salt shaker). However it can be attached to a lanyard to make it more difficult to lose. That said, it's bigger than many MP3 players. Speaking of MP3 plaers, I wish the device was compatible with WMA format; but this is just a personal preference and not a serious criticism. My kids love it.
Customer Review: Not the best mp3 for kids
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this at a toy store for much less than on Amazon for my 3-year-old daughter who absolutely loves music. She was born singing. She carried it around all the time and had no problem working it. And she actually took decent care not to drop it or throw it down. My problem with it was that the little cover at the bottom where you change the battery and add the SD card would never stay shut from the very beginning so it just hung there. Eventually it did get dropped onto our hardwood floors and the cheap plastic piece that held the battery in broke and the shaker wouldn't work anymore because there was no way to hold the battery in place. (I don't feel like it got harder use just because my daughter is young -- I could have just as easily dropped it once)
While it worked we enjoyed the fact that it was so easy to use and played her songs on a speaker since she is too young for headphones. We replaced it, however, with a far superior product -- the Sweatpea3, which allows parents to set volume and time controls, etc. and is actually far easier to work both for parents and kids. Also it is meant to be dropped, so there is no worry about it being broken.
Customer Review: Great for young kids
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this for my 4 year old daughter (she likes blue). The packaging/manual indicates that it's not for kids under 8. I assume that's due to not wanting young kids using earphones to protect their hearing.
Pros
- Built-in external speaker is a great feature. Sound quality from the external speaker is better than what I had expected and volume is good.
- Another feature that I was sold on was the use of SD cards. I have several "low" capacity memory sitting around, so I thought it would be nice to use them sort of like albums . Since there's no screen to navigate, it may be nice to pop in a different SD card if she wants to listen to something else instead of having to navigate through huge song list.
- I also found second headphone port to be useful.
- Size is perfect for kids.
My daughter loves this player.
Few negatives:
- No WMA support. I had to convert some files to MP3.
- Two handed operation to change volume/music.
- One handed shake feature works but it's not changing to random music selection like it says in the manual.
Customer Review: SanDisk Sansa Shaker
Summary: 5 Stars
I got 6 of these for kids in our family for Christmas and they all love them. I had some frustrations with it at first like some of the other readers, but with the help of my husband we were able to figure it out. 1)the bottome DOES snap into place, it takes a bit of work, but once you get it to work it is much easier from there. If you do not snap it in properly, the bottom does feel cheap and flimsy 2) my sons quit playing about a week after we bought it. The light would go on and we would hear the drum roll, and that was it. My husband said that sometimes the cards go bad, well, we re-formated the card and loaded the songs back on and it has been working like a champ ever since. So, if you are having problems, try reformating the card or try another card and don't just assume that the player is broke. The songs load very easy, literally just drag and drop. I bought these for kids ages 3 -7 and my son who is 3 1/2 (youngest of them all) can work this perfectly. Sound is really good and it is very durable. Does not feel cheap or flimsy at all- would highly recommend!