SanDisk Sansa e280 8 GB MP3 Player (Black)
by SanDisk
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Category: Network Media Player
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Digital Photo Product Details
Artist: Sansa ConnectManufacturer: SanDisk
Brand: SanDisk
Edition: Electronics
Release Date: 2007-05-18
Model: SDMX4-8192-A70
Color: Black
Publisher: SanDisk
Studio: SanDisk
Music Label: SanDisk
Product features:
- Sleek design includes a with advanced features and an user friendly interface
- Enjoy superior sound playback when you take advantage of the digital FM tuner, on-the-fly FM recording, and voice recording options
- Runs on a replaceable and rechargeable Lithium ion battery for up to 20 hours of battery life
- 1.8inch screen size
- Flash-based player supports subscription music stores and provides everything you need for music, photo, and video clip playback
- Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220 Noise Isolating Earphones
- Cables To Go Sandisk Sansa Travel Kit
- Solio Magnesium Edition Universal Solar Hybrid Charger
- Logitech Portable Speaker S125i with Built-in iPod Dock
- Ultimate Ears 700 Noise Isolating Earphones
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of SanDisk Sansa e280 8 GB MP3 Player (Black)
Customer Review: Great ... simply great.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a long time customer of SanDisk memory products, so when I heard they were making MP3 players, I was intrigued to see how they'd do. If the e200 series is any indication of how they're doing, I'd say they're doing VERY well.
I got the d280 with 8gig of memory and a cross section of features that was perfect for me, including the standard MP3 player, FM radio, FM record, voice recorder and the ability to display both video and photo files. This is really a perfect set up for me, as I plan to use my unit as much for sharing small sample photos and videos as for listening to music. I'm a photographer and writer by trade, and this little number is a lot like having a business card that doubles as a mini-portfolio. With the capacity to hold a couple hundred thousand photos ... it's more than I'll ever need for that purpose ... leaving lots of memory for video samples and music. What an incredible bundle of fun stuff in such a small, well made package.
The unit I got came as advertised with SanDisk software (user manual and photo/video conversion utility), USB cable, a small sleeve to protect the unit, a wrist/neck lanyard and screen protection shield. The software installed easily on my WinXP machine and allows me to easily drag and drop photos into a utility that converts them to a format that displays on the e280. I've passed both bmp and jpg format files into this unit and so far have had no trouble at all. The resulting images that reside on the e280 range from around 40k to 80k. The display feature on this unit is quite nice for something so small, but certainly was not intended to be a high resolution photo or video viewer. But as a business card sized "portfolio in your pocket" this unit works REALLY well. Now, no matter where I am, I can slip this unit out of my pocket and show someone individual samples or a slideshow of my work. Video playback was surprisingly good for such a small screen and I think will enable me to use this unit for displaying video samples as well.
The MP3 player, FM radio, FM record and other music functions seem work very well and I have no complaints at all. If you're a music junkie and are looking for lots of advanced music handling features, please read other reviews of this product, as this is not my primary interest in this unit. The FM radio works well even in places where my dedicated radios don't, the sound is clear and true and the volume and tuning controls are easy. The menu and playback options for MP3's are quite suitable by my standards, but again, read other reviews for more details on that.
The menu system on the unit is pretty intuitive and easy to navigate with the thumb wheel and buttons found on the unit, though there are a couple of corners of the menu that still have me scratching my head, I'm sure I'll sort them out soon.
The user manual is not the best I've ever seen, by a long shot. It covers the basics and it's not hard to understand, but there are a lot of obvious questions for which it doesn't provide answers. As someone who writes such manuals as part of his job, I'd have to say that the only disappointment I've had so far with the e280 was the manual. But, since the unit is such a delight to use, that's not such a big deal.
In terms of construction, the unit's titanium alloy back seems quite rigid and sturdy and gives the unit a light yet very substantial feel. The buttons all seem to work well, the screen is clear and bright, the cables all plug in easily (usb and headphone) and using the unit is very easy and intuitive, even for someone with slightly larger than average hands like me.
Notables ...
This unit comes with the ability to add up to 2 gig of extra memory on an insertable chip, but this memory add on can't be used to house photos or videos ... interesting.
The Lithium Ion battery can be replaced by the end user when it finally dies and recharges via the USB cable, though it requires the PC be on while charging. After market cigarette lighter (car) and AC recharge adapters are available.
The carrying case that comes with the unit isn't much to brag about, so I'd recommend one of the after market units there too. The one recommended by Amazon when looking at this unit is quite good.
I'm VERY happy with this unit and look forward to using it quite a lot every day.
AFTER A BIT OF USE
Now that I've had a bit more time to use the Sansa, I can say I really do love it. It works like a charm and it's fun to use. I do have a few comments for would be users to allow you to make your choice of an MP3 player with as much information as possible.
a) Controls - The for arch shaped buttons arranged around the thumb dial are a bit hard to access for larger fingers, especially if you keep the unit in a leather carrying case. I don't find that this bothers me, but some folks certainly might.
b) USB Cable Connection - When plugging the USB cable into the Sansa, I find I have to carefully push the cable firmly into the socket to make sure that both little catches on either side of the connector are in place. It's not hard or tricky, but I'm not paying attention and just plug it in with the same force as I do my cell phone, quite often one or the other catches on the connector won't seat properly and the cable could slip out. After just a few instances of this, I got in the habit of plugging it in more carefully and I've had no troubles since. Again, I don't find this difficult or tricky or even troublesome ... but it's something that might annoy some folks, so I thought I'd pass along the information.
c) Transferring Photos - As I mentioned in my review, one of my chief uses for this unit is sharing photos. I find the software what comes with the unit does a fine job of creating small versions of my photos and meets my need as a sort of digital business card sized portfolio. But it should be noted that when the software reduces the images to this size, there are some minor imperfections in the smaller pictures. I don't find them objectionable, but some might. Again, just something to be aware of.
d) FM Radio - Like many of us, I work inside a steel frame building and I've found that getting a good FM radio signal at work can be VERY tricky. I wouldn't have been too upset to find that the Sansa didn't deliver any better an FM signal than my dedicated radios did ... but I'm OVERJOYED to report that this little unit delivers a GREAT FM signal even in the depths of the building. I get great reception where no radio I've owned has gotten even adequate reception. QUITE happy.
e) Voice Recorder - good enough pick up for dictation, but not really usable for group settings like meetings. I have a Panasonic voice recorder for my more serious voice recording needs, but it is handy to have a VR built into this unit for jotting down ideas when I don't happen to have my Panasonic with me.
f) FM Record ... works really well and is quite handy. I love this feature.
g) LOCK UP - I rather foolishly tried to change modes on the Sansa while plugging in the USB cord ... my mistake. This locked up the unit in what appeared to be the OFF mode, and none of the buttons would respond. I read the digital owners guide, saw that I needed to hold down the START/MENU button for 15 seconds to reset ... did this ... and nothing seemed to happen. I then pressed the START/MENU button again, and it started up with no problems and no loss of data. Everything was fine. My only note would be that the user guide doesn't mention that the 15 second depression of the START/MENU button must be followed by then turning the unit on by pressing the START/MENU button again. Some units restart when you reset, some don't. This oen doesn't. So ... if it gets locked (which only has happened once, and it was clearly my fault), FIRST press and hold the START/MENU button for 15 seconds ... nothing will appear to have happened. THEN ... press the START/MENU button again ... it should fire up just fine, as mine did.
h) USER GUIDE - I find that this user guide covers all the necessary bases, but rather in a minimalist way, leaving out some rather important details. I've bene able to figure most of the missing details out on my own, but as a writer of such manuals, I can't say the manual for the Sansa is one of its strong suits. I LOVE my Sansa ... I don't love the manual.
Yes, all in all, I'm THRILLED with my purchase, especially since it included the E200 series Travel Case Kit. The combination of these two is making me a very happy camper.
Description of SanDisk Sansa e280 8 GB MP3 Player (Black)
SanDisk Sansa E280 8 GB MP3 Player- BlackYou can take it with you. Keep your media in your pocket with the SanDisk Sansa e280 flash memory digital audio/video player with 8 GB of storage. This sleek, light device enables you to enjoy music, video, and photo slideshows on-the-go. Features include MP3 and WMA playback, Microsoft PlaysForSure support, FM tuner (with recording ability), voice recorder, and a bright 1.8" TFT color screen.
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| Sansa e200 series players mix great design and durability with an excellent user interface. View the e200 Series Demo. |
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 Choose a Sansa e200-series player with the capacity that's right for you. |
Form is Function
The Sansa e280 has a sleek, thin design with a large 1.8" TFT color screen for easy viewing. The strong alloy metal casing means the device is durable and scratch resistant. On the front, easy to use, backlit controls let you access what you want quickly and intuitively. The player also includes a microSD slot for expanding your memory capacity, and supports SanDisk TrustedFlash and gruvi content cards, which can be shared with mobile phones. The user-replaceable lithium-ion battery provides up to 20 hours of enjoyment.
MP3 Player
The Sansa e280 will play MP3, WMA, and secure WMA formats. Other formats can be converted using the Sansa Media Converter (included). The e280 also uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.
Video Player
View your favorite video clips anywhere, anytime. Use the included SanDisk Media Converter software to convert most popular video formats (such as MPEG-4, WMV, or DivX) into the MJPEG format playable on the e280.
Photo Viewer
Share slideshows of your favorite photos with your friends. SanDisk Media Converter also supports most image formats, allowing you to convert and downsize your images for display on the e280.
On-Board FM Radio
The e280 includes a digital FM tuner for listening to your favorite radio stations. Keep those favorites readily available by adding them to your presets. You can also record live radio on-the-fly for future listening.
Voice Recording
Have a thought you need to get down before it evades you? Use the built-in microphone to record voice memos. Capture interviews, classes, short notes to yourself, or anything else you might feel inspired to record.
Choose the Capacity for Your Needs
The Sansa e200 series is available in capacities of 2, 4, 6, or 8 GB. Each model contains a the microSD expansion slot, meaning you won't be limited to internal memory capacity.
What's in the Box
Sansa e280 digital audio player, travel pouch and lanyard, stereo headphones, lithium ion rechargeable battery, USB cable, and quick start guide.
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