SanDisk Sansa m250 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
by SanDisk
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Category: Network Media Player
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: SanDiskBrand: SanDisk
Edition: Electronics
Audio: English (Original Language)
Platform: Not Machine Specific
Model: SDMX3-2048-A18
Publisher: SanDisk
Studio: SanDisk
Music Label: SanDisk
Product features:
- Lightweight flash memory digital audio player--weighs just 1.5 ounces
- 2 GB memory holds 32 hours of MP3 and 64 hours of WMA audio
- Microsoft PlaysForSure support for compatibility with wide range of online stores and subscription services
- Integrated FM radio with 20 presets; built-in microphone and voice recorder
- Powered by single AAA battery, for up to 19 hours of usage
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- Monster Turbine PRO High-Performance In-Ear Speakers (Gold)
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of SanDisk Sansa m250 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
Customer Review: M250 alot for the money
Summary: 4 Stars
My previous MP3 players have all been iRivers, so I'm spoiled. The iRiver iMP-350's (I have two), are CD and CD-RW driven, and have a very extensive feature set that is obviously iterative and well thought out and is the result of several product cycles. I also have iRiver H120 and H140 harddrive player/recorders, and they are supported by Rockbox. Again, powerful very extensive feature sets for these products.
In comparison, the m250 is very simple, but it doesn't sound noticeably worse playing my MP3 files. 2 GB is about 3x more capacity than the iMP-350's have (my H120 and H140 have 30 GB and 40 GB HDs respectively) and the FM radio sensitivity appears to be significantly better than that in any of my other carry-along electronic devices, including those expensive iRivers.
Pros:
Graphic equalizer is a great feature, however it only works for files, not FM radio. It's 5 band and you can increment or decrement each band individually and save your settings when using the Custom option. I've not looked at the preset EQs. Knowing that I'm deficient above 3000 hz, I just boost the two highest ranges.
The AAA battery concept is terrific. I have AAA rechargables and will always have the power I need. I don't believe battery life is going to be any kind of issue with decent rechargable NiMH AAA's.
The FM radio reception is exceptional. The weight room in my gym is a basement and I've never been able to listen to any but the most powerful stations in there with any of my on-person portables. That rules out my favorite station, a 500 watter. I've brought my Sony WMF-FX465 cassette AM-FM walkman in there and all my iRiver devices and none of them got more than spotty reception of that station. Even my radio-dedicated Aiwa CR-LD101 is unable to get a clear signal in most places in that room. However, this m250 gets near perfect reception in nearly every location! I probably won't push my luck down there and will keep it in mono mode in the FM settings, but I'm floored that I can actually get decent FM in that room.
Volume is more than adequate even with my low efficiency Etymotics ER4S earbuds. I think the included earphones sound fine, and they actually fit quite well and I would use them in most places, however they don't have the sound-blocking ability provided by the Etymotics, and that's why I won't be using them in the weight room, on airplanes, etc.
The AB repeat is a very nice feature.
The m250's hold switch is another crucial feature, much appreciated. My iRiver devices all have this but the expensive Aiwa AM/FM receiver does not, and it's sorely missed.
I really like the ergonomics. People complain about the toylike aspects, but that doesn't bother me. It seems sturdy enough, so far. The flare at one end is perfect for knowing where you are in the dark. With very little experience I already am able to use all the functions in complete darkness as long as the backlight is set to at least the minimum non-zero setting, 3 seconds.
Cons:
The iRiver players support subdirectories as a way of organizing your music. You can elect to play the selections in a particular subdirectory, for example, or repeat a directory, a song, randomly play the contents of a directory, or the whole device. The m250 is far more primitive. I'm not yet in the habit of using MP3 tags for my files, but the m250 is going to force me to start using them. For me it would be easier to just keep things organized using directories.
The armband is something I probably won't use, or sparingly. It's necessary to remove the plastic cover in order to change the battery, and it's not easy to do so. I'll just keep the m250 in a pocket, when possible.
The player does remember where you were in a file if you turn it off and then turn it back on. However, if you change to FM radio and back again to file play mode (or to a different file) it forgets what file you were listening to and where. I play a lot of really long files (3 hours or more), so this is a minus.
I had a defective m250 before I got my present one. The first one had a version 4.x firmware, and the latest 4.x after installing the Sansa firmware updater. Since I often play MP3 files that are in excess of 3 hours, it's nice if I can fast forward at more than a snail's pace. The first m250 I had featured an accelerated fast forward when you kept it on for a while and I could navigate to the middle or end of the file rather quickly. The new player came with October 2007 2.2.5A firmware, and the updater will not upgrade it. Evidently players using version 2x firmware will not accept version 4x firmware, and probably vice versa. The player I have now will only fast forward at a very slow pace with no acceleration, and in this I am disappointed.
Evidently a firmware defect, the m250 I have (and the previous one) lacked the stopwatch feature (until I stumbled on a way to bring it out of hiding, see below).
Finally:
Here's a VERY helpful portion of a review I just spied at cnet (after enabling "Smart Menues" I DO have the stopwatch feature!):
"The user manual STINKS, I feel very bad for non-techie types. I'm guessing most people won't be able to use the unit to it's full capabilities. Check out "Advanced/Smart Menus", you use the left/right navigation to move around menu options (instead of having to keep hit menu & start all over from main menu, Smart Menus brings you back to your last place in options)."
Having turned on Smart Menus, the Stopwatch feature appeared in the top level menu. It remains there now whether Smart Menus is enabled or disabled. Obviously, the feature not appearing initially is a bug in the firmware. Smart Menus is totally undocumented in the manual. I wonder how many other features are undocumented or improperly documented.
If you happen to find a Sandisk device that's promoted as "refurbished," I suggest you give it a wide berth. Sandisk does not have a reburbished products program and if you find one, it's something set up outside of Sandisk's system and Sandisk will not honor the warranty. In the event that you have a defective device, you will have to deal with whoever you bought it from.
Description of SanDisk Sansa m250 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)
The Sansa m200 Series MP3 players offer great sound, ease of use, and high quality sound with virtually no weight. Created by the leaders in flash memory, this flash-based model provides high-quality digital music playback at an affordable price. As a replacement to our original Digital Audio Player line, this improved look also includes Sansa's excellent navigation: songs sorted by title, artist, album, genre and more. The Sansa m200 Series MP3 players are the first to provide Microsoft PlaysForSure Subscription Service for unlimited downloads. Choose to play your favorite track repeatedly, in random sequence, or play all the songs continuously Hi-speed USB 2.0 connects to almost any computer for hi-speed music transfer (backwards compatible to USB 1.1 ports) Comes with sleek carrying case and armband to protect your player and keep your hands free Easy to use - plug and play, no drivers required (except Win98SE requires driver) Indigo backlit LCD provides ID3 Tag information (v.1 and 2)Amazon.com Product Description Weighing not much more than its power source (a single AAA battery), the Sansa m250 2 GB flash memory digital audio player is a full-featured, ultra-portable MP3 player. The m250 includes FM radio and voice recording, a backlit LCD screen that displays ID3 tag information, support for multiple file formats, and full compatibility with most subscription services.
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| The Sansa M250 can hold 32 hours of CD-quality MP3 tracks on its 2 GB memory. Detailed view of the basic controls. |
 The Music LCD screen. |
 The FM Radio LCD screen. |
 Top Level Menu. |
 |
Take Your Music With You
The 2 GB Sansa m250 will hold approximately 32 hours of CD-quality MP3 tracks (encoded at 128kps) or 64 hours of WMA tracks (at 64kbps). It's compatible with MP3, WMA, secure WMA, and Audible audio file formats. The backlit LCD screen shows ID3 tag information for the currently playing track (song title, artist and album). Navigate the music on your player with ease, sorting by artist, album, song title, playlist or other criteria. With five equalizer types, you can optimize your sound for your favorite style of music, such as, Rock, Jazz, Classical, Pop, and Custom (user-defined). Keep the music coming with up to 19 hours continuous playback using one AAA Battery.
FM Radio
The m250 includes a digital FM radio tuner for portable radio listening. Easily access your favorite stations by adding them to one of the 20 presets.
Voice Recording Included
Use the built-in microphone to capture interviews, classes, short notes to yourself, or anything else you might feel inspired to record.
Peace of Mind With PlaysForSure
The SanDisk Sansa m250 digital audio player 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.
Ease of Operation
To transfer songs to the Sansa, simply connect the device to your PC via the included USB 2.0 cable. The device will appear as a drive in the Windows Explorer. Just drag and drop your compatible music files and be on your way. Additionally, use a variety of music software to move licensed music to the device. Works with Windows XP and Windows Media Player 9 or later.
What's in the Box
Sansa m250 MP3 Player, Earphones, Armband and Case, AAA battery, and USB 2.0 travel cable.
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