SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Silver) by SanDisk
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Digital camera reviews of SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Silver)
Digital camera Review: A solid upgrade from the E260R or companion to iPod Nano
Summary: 4 Stars
I use Rhapsody subscription music; my Sansa e260R is frustrating - too heavy, confusing controls, sluggish UI, no support for audiobooks or podcasts - so I use it less often than I thought I would. I use my iPod Nano heavily, but iTunes doesn't support music subscriptions, so I've been looking for a decent replacement for the Sansa. I bought a Sansa Fuze (4Gb) for my wife last month, and liked what I saw, so I took the plunge with the silver 8Gb model.
I've been pleased with the Sansa Fuze so far. It retains the e260R's strengths - FM play/record, voice record, subscription music support, expandability via microSD/SDHC - while improving or completely fixing my issues with the older device.
Here are my personal pros and cons of the device. (I don't mention battery life, proprietary connectors, etc., because they aren't issues to me. Battery life is fine, and I'm glad the connector is the same as the E260.)
PROS:
* The software is much more responsive than the E200. Most actions are immediate.
* The physical controls are vastly simplified and more iPod-like. The front controls have been trimmed to an iPod-like click and scroll wheel, and a separate Home button. The power control has moved to the side of the device, merged with the Hold control - a good improvement.
* Support for subscription music, Rhapsody Channels, Audible (format 4), Protected WMA, WMA, MP3 and WAV files, and new support (with the October 2008 update) for OGG Vorbis and lossless FLAC.
* the October firmware update has some other bug fixes and eye candy (startup/shutdown animations) that are less useful than an indication that Sansa is very committed to this device. (The View has some expanded functionality including a larger video screen, but the Fuze seems to be their flagship.)
* The form factor of the Fuze echoes, and improves on, the iPod Nano 3G. Taller, thinner, deeper, softer curves, more (but not too much) heft. It can be one-hand controlled like the Nano, but feels better in the hand than the 3G.
* Retains the E200 series extras like FM play (20 presets), FM record, and voice record/playback that the iPod Nano lacks. (note: 4G Nano does support voice record, but it requires an optional headphone cable.)
* Support for micro SD (up to 2Gb) and micro SDHC (up to 8Gb, for now) expansion cards. (note: the expansion cards seriously drain battery life. given the choice between a 4Gb Fuze with a 4Gb expansion, and an 8Gb Fuze, get the latter.)
* The headphone jack has been moved to the bottom-right of the device, as on the Nano. I prefer this location to the top-right jack location on the E200.
* a unique addition is the ability to delete files (songs, podcasts, etc.) directly from the device. I REALLY like this feature. (you can also format the Fuze without a computer. Given the number of times I had to reformat the E200, I can see why they added that.)
* the Fuze appears to be popular enough to have a good selection of accessories, such as protective cases, armbands, etc. Why should the iPod get all the attention?
CONS:
* software limit of around 4000 songs. That may be fixed in firmware update eventually.
* integration of device content and expansion card content is not seamless. Results can be unpredictable, especially with Audible content.
* Bookmarked podcast/audiobook fails to resume after playing other music content.
* No support for (un)protected AAC files; people who used iTunes defaults for ripping/converting music will have to reconvert back to MP3 or WMA. Also, some podcasts and iTunes-friendly audiobooks are in AAC format, and cannot be played on the Fuze.
* Unlike the iPod and the Sansa E200 series, there is no "scan through song" option. This is especially aggravating for audiobooks, podcasts, and lengthy FM/voice recordings, but I even use it on songs on the iPod.
* also a step back from the E200 series, no dedicated side "record" button. And the microphone has been moved from the top to the left side, by the SD slot. my voice recordings aren't as sharp as on the E200.
* The Fuze apparently doesn't have a user-replaceable battery. This may matter more to others than to me. I've never been away from a recharge for so long that I've run out of juice.
* The screen is easily scratched. Get a screen protector or case ASAP. (the rest of the device has been less susceptible to scratching)
* the scroll wheel is a moving part, which has caused some users problems. So far, my wife's Fuze has held up fine.
* the physical wheel sticks out a little, and even minor jostling in a pocket can trigger a command. The Hold button is more needed than it was on the E200. A clear case that recesses the wheel should help.
* Audible content must be managed through Audible Manager, rather than the integrated method offered by iTunes. And with the new firmware, support for older formats (2 and 3) are being dropped, so you'll need to redownload your books in the highest quality (and largest) format. I prefer format 4, so this isn't a problem for me, but it took me a while to update my collection of 200 titles.
* The bright silver device in the picture isn't what I got. It's more of a gray titanium color. I actually prefer the color, but if you like the bright shiny silver device in the picture, be warned.
* podcasts are separated by show, but each episode within a show is treated like a song (next track begins automatically) rather than an episode (returns to menu after episode completes). The iPod Nano 3G has been inconsistent in this respect, so perhaps there's a setting that could address this on the Fuze.
* audiobooks and podcasts can be set to play at normal speed, or faster or slower. This is good, but unlike the iPod which skips past "white space" and plays voices at normal pitch, the fast/slow modes alter the voice to a distracting degree (Chipmunk mode, or Concussion Mode)
* screen size is the same as the Nano 3G/4G, but the resolution is lower. This is noticeable on videos.
* most of the videos I've tried have had to be converted. For episode-length content, this is a pain. I'd love direct support for XVID, DIVX, AVI, WMV, H.264, MP4. Granted, I won't watch a lot of video on the thing (I have watched enough video on the Nano 3G to far prefer the iPod Touch) but since it's there, it should be simpler.
Despite my laundry list of Cons, I really like this device. It's not going to replace my iPod Nano, but it's a solid complement. I'm using it more often than the E260R, so in that sense alone it's worth the upgrade to me. I confess that if Apple ever offers subscription music on iTunes/iPod, I'll likely move to 100% iPod, but until/unless that happens, the Sansa is a valuable companion.
I don't think anyone except Microsoft is likely to compete with Apple on the video side of things, where Sansa doesn't seem interested in competing; they're a device company, whereas Apple and Microsoft have their own content stores. If Sansa were getting a cut of video sales, they might give more thought to their players' video capabilities. For now, the Sansa focus is on music, and they do that very well.
Digital camera Review: After One Month, I'm Very Happy
Summary: 5 Stars
After a lot of research and price comparison, I decided to buy this MP3 player, and it was a great decision.
Here are the aspects that I've been enjoying the most:
- I don't remember what the method is called, but I love that you can put media onto the player without using their program. Programs are supposed to be user friendly, but I HATE them. I like that I have the freedom to open the player as a drive, then drag and drop my media.
- If I'm halfway through a podcast, then switch to something else, it will give me the option to start the podcast later where I left off.
- I can use my sandisk micro card to add memory. I basically have a 12 GB player for less than 100 dollars.
- Battery life is pretty good, and it clearly let's you know what you have left. You don't have to make a general guess between 2/3 left and 1/3 left.
- The media conversion software has worked well for me so far.
- It has a radio built in, with the ability to record from the radio.
It's bee great for me. Good luck with your choice.
Digital camera Review: Am happy with the 8 GB Sansa Fuze so far
Summary: 4 Stars
I recently purchased the SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB MP3 player to replace my Sandisk E280 which stopped working a few weeks ago after a year of heavy use (exercise, international travel, etc).
Pros: I was happy to find the scroll wheel rotates a bit better "smoother" and the after market wall charger I used with my E280 is compatible with the Fuze. The audio quality, FM reception, microSD slot, etc work just as well as my previous player. The display screen is just as clear and seems to show a larger variety of colors as well. The Fuze is a smaller player too. The battery life is slightly improved from the E280 also. My music playlists sync quite well with the player via Windows Media Player 11.
Cons: The battery is not replaceable like on my E280. However, for the purchase price of $78 including shipping/handling/tax maybe this should be expected. I paid more than that for my E280. Also it's difficult to find accessories for the Fuze. I did purchase a hard plastic cover which I believe will provide great protection for the player, but the included belt clip seems very cheap. I also don't like the idea of the mini headphone jack being placed on the bottom vs the top like the E280.
All in all, I'm happy with this purchase, it's a great little MP3 flash player. However, as the screen is small, 1.9 inches, I don't think I'll be storing/viewing many videos or digital photos on it. I hope it lasts at least a year like my E280!
Digital camera Review: Amazing Little Digital Audio Player
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an awesome player. Unlike most others, it actually works the way you think it should. Under the device are a number of folders which are organized logically with names describing their contents such as Audiobooks, Music, Photo, Video. All you do is drop your content into the appropriate folder and play it. And it actually works. No iTunes or anything else required. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who thinks those are a good thing, it does come with Rhapsody software which does the same thing, which I haven't even bothered to install so I can't tell you if it's any good.
Digital camera Review: Amazing Little Digital Audio Player
Summary: 4 Stars
What I really like about it is the size, capacity, and most of all price.
The codec support is about average, not great but it satisfies my needs as 99% of my music is encoded in mp3 format.
One of my dislikes is common among all sandisk mp3 players(and most other players) is that the charging/syncing port is proprietary. Not a big issue, mini-usb would have been nice though.
Video playback was smooth(used a mp4 350MB recorded tv show) no sync problems between the audio/video and no stuttering. Too small to really be considered for video playback though.
Picture viewing is about the same as video and by that I mean it works great and the pictures look ok but the screen is so small it is not practical to show off pics with it.
Voice recording works well, don't have to hold it directly to my face to clearly record sounds...although I'm not sure what this can be used for but it is there and works well.
The radio works great, easy station browsing, easy to add stations to presets, and reception is very clear.
The sound is very accurately produced at all ranges. The included headphones fit well and sound good. The volume goes up much higher than I could ever think I would need it. For those of you who are runners, I use the earphones that come with it and they direct the sound very well into my ears so I do not have to make it too loud and can still hear some of the environmental sounds: wind noise is hardly noticeable.
The screen is easy to see in all light conditions, bright, and easy to read.
The build quality feels great. It has generous weight to it, light enough to take running and not really notice it but heavy enough to give it a solid feel. The front of the device is a bit shiny and does tend to attract fingerprints easily but not scratches so far.
Expansion port works great, currently using a 4GB microsdhc to shuttle podcasts/audiobooks between it my pc.
Navigation is a breeze and the menus are very intuitive, the scroll wheel/buttons are easy to find and press even with the player not in sight.
Syncing I very easy to do without the need for bloated software. You can add media to it via a file explorer(drag & drop) or one of several media players like WMP, winamp, and a variety of others. The datbase is auto-updating and works flawlessly. I have seen a few reviews that say the database refresh takes a while. With a completely full internal memory and half full 4gb card my refreshes only take 15-30 seconds.
A few final notes. The boot-up is about 3-5 seconds from off to playing music after pressing the power button. It will resume the music exactly where you left it when turning it off. Actual usable memory is about 7.8 GB. 4 1/2 out of 5 stars, best on the market right now but not perfect of course.
UPDATE: 2 new "cons" I have come across. Technically the device is performing as intended but I am hoping for a firmware update to "resolve" these.
1. When scrolling, the speed of scrolling does not increase. Basically takes forever if the song you want is in the second half of the alphabet. This will probably be changed in the next firmware update though.
2. The podcasts are sorted by most recent first. This kind of makes since so you dont have to scroll to the bottom to listen to the newest one but it also causes a problem if you are trying to listen to a series in order and it starts playing through them backwards. :( Probably no "fix" for this issue although being able to choose how it is sorted would be great.