Review of the SanDisk Sansa E270

Let's face it: we live in an iPod world. And while the iPod has deservedly become the number one digital audio player in the market, not everyone wants to march to the same beat.

The problem, however, is that the alternatives to the iPod have thus far been mostly lackluster. What's so great about the iPod is how well it works with iTunes, the music management software that not only stores your music but also is the frontend where you can purchase music. The iPod + iTunes experience is basically flawless, and that is tough to market against.

Pretenders to the throne have come out firing for years, including features that Apple was either slow to adopt or has yet to do so: color screen, FM tuner, expanded memory slot, wi-fi , and more. There have been some nice alternatives (Creative has released some nic e devices, such as the Zen Vision:M), but the experience with the desktop software has not been stellar. Until Microsoft released Windows Media Player 10 and the MTP protocol, iPod competitors had a mess of different options for music management and syncing. Microsoft actually did the right thing with MTP, and the devices that support them (sporting the "Plays For Sure" logo) were a step in the right direction.

One device that makes leap forward in terms of design and use is the SanDisk Sansa e200 series. For the purposes of this review, the e270 model (6GB) is used, but there is already an e280 (8GB) model released, and there is also a model series ending with the letter "R" for tight integration with Rhapsody, another music management package. The e200 series is a competitor to the iPod Nano.

The Sansa e200 series features a slick black design with an aluminum backing. After a few months of use, there are no scratches visible on the polished black front- a far-cry from the same heavy usage with an iPod Video. The Sansa is thin- not as thin as the Nano, but close. Considering that the Sansa contains a user-replaceable battery, FM tuner, and has a MicroSD slot, the barely noticeable tradeoff in size is worth it.