Review: Sandisk Sansa View 8GB MP3 Video Player

If you are in the market for an mp3 player but want something different than the typical iPod, the Sandisk Sansa View 8GB MP3 Video Player is a great alternative option. It is much less expensive at about $130 compared to the $200 you would spend on an equivalent iPod. The 8GB memory is big enough to store about 2000 songs or 12 movies.

The Sansa View has several additional features that iPods do not have. It has a built-in FM tuner, a microphone for recording, and a microSD memory card slot. The Sansa has a big LCD screen at 2.4 inches or 320x240 pixels. The FM tuner has 20 station presets so you can save the ones that work best.

The Sansa has great battery life compared to the iPod. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts for 35 hours or music or 7 hours of video before it needs to be charged again. The battery fully charges in about an hour.

This product feels very sturdy. I believe it could handle some drops on the ground with no problem. However, you might want to purchase a protective cover for it to prevent scratches and such since it does not come with one. I really like the sleek black design. It also has a wheel on the front which is similar to the iPod. This makes it very simple to use rather than searching for buttons. I believe it is the one thing the iPod did right.

The device was very easy to set up. It comes with a CD to install in your computer and then you simply plug it in to a USB port and drag and drop the files you want. My father has one and he was even able to figure it out quickly. The player uses Windows Media Player for playlists which is a simple program to learn if you have never used it. The software is updated regularly and always brings improvements rather than problems the way iPod updates did. I'm not sure if this is because I have a Windows computer and the iPod is an Apple product but they never seemed to mesh well for me.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the video graphics. The screen is bright and the colors come through clearly. The audio is also very good - no static. I really like the earphones that came with this product. They fit snuggly in my ear and never fall out while I am running.