MULTIMEDIA JUKEBOX


Sansa e200 series is SanDisk’s answer to Apple’s iPod Nano. But does it pack in enough punch to be a Nano killer? Take a look at our findings on the e260

Features


The Sansa e260 is the 4 GB variant of the e200 series. Other available capacities are 2 GB (e250) and 6 GB (e270). This solid state gizmo has a footprint identica to that of the Nano, but it measures twice in depth. The reason for this is simple-it packs in oodles of features that will keep you entertained for hours Apart from listening to music, you can tune into your favorite radio station, share photos with your friends, watch video clips and even use it as a voice recorder. Although transferring music is as easy as dragging and dropping, you will need to use the bundled software called Sansa Media Converter to transcode videos and images before transferring them to the player. Supported video formats nclude MPEG-I, II and IV, Quicktime and WMV. The software converts media and directly copies them on to the player while connected. Thanks to the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface, the file transfer speeds are good-it took about 204 seconds to

transfer 850 MB of music. 4 GB can hold around a thousand songs. However, if you want more entertainment, you can bump the memory capacity by sliding in a MicroSD card

Ergonomics


The Sansa e260 borrows a few design elements from the iPod. The navigation system is dominated by an illuminated ring which functions somewhat like the Clickwheel. You can scroll through songs or menu options by rotating it, and the center button is meant for selection. The ring is surrounded by fast-forward, rewind, play and options button. Coupled with the GUI interface, it’s quite intuitive even for a

first timer. A record hotkey is placed at the side if you want to start recording voice or FM radio broadcasts instantly.

Performance

For a portable media player, the most mportant performance parameter is sound quality. The earphones sound great with a good balance maintained across all frequencies. Although we don’t recommend, watching video clips on the tiny 45 mm display is fun while you’re on the move. However, poor viewing angle can be a hitch while sharing the experience with a partner. Another disappointment is the lack of support for direct encoding. You cannot record voice directly into MP3 format. As a result, recorded sound clips hog considerable amount of disk space as they get saved in WAV format. Other than these tiny glitches, the overall performance is stellar.

Verdict

Considering additional functions and a larger display, the Sansa e200 series is definitely a Nano killer and the e260 is a high scorer on its own FOR: Great feature set, memory expansion, ntuitive navigation, good earphones


AGAINST: No direct encoding