SanDisk Sansa e250 2 GB MP3 Player with microSD Expansion Slot (Black)

came in okay, works like it should. i got one for my granddaughter and one for myself. i get more enjoyment out of it than i thought i would. great price too.

I wanted an inexpensive mp3 player for the occasional plane trip, dental office visit, etc. I wanted it to be easy to use, have good capacity and a good screen, and I didn't need a lot of bells and whistles. I definitely did not want to spend a lot of money, so that eliminated iPods. This one had good reviews on Amazon so I took a shot. I bought the 2MB version (1000 songs using wma) and it is expandable if needed.

I'm quite impressed with this little guy. It cost about $45 with shipping, and BeachCamera.com got it to me as promised. It's about $65 now on Amazon as of 8/15/08.

I only use it for music, (so I can't comment on the video, voice recording, etc), and I am totally pleased. I charged it up, downloaded the latest firmware from the SanDisk website, and I just started ripping CD's to my computer, and then to the unit. Transfer is a breeze, and it works great. I saw a few reviews where it didn't work properly or not at all, but that was not my experience. I strongly suggest downloading the latest firmware to eliminate the possibility that the unit's firmware is not current.

One thing to consider: It plays mp3 and wma, but NOT mp4, so stuff downloaded from iTunes won't work. Maybe some of the conversion programs available on shareware will work, but I didn't try any.

If your needs are like mine, don't spend more than you have to. This is the one!

I am a hard sell when it comes to buying something I look at everything trust me. I bought this mp3 player to play music for the gym the extras well maybe I will use one day. The pros
* It looks cool - the blue ring and screen turns off after 10-15 sec.
* Holds lots of songs - even come with add on slot for added memory.
* Price - I have even thought of getting a refurbished one.
* Battery - the USB powers it which is no problem
* Random play - works great
* Driver - no problems with my Visa PCU (I just plugged it in)
* FM - converts from US freq to Japan and world settings
* Extras - pictures and video - I haven't used yet

Cons

* Skips - ok maybe it has just a little
* Compatibility - I had to change the music file from an I-tune file to music match file. It only takes a second.
* Weight - little on the heavy side
You need to ask yourself what I'm going to use mp3 player for when shopping for one. And if the one you want comes with extras then it's a plus. I will let you know how it does in a few months.

Save a bunch of bux and buy the REFURB. I purchased a refurb over a year ago and have had NO problems with it. A PQI brand micro sd card also works flawlessly. Just be sure to get the latest firmware updates
at http://www.sandisk.com/Retail/Default.aspx?CatID=1376 . Also, if you have problems, watch the USB mode under settings (MSC or MTP) as you may have to switch between them for certain applications, like updates.
The only downside is that it says REFURB on the back but it's not a problem because I won't loan it out to anyone anyways!
Also, when ripping movies, do your eyes a favor... Don't use the widescreen versions!

Wonder why people go for ipod this ipod that. This one is an excellent alternative, and much, much cheaper. Sound is good. The only problem is the propietary charing USB cable: if you lose it, you can't charge it. Why on earth Sandisk did this is beyond me.