SanDisk Sansa e280R Rhapsody user reviews (8GB)

4.5 stars

"I love this player dispite minor flaws." on December 7, 2006 by serendipity_traveler

Pros: Rhapsody integration, large screen, feature rich, expandable memory, removable battery, feels good in the hand

Cons: Plastic scroll wheel, smallish buttons, playlist functionality is fine in the software, but could be better in the player, no custom EQ

Summary: I was in the market for a flash-based mp3 player when my friend showed me his ipod Nano. I was smitten, but wanted FM radio for watching tv at the gym. Although the Sansa is a bit thicker than the Nano, I actually think it feels better in the hand...it certainly feels sturdier.

Cons: I wish you could delete songs directly from the player. Playlist functionality on the player itself could be better (for example, you have to be playing a song to add it to your "to go" list). There are several preset equalizers to choose from, but no custom EQ. Perhaps a future firmware update will change this. The buttons on the Sansa are a bit small, but I quickly got used to them. Also, the plastic scroll wheel looks like a cheap afterthought on an otherwise quality device. The scroll wheel is the only area where I experience ipod-envy, but the depth of features in the Sansa more than makes up for it...at least to me.

Pros:
- The color screen is big, clear, and bright. I find the interface to be more interesting than that of the ipod, while still being simple and intuitive.
- FM radio. Some may not need it, but I like it for the gym and the occassional morning talk show. (You can also record FM or use the Sansa for voice recordings.)
- Removable battery. Replacements are about $20. Battery life is rated at 20 hrs and I find that to be accurate.
- Expandable memory via micro SD slot.
- Video. I only use it occassionally to show short clips (the modern day equivalent of photos in my wallet), but it's nice to have. Some people find it a con that you have to move the video through the Sansa conversion program, but all you do is drag and drop your file. The program converts it and uploads the video to your player. Personally, I don't find this to be cumbersome.
- By far the most valuable asset of this player is the Rhapsody integration. I listen to and explore far more music then ever before. While you can find the e200 series Sansas (without the R) at a discount online, I highly recommend paying full price for one of the e200R series (I have the e280R). It's money well spent.

Tip: I purchased the Sansa at Best Buy and got a 2 month free trial for Rhapsody To Go (which I believe is a longer trial period than if you buy through Rhapsody, but you may want to double check that). When signing up, I got an extra free month for providing my credit card # (which I would have to provide anyway to continue the service). Also, I was worried that I'd have to look at the ugly Best Buy logo for the rest of my Sansa days, but after signing up via the Best Buy software (to get the 2 months free subscription), I downloaded the software from Rhapsody and use it instead.

For $14.99 a month, you get access to Rhapsody's entire library on 3 computers and 3 portable players. In addition to 2 computers and a laptop, my husband and I use Rhapsody for my Sansa and his mobile phone. The integration of Rhapsody with the Sansa device is very well executed. Adding songs or entire albums is as simple as dragging and dropping. In addition to album art, you also get interesting (and often amusing) editorial content about each artist.

The Channels feature allows you to create custom music channels based on the genre or artist(s) of your choice. For example, you can create a channel based on up to 10 artists and Rhapsody will upload music to the Sansa based on your choices the next time you sync your device. This is a wonderful way to discover new music without having to spend time in front of the computer. If you like a song, you can add it to your library with the push of a button. You can also choose to skip, purchase, rate, or ban songs. If you rate songs, Rhapsody will choose music for you based on your ratings. I fill my device with music of my choosing and leave some room for Rhapsody to upload music for me based on my preferences and listening history. Rhapsody also has hundreds of preprogrammed channels you can choose from (60s rock, blues, classical piano, etc.) which automatically populate with new music each time you sync.

To me, the capacity to discover new music while hiking, in bed, or at the gym (as opposed to sitting in front of a computer) is a valuable time-saver. Also, I like the ability to listen to a full album (and not just 30 second clips) away from the computer so I can purchase music that I know will stand the test of time, while still exploring that which will probably be a passing fancy. The Sansa e200R series' tight integration with Rhapsody makes this a standout player and I highly recommend it.