Looking at the View it's easy to see that it shares a lot with the iPod Nano in terms of overall look. The big circle on the front of the player is a mechanical scroll wheel reminiscent of the wheel found on first generation iPods. Sansa takes design cues from later generation iPods as well, and makes the wheel clickable for explicit music controls such as play and pause. The screen on the Sansa is the same resolution as the Nano's, 320x240, but is actually the same size as the iPod Classic's screen, 2.4 inches.
Features
- 2.4" LCD, 320 x 240 resolution
- Video support: MPEG4, WMV, h.264 (at 30 fps)
- Only JPEG image support
- MicroSDHC slot
- FM Tuner
- Voice recorder
- Models: 8 GB - $149, 16 GB - $199 32 GB - $350
- battery life: audio - 30 hours, video - 6 hours
At 32GB of flash memory the View has one of the highest storage capacities in this level of players. The amount of storage can be further increased through the player's integrated MicroSD slot. The player is compatible with Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) cards that max out at 16GB making total possible storage come in at 48GB. Photos, music and video can all be stored and played on the View with the most popular file formats supported.
For video playback MPEG4, WMV, and h.264 formats are all supported at a full 30 frames per second. While the iPod has iTunes, the View works with subscription based services such as Napster and Rhapsody. Image files are limited to JPEG. SanDisk has stated they'll update the firmware to support new formats over time. Photos and videos can be viewed with the player in the normal upright position, or in landscape mode for widescreen viewing.
Other features that set the Sansa View apart from the Nano are the FM tuner with 20 presents, and an integrated voice recorder. SanDisk is rates the battery life as offering 30 hours of continuous audio playback, and 6 hours of video.
Models and Pricing
The Sandisk Sansa View was released in mid-September 2007 and is available in threee capacities: 8 GB for $149 16 GB for $199 and 32 GB for $350 respectively
