Sansa slotRadio Player Review: An MP3 Player That Comes With 1,000 Songs

Introduction

Following on from their slotMusic player (review), the Sansa slotRadio Player by SanDisk continues their vision of a physical media-based platform (MicroSD card) that may eventually replace the aging compact disc. At an MSRP of $99.99, the slotRadio player comes with an astonishing 1,000 Billboard songs, and a built-in radio too. Does this song-packed budget portable deliver a stellar user-experience as well as great musical content? Read our Sansa slotRadio Player review to find out if this physical media-based player is the future of music.

Pros:

• Simple and easy to use
• Excellent value for money with the inclusion of 1,000 songs
• slotRadio cards negate the need for a computer or Internet connection

Cons:

• No way to skip backwards through playlists
• Can't browse the contents of slotRadio cards for your favorite tracks
• No way to backup slotRadio cards in case of loss or damage

Style & Design: The Sansa slotRadio Player is solidly constructed using die-cast aluminum. The unit measures 1.9" W x 1.9" H x .59" D and weighs 1.3 oz. The unit itself is fairly simple in design and is easy to hold in the hand; it also has a clip so you can attached it to a pocket, belt, etc. The face of the unit has a graphite finish and the rest of the unit is styled in silver. Even though the unit isn't particularly exciting to look at, it is well constructed and looks like it could endure a few punishing blows if accidentally dropped - best not try it eh?

Package Contents:

• Sansa slotRadio player
• 1,000 songs Preloaded onto slotRadio card
• USB cable
• AC to USB adapter
• Earbuds
• Quick-start guide

Getting Started

Power Source / Playing Time: The player is powered by a built-in lithium-ion battery that has a reported battery life of 13 hours. The unit can be charged via a computer USB port, or via a power outlet using the AC adapter.

Earbuds: The supplied earbuds come with foam pads and a gold-plated 3.5mm jack plug. They are comfortable to wear and produce reasonably detailed sound; the bass is punchy while the mid to high frequencies are average. The length of wiring provided is adequate and also acts as an aerial for the radio.

MicroSD Slot: As well as accepting slotRadio cards, you can use standard MicroSD cards to play your own music as long as you use MP3 or WMA files. If you've got a significant amount of music loaded onto a card, then it can be frustrating trying to find your favorites because there's no way to browse the contents of a microSD card.

Using The Sansa slotRadio Player

Playing Music: As you would expect, playing music on the Sansa slotRadio Player is a no brainer. It's incredibly easy - simply slide the switch on the edge of the unit to play and you're away! The two control buttons on the face of the unit switch between genres, while the skip button is used to skip forwards one track at a time; holding the button for longer will pause the music being played. The player also remembers your volume setting after you power off which is a useful feature to save adjusting the volume every time the unit is powered on. SanDisk have designed the slotRadio player to be as fool-proof as possible, and it works.

slotRadio Card: At first look, the slotRadio card seems to be the same as a conventional MicroSD card. However, if you try to read it on a computer, no files are visible. This poses a big problem if you decide to backup your investment in case of loss or damage. Unlike CD, digital music downloads, slotMusic cards, etc.), you can't backup the contents of a slotRadio card. Because slotRadio cards are the size of a fingernail, and are more likely to be lost or dropped, not being able to back them up is a big downside.

Controls: The controls are neatly arranged around the edge and face of the player and are responsive when used. The controls are: off/FM/play, next playlist, previous playlist, next track/pause track, and volume up/down. Unfortunately, there is no facility to skip backwards between tracks, and so if you decide you want to skip back to the track that just played, then you'll be very disappointed.

File Formats:

• MP3
• WMA

Sound Quality: The quality of the sound output from the Sansa slotRadio Player is reasonable. The unit delivers plenty of bass and the high-end frequencies, although lacking in definition, are fairly clear. That said, the average user will find the slotRadio Player a good all-rounder for listening to most music genres.

Conclusion
The biggest challenge about the slotRadio player is to get to grips with the idea that it's not your normal kind of portable MP3 player. It's much easier to think of SanDisk's creation as your very own Internet radio station where you are the DJ. The reason for this is that all the music on slotRadio cards are arranged in genre-specfic playlists just like Internet radio stations. While this is a novel concept and will probably suit some music fans, it isn't for everyone. For consumers who want to be able to use the slotRadio player as a portable MP3 player then it lacks a few essential features: no way to skip backwards through a playlist, no repeat, and no browse facility to select your favorite songs. This unfortunately impacts on user-experience and listening to music can be frustrating - especially if you want to pick your tracks. That said, for someone who wants an instant 1,000 song music library right out of the box, then this is the ideal solution. At only $99.99, there's no doubt that it's a lot cheaper than if you purchased all the music separately. Be warned though, there's no way to backup the music on a slotRadio card in case of damage or loss. If you prefer to buy your music on physical media from your local store, then you'll probably find SanDisk's slot-based media a viable alternative to CD. If you hate the idea of purchasing digital music online, using a computer, plugging in an MP3 player, and syncing files, then you'll definitely want a slotRadio player in your life.