SanDisk's introduction of new 4GB and 32GB flash-based MP3 players didn't go unnoticed in Las Vegas. How did they perform?
| SanDisk Sansa Clip 4GB |
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 Clearly, SanDisk isn't competing in terms of style, since the "Clip" form borrows liberally from the screen-less iPod shuffle. But what SanDisk has in spades is storage, so they loaded up the Sansa Clip with 4GB of space. For $80, you can either get a Sansa Clip 4GB or an iPod Shuffle 1GB. The choice is obvious for such simple players. Alternatively, a Sansa Clip 1GB goes for $40. Release: February 2008. Price: $80.
Pros: Tiny form. Tiny screen gives visual feedback. Large storage capacity for its size.
Cons: Lacks top-notch music transfer software
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| SanDisk Sansa View 32GB |
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 The SanDisk Sansa View, now available in a 32GB configuration, may not have the user interface or music transfer software of the iPod, but it does have something the thin iPod nano can't match, storage. Lots of storage, enough that this player is really in a different league in terms of holding your music library. With an initial MSRP of $350, however, price cuts are required for this player to achieve a mass appeal. Release: February 2008. Price: $350.
Pros: High capacity storage. Music and video player.
Cons: Lacks sparkling interface
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| Sony Rolly |
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 The Sony Rolly is cute, little and fun, but we're not sure how long the fun will last. Programming little dances for each song sounds fun at first, but could get tedious, especially if the payoff isn't so great. Perhaps Sony has predicted this, as the choreographer software will let you upload and download dances to an online portal for Sony Rolly users. Since the Sony Rolly is using built-in robotic technologies to move its arms, shoulders and wheels, and includes 700 colors of light effects, it's one extremely expensive music player for its size. Unfortunately, the Sony Rolly's built-in speakers doesn't match the robotics, so this is not the best way to fill a room with music either. However, the Sony Rolly does transfer music wirelessly via Stereo Bluetooth, and stores up to 520 songs on its 2GB of flash memory. The Sony Rolly also supports non-secure AAC and MP3 files, and is claimed to offer a battery life of up to five hours of music playback and up to four hours of music and motion. Release: May 2008. Price: $400.
Pros: Small, cute, with neat little dancing movements. Better in pairs.
Cons: Expensive. Sound is as small as the speakers.
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| Bang & Olufsen Beosound 6 |
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 Perhaps the Beosound 6 sounds good. We couldn't be sure, because we previewed the device in a moderately crowded hotel suite, and the B&O A8 earphones bundled with the device do a poor job at blocking ambient noise. The interface is horrible. The display looks very cheap, with an obvious screen door effect and bland colors, and the interface is about five years behind, at best. Then, taking off the leather jacket we were surprised to find Samsung's name across the back. We've seen better from Samsung, so we're surprised B&O let this out the door. It better sound fantastic. Release: October 2007. Price: $600.
Pros: It's shiny, and produced by Samsung, and those are both potentially good things.
Cons: It's thick by today's standards. Very ugly interface. Unintuitive buttons are poorly placed.
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| Norcent Xias |
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 To Norcent's credit, the device is exceedingly light, but for its size the low weight makes the product feel cheap, or perhaps our opinion was already colored by the touch buttons. The device also has a strange shape, with a sort of teardrop / onion top that gives it a goofy look. The interface also needs some work, as even the company rep had trouble getting his button presses to register properly on the device. Release: June 2008.
Pros: Lightweight design
Cons: Poor touch sensitive buttons
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