SanDisk Fuse+ MP3 Player Features Filmstrip Interface

SanDisk's Fuse+ MP3 player sports microSDHC storage, large color LCD display, and a swipe-based filmstrip user interface.

The mobile music market might be focused on smartphones right now, but that doesn’t mean there’s no market for standalone portable media players…and to that end SanDisk has announced its new SanDisk Fuse+ MP3 Player, sporting a large color LCD display, video playback capability, microSDHC removable storage, and swipe-based “filmstrip” interface for selecting music and navigating player functions. And the Fuse+ is available in 4, 8, and 16 GB capacities at suggested prices of $79, $89, and $119, respectively.

“The Sansa Fuze+ is the most versatile portable media player available for under $100,” said SanDisk AV retail senior director Tom Bailey, in a statement. “We developed an entirely new product to provide consumers with a stylish, affordable device that performs exactly as a sophisticated yet easy to use player should.”

LIke most media players, the Fuse+ supports a variety of audio formats (including MP3, WMA, WAV, DRM-free AAC/M4A, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, Audible, and Secure WMA), along with H.264, MPEG-4, WMV, and Flip Video video formats. The unit sports a 2.4-inch color LCD display, and a new capacitive touchpad that SanDisk says provides the convenient feel of using a touchscreen without obscuring the visible display. The devices are available with 4, 8, or 16 GB of built-in memory that can be augmented with microSDHC removable storage for up to 16 GB additional storage. SanDisk says the rechargeable batteries should handle up to 24 hours of audio playback or five hours of video—and the device packs an FM radio if that stored digital content gets too boring. The Fuse+ players are also pre-configured for synchronization with the Rhapsody, Napster, and eMusic services.

SanDisk says the Fuse+ MP3 players are available now through retailers, although in-store pricing will be set by those retailers, so $79, $89, and $119 price points are just suggestions.

Meridian M80

The Meridian M80 is not for the faint of heart, but it sure is one hell of an iPod dock!

You are looking at what is the desktop audio equivalent of an Aston Martin. Its svelte, leather-wrapped, shapely, and built incredibly well. 800 individual components are carefully brought together by hand which becomes the Meridian M80 ($2,995), a 80-watt 2.1 channel sound system that packs a slot-loading CD/DVD drive, rear-mounted subwoofer, and an of course, an optional iPod dock. Link

Sony's new Walkman players are water-resistant & bass-enhanced, starting at Rs. 2,890

Sony has launched new iterations of its W and B series ofWalkman MP3 players, targeting those consumers who desire their music on the go, in a portable and durable form.

The Walkman W Series is water-resistant and washable, suitable for those into active sports, and designed to be used in rainy or dust-laden environments. It features an ergonomic design, and is uniquely wire-free, making it super comfortable to use while exercising. The W Series also has a unique music navigation feature called Zappin, which allows users to listen to the main chorus of each song while scanning through their music library and playlists to find the song they are looking for.

The NWZ-W250, priced at Rs, 4,990, is available in three colours: black, white, pink. It weighs just 43 gms, and provides up to 11 hours of playback time with a full charge of 90 minutes. It also has a Quick Charge function that lets it play up to 90 minutes of music with just 3 minutes of charging time.

The Walkman B Series is sleek with a metallic finish, and is designed to offer special bass output with its integrated one-touch Bass Enhancer. While the B Series also supports the Quick Charge feature, it also has a longer battery life than the W Series, with up to 18 hours with just 70 minutes of full charging.

The NWZ-B150 is available in four colours, black, pink, red, gold, and starts at Rs. 2,890. It also offers jazzy LED lights that pulse with the music, as well as the Zappin feature described in the W Series.