Office Depot link, Sansa E260
<strike>There is word of an additional $30 rebate which I haven't located.</strike>*** These players <strike>were</strike> are on-sale at Best Buy <strike>last</strike> this week for $200 (normal price is $220-$250)
The E200 series is comparable to the iPod Nano - a flash memory based media player. The E260 is the 4 GB version and unlike the Nano, it includes an FM receiver and voice recorder, and it will play video files on a larger screen than the Nano has.
One of the good points is that it offers two ways of loading files: either a simple drag-and-drop or else load through WMP10. You're not limited to an iTunes-like load.
Video files must be converted with supplied software. The player has a hardware QuickTime decoder. The software will convert VOB files directly - just rip and ship. However, I came across at least one DVD that would not convert properly. Generally, the files play back well enough; the picture is good, but there are random flashes.
I tried converting a few Xvid AMVs and had no problems. But it did mess up the first ten or so frames of each vid. Except for the start, the rest of each video played back well.
Check the online reviews before buying. This player is highly rated although not perfect.
***$16 mail-in rebate


