SanDisk Sansa c100 vs Transcend T Sonic 310 : SanDisk Sansa C150
- 1. SanDisk Sansa C150
- 2. Sound Quality
- 3. Transcend T.Sonic 310
1. SanDisk Sansa C150
| SanDisk Sansa c150 | |
|---|---|
| Price | $125 / £90 |
| Dimensions | 79 (L) x 35.5 (H) x 23 (D) mm
3.1 (L) x 1.4 (H) x 0.9 (D) inches |
| Weight | 45.3 g / 1.6 oz |
| Power Source | Internal: AAA battery
External: None |
| Display | 1.2" colour screen, up to 64,000 colours |
| Memory | 2 GB flash. |
| Recording | Audio: Onboard microphone Video: n/a |
| Playback | Audio: MP3, WMA, protected WMA and Audible
Image Display: JPEG |
| Screen Orientation | Landscape |
| AV Connections | Earphones |
| Interfaces | USB 2.0 high-speed device, compatible USB 1.1, PC & Mac. USB Host port compatible Mass Storage Device. Proprietary USB connection |
| Battery Life | Up to 15 hours for music, depending on batteries used |
The market for cheap and cheerful MP3 players is an ever-growing one, and SanDisk has been quite successful recently in cornering a substantial share of this pie. The Sansa c150 series is one such offering, coming in two models, the 1 GB c140 at around $100 and the 2 GB c150 at about $125.
Out of the box, the c150 doesn't look like much, essentially a standard flash player stick fattened at the back to hold the AAA battery that powers it. The plastic finish is cheap-feeling, and the screen is awfully small (1.7") for something that can ostensibly display pictures. The controls attempt to capture that iPod feel, but don't really succeed.
A fashion icon the c150 is not, but neither am I, so I won't throw stones from my cheap glass house. Real problems do stem from the c150's design, however. For one, the circular control unit is as rickety as it looks, and you may find yourself having to push buttons three or four times in order to get anything to happen.
The one redeeming thing about the c150's controls is that the On/Off button, which doubles as the menu call-up button in operation, has to be pressed down for several seconds for the unit to switch on or off. This prevents unintended power downs.
Once you do get things moving you will have fun finding and playing your songs on a screen which will only show three items at once. While capable of displaying pictures, this 1.7" color screen is an unnecessary battery drain and serves no practical purpose whatsoever. It can't even manage to display a scrolling song name without severe ghosting. The combination of high compression required to display a photo on the screen, low color depth and dodgy back lighting (strong on the sides and weak in the centre of the screen) makes the c150 useless as any sort of a picture viewer.
The c150 connects to your PC or Mac via a proprietary USB 2.0 cable which is similar to the one used on the iPod. Apart from the problems this will cause you if you misplace the cable, the USB connection works fine.
You can either transfer files through Media Player 10, including DRM-protected premium WMA content from the likes of Napster, or else you can opt for the old fashioned "Drag & Drop" method. The c150 supports MP3, WMA (including DRM protected) and Audible playback, and it also has an FM radio built in, as well as a microphone.
- Next page Sound Quality
