SanDisk's slotMusic albums and $20 Player now ready to be ignored

When you're digging a hole for yourself, you might as well keep digging in hopes of emerging from the other side. Today SanDisk unearthed its Sansa slotMusic Player -- specially designed for those ill-fated slotMusic microSD cards pre-loaded with DRM-free music from "dozens of popular artists" (a bit over 3 dozen to be exact) at $15 a pop. It'll also play your self-loaded music on microSD cards (currently maxing out at 16GB) just as long as it's loaded in either MP3 and unprotected WMA formats. The tiny, display-less, 2.8 x 1.4 x 1.4-inch (that can't be right, but that's what the press release says) player sells for $20 (or $35 for artist branding and 1GB slotMusic card album) and is available immediately along side a smattering of accessories from US shops like Best Buy and fittingly, Wal-Mart. Headed to Europe and other global destinations sometime in 2009 assuming the whole format isn't scrapped after disappointing holiday sales are tallied.

Read -- slotMusic Player
Read -- slotMusic Artists

[Madison @ Oct 15th 2008 2:09AM]

I hereby nominate this for crapgadget!

Physical Media based content distribution is soooo 2006...


SlotMusic... DO NOT WANT!

[tekdroid @ Oct 15th 2008 8:34AM]

Removable media is great. Physical media is everywhere (yes, even hard drives and Flash memory are physical media).

This size (1GB) coupled with the price, formats and the availability of content (weak, at best) is laughable in 2008, tho.

It's as if higher capacities and internet and computers and CDs totally don't exist, all of which offer us far better options at the flick of a wrist and 2 clicks of a mouse's tail.

[--------- @ Oct 15th 2008 11:15AM]

Make an affordable automotive head unit with one or more microSD slots on the front and thus could really take off.
Imagine a row of fingernail sized “albums” cliped to the visor of your 84 Camaro... this could be a big hit with the Joe Dirt crowd.

[Ram @ Oct 16th 2008 2:32PM]

I think this idea could really take off. I can think of atleast a dozen people I know who either don't have the time or inclination to
download/ manage music files on their computers, and would yet not find the idea of lugging around a CD player and a dozen CDs very appealing. This would be perfect for them.

The idea that such people exist may seem unfathomable to engadget and most if its readers, but they do.

[miriya @ Oct 15th 2008 2:09AM]

go ahead

[Valicore @ Oct 15th 2008 2:12AM]

Congrats on learning your first cardinal number.

[Valicore @ Oct 15th 2008 2:17AM]

it's been a longgggggggggggg time since I laughed as hard as I did when I saw that the press release said:

" In addition to the Sansa-branded player, SanDisk has created personalized, branded slotMusic players for popular artists such as Robin Thicke and ABBA."

No words...

[ManekiNeko @ Oct 15th 2008 3:56AM]

Wait, Robin Thicke? As in son of Alan "Once you try our maxipads, you'll never go back to" Thicke? Wow, judging from his old man's work, that album would have to be pure torture.

I kind of like the player, though. Twenty bucks for an MP3 player with swappable media isn't a bad deal. I'm pretty sure the iPod Shuffle was at least twice that price when it was first released.

(Actually, Wiki says it was FIVE times the price, so keep that in mind before you scoff at this little unit)

[iofthestorm @ Oct 15th 2008 2:29AM]

Actually this isn't that bad if you just want something to play MP3s cheaply, since MicroSD is cheap and plentiful, and upgradable. I don't think there are many people like that though... I might have been interested in something like this a while ago since I hardly listen to music but now I have homebrew on my DS that plays MP3s, and the carts use MicroSD so this is pretty useless to me.

[Andrew @ Oct 15th 2008 2:30AM]

I don't know about you guys but this seem like a good deal to me. Only $20 and you can put your own drm-free music on a micro-sd up to 16gb. Provided you have a micro sd already, it's a lot better than a new ipod nano or zune unless you want all the bells and whistles they provide.

[fanman @ Oct 15th 2008 2:43AM]

Like a screen?

[Madison @ Oct 15th 2008 2:55AM]

^ WIN ^

[Troels C @ Oct 15th 2008 3:53AM]

If you are gonna compare it to an iPod, at least compare it to the shuffle...

[noyp @ Oct 15th 2008 8:54AM]

...which is $30 more with no expandable media slot

[1234321 @ Oct 15th 2008 9:21AM]

its not an awful idea, but they really have to push that fact that the songs are DRM-free, require no ripping, that the microSD card is reusable, and most importantly that don't NEED a slotMusic player, they can use any phone or mp3 player will a microSD slot or adaptable SD/miniSD slots

[Shade @ Oct 15th 2008 5:24PM]

Yes, that's the point, we all want the "bells and whistles" that the ipod provides, like being able to see what song you are listening to, or knowing when it's on. Or, if you're really greedy, videos and stuff like that. Nobody likes SanDisk anymore. I bought an mp3 player from them 3-4 years ago, ever since that I have stuck with iPods.

[ED @ Oct 15th 2008 2:39AM]

"a bit over 3 dozen to be exact" - that's not very exact. Is it a 0 or a 1 bit?

[Wulile @ Oct 15th 2008 3:01AM]

My heart goes out to the people that worked on this. I mean how could you even look your family in the eye again?

[Bill @ Oct 15th 2008 3:06AM]

The people who shovel this dreck generally don't have familes.

[derX @ Oct 15th 2008 3:57AM]

I don't know, I find this to be unbelievably cute.

This has got to be the cutest piece of FAIL ever mass marketed.

If I saw a stray one on the street, I'd take it home and name it Fido.

[refriedbeans19 @ Oct 15th 2008 3:04AM]

I'll keep my iPod touch and 5G, thank you very much.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Oct 15th 2008 4:25AM]

woah you have ipods? you must be awesome.

[Jon Nelson @ Oct 15th 2008 5:05AM]

And two of them at that!

He must be Fanboy Elite!

[vibhor goyal @ Oct 15th 2008 3:15AM]

what a waste of sdcards... sick!!!

[Quito @ Oct 15th 2008 3:38AM]

These players suck Thicke.

[marty.com.au @ Oct 15th 2008 3:40AM]

this is going to be the biggest fail since Sara Palins credibility

[Dan @ Oct 15th 2008 9:33AM]

Comedy rules #1: Spell the subject's name right.

[Neolight @ Oct 15th 2008 3:52AM]

I see incredible value for a museum of the future showcasing ideas by people on drugs..

[cDub @ Oct 15th 2008 4:09AM]

WTF SanDisk? You made a Shuffle with removable storage?! How is this bigger than a player that came out 3 years ago? The 1st Generation Apple iPod Shuffle measures 3.3" x 0.98" x 0.33" compared to 2.75” W x 1.4375” H x 1.4375” D. I would have liked seeing you update the Clip with a microSD slot, but no. I get this crap. You has some 'splainin to do.

[Dustin Howett @ Oct 15th 2008 4:17AM]

I'd totally buy it if it came with those floating cards.
I'll watch as they insert themselves, even if the music sucks. ;)

[Rynth @ Oct 15th 2008 5:35AM]

"I'll watch as they insert themselves, even if the music sucks. ;)"

Sounds like someone has discovered the "Adults only" area of the interwebs.

=D

[meist3r @ Oct 15th 2008 4:27AM]

Great soon there will be "collectors" who have a set of "branded" music players which they never use but they had to buy it because there's a Mily Cyrus sticker attached to it. This is the reason why the music industry is dying, instead of finally arriving in the 21st century and changing music to what it is: "data" they try to sell a 20$ player with each album ... what the hell? Yeah sure you can buy the SD card seperately but you need one of these players anyhow.

What's that? You think Music could be a lot cheaper if they finally removed the tie to physical media?
Yeah but that would mean they could charge you less ... ergo lower profits. Absolutely unthinkable.

[Mauro @ Oct 15th 2008 4:49AM]

Correct dimensions: 2.84" x 1.45" x 0.60"

[Brycer @ Oct 15th 2008 4:54AM]

What fawking idiot thought of this crap? This MUST be a joke.

[Evan @ Oct 15th 2008 4:54AM]

These remind me of those Hasbro Hit Clip things.

[Josh @ Oct 15th 2008 10:28AM]

hahaha hit clips sucked...i was thinking more along the lines of pocket rockers, now they kicked ass

http://www.geocities.com/pocketrockers/

[giuliop @ Oct 15th 2008 5:18AM]

I see many sheep here. Why should this be a bad idea? If you compare it to the Shuffle - and it shouldn't be compared to anything else - it's a huge bargain: for a few bucks more than $49 (Shuffle 1GB) you get the player ($20) and three 4G microSD cards, seeing they are about $10 apiece. That's 12GB compared to 1GB. If you make a comparison to the 2G Shuffle, which is $69, you get 20GB. I can't think of any flash-based player that gives you 20GB for that price, provided you find one.
Plus, I'd love to have separate cards for different uses: one for general music, one for training music, one for audiobooks, and so on, without having to sync my iPod every time.
That's actually a good idea; I'd personally want a display, but I understand the Suffle people don't need it.

[giuliop @ Oct 15th 2008 5:30AM]

"Suffle people". Must be a freudian slip.

[meist3r @ Oct 15th 2008 5:46AM]

Sorry but what are you saying? That in integrated device from Apple costs more than what you would get from regular manufacturers? No shit!

The problem here is that now these people try to establish a market with another proprietary hardware format. I admit it's a broadly adapted format but by releasing their own brand player and SD cards they go the wrong way. Music companies are supposed to sell music not hardware. I don't ask a record label for a stereo system, that's not their job.

They still refuse to change their modus operandi and sell music ... and only music (and maybe related merchandise at most). If I want an MP3 player I'll buy one, if I want an SD card I'll buy one. But having to buy either just to get your hands on a few megabytes of data is ridiculous. Why don't they sell unbranded players and empty cards? They want to establish a proprietary system that locks consumers in and competition out. Unfortunately that doesn't work.

This player isn't worth 20$ let alone more. The cost of that whole operation is artificially inflated to give the industry more margin. Sorry suckers but that's not how the market works anymore. I don't pay 20$ for a player that is worth

[giuliop @ Oct 15th 2008 8:03AM]

So tell me, what other "regular manufacturers" are offering a 12GB flash-based player for about $49 and/or a 20GB one for about $69?

There is nothing proprietary in what you call "their proprietary system": the cards' format is not proprietary nor is the music format. Nothing prevents you from using those cards in another device; in fact, the press release encourages you to do so.

It's hard to understand what you're babbling about when you say that it "locks consumers in and competition out". They manufacture players and, most of all, cards; they want to sell them and that is their "naughty" plan.
Oh, and manufacturers are after margins. What a peculiar idea. That's not how the market works anymore? Hmmm... Yeah.

[brett @ Oct 15th 2008 5:29AM]

this wouldn't be bad if there was a storage device in it and it took micosd as an add on, also if it had a screen so you could watch movies in eye strain'o'vision like the cr'apple ipod or iphone. Oh well just another thing the stupid hipsters and yuppies will buy up to be cool and trendy or what ever is that they try to be.

[Brandon @ Oct 15th 2008 6:34AM]

Does it at LEAST give you CD quality/bitrate music?

[LostPhil @ Oct 15th 2008 10:08AM]

No - the cards contain mp3, not lossless. Tis a shame really, would be a good substitute for CD's since the cards are more durable and no quality loss if you're using lossless (space for both mp3 and lossless on the cards...). Missed an opportunity IMO.

However, the mp3's bitrate is pretty high (320kbps I think) so you probably wouldn't notice much difference on a lot of recordings nowadays anyway (loudness war - youtube it).

[Benson @ Oct 16th 2008 3:25PM]

Actually, if it's 320 kb/s you probably wouldn't notice any difference, _regardless_ of production technique.

A decent codec (FhG or LAME) at 320kb/s is past transparency for almost all people on almost all recordings. Not everyone, but almost all.

OTOH, they could be using Xing, which would explain the general hatred of the slotmusic scheme, but I haven't heard anything to indicate they were shooting themselves in the foot quite that dramatically.

[Edward Green @ Oct 15th 2008 6:48AM]

Last time I checked (about 1 minute ago) you can pick up an Micro SD MP3 player for about $20. Was wondering hat to do with my old 4gb card.

[jahcriado @ Oct 15th 2008 7:45AM]

This is awesome! If it were like 2002 or 2003.

[Deedubbadoo @ Oct 15th 2008 8:25AM]

So this is like a modern day "Pocket Rocker?"

[Dan @ Oct 15th 2008 9:36AM]

I wouldn't buy a shuffle, and I won't buy this. Screen-less MP3 players suck worse than Pauly Shore.

[willyboy @ Oct 15th 2008 9:46AM]

At least you could house a pretty sweet used mini SD music store in a mall kiosk. Could use matchbox's instead of large CD boxes to organize the cards. By the way, do these miniSD music cards have album covers?

[Be @ Oct 15th 2008 9:47PM]

Album art is supposedly included as a file. There should be room for a video or two on there as well.

They're going to have to offer something extra if they plan to actually sell any of these things.