CES 2007: SanDisk launches new Super Sansas

The Sansa Connect will embarrass the Microsoft Zune with its Wi-Fi features

SanDisk has laid the groundwork to launch a large-scale assault on the portable MP3 player market in 2007. Speaking at CES in Las Vegas , the company announced two fascinating new Sansa products for launch in 2007 which will surely have Creative and Microsoft quaking in their boots.

Leading the way is the 'Sansa View,' a widescreen portable media player with an impressive-sounding 4-inch TFT screen for watching movies and TV on the go. Also coming this year from the SanDisk camp is a new Wi-Fi-equipped 'Sansa Connect' MP3 player.

Predominantly a flash memory manufacturer, SanDisk has had huge success with the launch of its Sansa range of MP3 players, which have fast become the number two selling players in America and Europe, overtaking Creative in the process. But the company has so far been unable to make up any real ground on the runaway market-leading Apple iPod.

Overtaking Apple is clearly not an option at the moment, as the iPod is so far ahead it's ridiculous. And so SanDisk looks like it is instead seeking to consolidate its position as number two in the market.

Zune destroyer

The two new Sansa products are going to be directly competing with similar products from Creative and Microsoft. The Sansa View will be up against the Creative Vision W in the portable video market, and the Wi-Fi Sansa will obviously be in direct competition with Microsoft's Wi-Fi-enabled Zune.

SanDisk's secret weapon of course is that it uses its own flash memory instead of more bulky, expensive hard disks like the ones inside the Vision W and the Zune. So both these new Sansas are likely to be aggressively priced, which spells extremely bad news for the already flagging Microsoft Zune, and Creative will hardly be jumping for joy either.

The Sansa Connect boasts internet capabilities designed to keep users connected to a wide range of new music via subscription services and streaming Internet radio with no PC required. It will also contain community features for recommending music and photos with the simple click of a button and a 'live' Wi-Fi connection.

These wireless features are far more advanced than those utilised by the Microsoft Zune, and it's also interesting to see that SanDisk has beaten Apple to market with its 'Zune killer.' Many may feel of course that in the case of the Zune, there's no killing required.

James Rivington

James was part of the TechRadar editorial team for eight years up until 2015 and now works in a senior position for TR's parent company Future. An experienced Content Director with a demonstrated history of working in the media production industry. Skilled in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), E-commerce Optimization, Journalism, Digital Marketing, and Social Media. James can do it all.

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