Slim Sansa View Takes on iPod Nano

The new Nano hasn't even been out a week yet, and already it's got some stiff new competition. SanDisk this morning unleashed the Sansa View—a svelte MP3 and video device that doubles the Nano's storage capacity for roughly the same price.

The View goes for the more traditional, long and slim MP3-player shape than the Nano's short, squat Chiclet look (which I'm still pretty so-so about), and it trumps the Nano's two-inch display with its 2.4-inch, 320 x 240-pixel LCD. The View gives you solid video playback options, including support for H.264, MPEG4, and Windows Media video files; the player may not be able to tap into the rich iTunes video store, but there's a good chance it'll work with Amazon Unbox videos (now chock full of NBC TV shows). Music is another strong point: the View plays MP3 and Windows Media music files, and it packs in support for music subscription services such as Napster, Rhapsody, and Yahoo! Music. You also get an FM radio, a voice recorder with a built-in microphone, and audiobook support.

Here's the kicker, though: you can snap up an 8GB View for $150, or about the same price as a 4GB Nano, while a 16GB View will run you just $200 (same price as the 8GB Nano). Even better, the View has a slot for microSD memory card expansion, so you can boost the player's memory by another 8GB or so.

All in all, pretty impressive—and if I had to score my "iPod vs. the Rest" post again, I'm not so sure the Nano would come out on top. (Update: I actually went ahead and updated the story; click through to see which player won.) Keep your eyes peeled for my full review.

Related:
Press release [SanDisk]