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Welcome to Zoom In Online™'s Tech Friday series. This week, we'll review the SanDisk Sansa Fuze.

Overview:
MP3 players and portable media devices are some of the most competitive products in the consumer electronics industry. Despite the rigorous competition from companies of all sizes, there are still opportunities to innovate and then dominate the market.

As of May 6th, 2008, Apple holds a commanding 71% market share in the portable media player space, where as Microsoft's newcomer, Zune, holds a 4% market share. However, one of the most overlooked companies in the digital media space is SanDisk, which holds an 11% market share. [Source: NPD Group via The Motley Fool]

In this Tech Friday article, we explore SanDisk's latest offering: The SanDisk Sansa Fuze.

Setup:

The setup process for the Sansa Fuze is relatively straightforward. While it does ship with an application disk, it's not necessary to install or use the included application. The device can directly connect to your system and files can be dragged-and-dropped onto the device.

Pros:

- Size: The Sansa Fuze is a highly portable device that can easily fit almost anywhere.

- Build: The build quality of the Sansa Fuze is superior to that of many of it's competitors. The device feels solid and reliable.

- Software: The device does not require any additional software and can work with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Linux or the Mac OS.

- Features: The device is packed with numerous features, including an in-built radio as well as an audio recorder.

- Price: At a retail price point of $129.99 [8GB], this product is the most cost-effective product in it's class.

Cons:

- Proprietary cable: Unlike earlier devices, the Sansa Fuze uses a proprietary cable, which could be a hassle to replace.

- Battery life indicator: In our testing, the battery life indicator was inaccurate.

Conclusion:

The SanDisk Sansa Fuze doesn't stop short against it competitors. Coming in at a highly competitive price-point, this is something that users should absolutely consider. The product is available from numerous retailers.