SanDisk launches 'Sansa Connect' to rival iPod

After Sony and Microsoft, now SanDisk Corp. has confirmed that it is launching a new Wi-Fi-enabled wireless MP3 player to rival Apple's digital music revolution, iPod portable music player.

To release a new and potentially formidable rival, flash memory maker SanDisk has joined forces with Sunnyvale-based Yahoo Inc. and Mountain View-based startup Zing Systems Inc. Together the companies will attempt to challenge Apple's dominance of the portable digital music player (DMP) market.

Milpitas-based SanDisk, a maker of flash-memory chips that also builds the Sansa line of MP3 players, on Monday released “Sansa Connect” MP3 player embedded with free and subscription-based services from Yahoo.

By launching the new product in association with Yahoo, SanDisk hopes to tap millions of existing Yahoo users. "We see this as a very strong partnership with Yahoo," said Eric Bone, a senior director of product marketing for SanDisk.

Wi-Fi enabled “Sansa Connect” features a 2.2-in. LCD screen and weighs 4.1 oz. It downloads music from the Internet wirelessly from Yahoo's music services using software developed by Zing, a new mobile entertainment technology and services company.

The player comes with an 8GB flash hard drive, however, can be expanded with a microSD memory card. It supports MP3 and WMA files, both protected and unprotected by digital rights management software (DRM). It also supports all Microsoft PlaysForSure subscription music through a PC connection.

Users can access Yahoo's free music services or its Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go subscription service merely with a single press of a button.

“Sansa Connect” users who have a Yahoo ID and an open WiFi network can access both free and paid Yahoo services, including Launchcast Internet radio and Flickr online photo galleries. They can even see what Yahoo messenger friends and other Sansa Connect users nearby are listening to.

Users with a Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go subscription also can download music directly to their Sansa Connect without a PC, and listen to or download tracks their friends are listening to or have recommended. However, they can't beam music to one another.

The latest Sansa device can hold up to 1,000 songs, which take about 30 seconds each to download.

With 9 percent of the U.S. market, SanDisk is the second-most popular brand of players in the country, after Apple’s iPod, which holds 74 percent market share.

The Cupertino-based Apple reported Monday that it has sold more than 100 million iPods since their introduction in November 2001, making it "the fastest selling music player in history".

Market analysts are curious to know how the Sansa Connect, which is both heavier and has a smaller screen than the 80GB iPod, will affect iPod sales.

SanDisk is not the only one making effort to compete with Apple's music player, rather Microsoft with its Zune music player and Sony with its upgraded Walkman music players are trying to capture iPod market.

SanDisk did not disclose a suggested retail price for its new player, which hit the US stores on Friday. But, the device is available for $249.99 at Amazon.com website.

Sansa Connect will be available in Canada later in the year.