SanDisk Sansa Shaker 512 MB MP3 Player (Blue)
See it at Amazon.com for $15.99Average Customer Rating
(4.0 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
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(5 out of 5)Handy little player
For $40 you get a basic MP3 player with a 512MB SD card (comes with a few kids tunes already on the card), a small lanyard with clip, a pair of headphones, USB cable, instructions, mini-CD, and AAA battery.
What I like about this player (as an adult):
Built-in Speaker - This unit is completely self-contained. It can be used with one (or two) pair(s) of headphones - or you can 'lose' the headphones and still enjoy your music through the built-in speaker. I can imagine taking this tent camping and using it to lull off to sleep - or to play while working on a meal around the picnic table. When I hold this in my hand, I can contour the sound coming from the speaker by aiming it different directions and partially covering the speaker with my hand.
Compact Size - This is small enough that it is dwarfed by any portable CD or cassette player - but it isn't as small as most MP3 players (especially the ones which are no bigger than your thumb). It easily fits in my man-sized hand so that my thumb and fore-finger can touch.
Runs on one AAA battery - Unlike more expensive units that require you to plug in to charge - and eventually tear apart to replace the battery - this unit simply requires a single AAA battery. Some folks might not like to change batteries - I don't like being stuck with a unit I can't recharge while I'm camping. With all of the AAA LED lights on the market - it's easy to pack one of these 'shakers' along with a flashlight for each family member going camping.
SD card - This is a big feature for me. My palm uses SD cards. My camera uses SD cards. My player should use SD cards. An SD card is about the size of a postage stamp, and their prices have dropped considerably (Today, I could have bought a 1 GB SD card for under $20 at a local department store). I can keep MP3 files I might play on my palm and swap them over to the shaker to play. Now ... if only someone will be bright enough to build an MP3 voice recorder that uses SD cards (?!)
Not Just For Kids - While most claim that this unit isn't appropriate for 'adults', I'm going to disagree. This device might easily appeal to the non-techie and senior adult population. There's no tiny buttons, miniature screens, or confusing menu's to navigate thru. It is VERY simple. With the exception of the shake sound (like a camera sound) when you try to randomly select a tune - the only other 'kid sounds' you'll encounter during normal use is the on and off drum roll. That just adds to the cuteness factor.
Something that isn't obvious about this unit is how much it 'blinks'. There's a blue light ring around the on/off-play/pause button. It continuously blinks twice a second to signify when the unit is playing (or accessing memory). If you pause the play - then it gives two quick blinks every three seconds. Let it pause long enough, and the unit turns off.
This unit plays in alphabetic order (by folder, and then by song). There's not a 'random' or 'continuous' play mode. If you want a different song, you can advance forwards or backwards using the |<< and >>| on the bottom of the shaker. You can randomly pick the next song by manually holding down the on/off-play/pause button for about a second, and then shaking the player up and down. Otherwise play continuous from first to last song on the player.
I haven't had the player long enough to estimate it's battery life on the internal speaker. I've been pleased with the amount of volume. It's loud enough that I can use it at work next to my computer. If you hold the speaker close enough, you can hear a 'hiss' present.
Another thing - if you get one and are trying to open the bottom to insert the battery or access the SD slot - the bottom twists off (don't try to peel back the white rubber bottom ... instead - just rotate the bottom - including the blue and white).
I've bought one - and have tested it out for my wife - and if she likes it - I might even get the 8 year old one also.
I give this unit 5 stars for simplicity in design and ease of use. It might look childish to some - but it is a dependable unit with all of the basics anyone needs to listen to their favorite tunes while on the go.
(4 out of 5)Perfect MP3 Player for Kids!
I purchased the blue player for my son, but the review is the same for pink. Overall, this is a great MP3 player for kids. If you are looking for an adult-oriented MP3 player, this is not for you. We just got it, so I can't yet speak to durability. It appears and feels sturdy. On the plus side, the controls are extremely easy to use and quite innovative. The "rings" which allow you to control volume and track selection are perfect for young kids, since you simply twist the top or bottom of the device. The only button to press on the unit is the on/off switch. The ability to shuffle tracks by shaking the device (with a corresponding goofy sound effect) certainly appeals to kids. One of the main selling points for me was the built-in speaker, so the kids are not reliant on wearing headphones. I worry about hearing damage to young ears while using headphones, and the speaker is a FANTASTIC option. On the down side, I was expecting / hoping that the unit would be a little larger (it has the size, shape and appearance of an average salt shaker). However it can be attached to a lanyard to make it more difficult to lose. That said, it's bigger than many MP3 players. Speaking of MP3 palyers, I wish the device was compatible with WMA format; but this is just a personal preference and not a serious criticism. Overall, I like the player and think my kids will get quite a bit of enjoyment from it.
(4 out of 5)Perfect Player For Children
Overall, this is a great MP3 player for kids. If you are looking for an adult-oriented MP3 player, this is not for you.
We've had ours for several months and it still works perfectly. Very sturdy. The "rings" which allow you to control volume and track selection are perfect for young kids, since you simply twist the top or bottom of the device. The only button to press on the unit is the on/off switch. The ability to shuffle tracks by shaking the device (with a corresponding goofy sound effect) certainly appeals to kids.
One of the main selling points for me was the built-in speaker, so the kids are not reliant on wearing headphones. I worry about hearing damage to young ears while using headphones, and the speaker is a FANTASTIC option. On the down side, I was expecting / hoping that the unit would be a little larger (it has the size, shape and appearance of an average salt shaker). However it can be attached to a lanyard to make it more difficult to lose. That said, it's bigger than many MP3 players. Speaking of MP3 plaers, I wish the device was compatible with WMA format; but this is just a personal preference and not a serious criticism. My kids love it.
(5 out of 5)Fantastic!
This player is great! It's the only one I've seen that has its own external speaker, which was a must for me. It's exceptionally easy to use, ultra-portable, and the sound quality is better than I expected. I took it out of the package, stuck in the battery, and plugged it into my computer to transfer some songs. Three minutes after unwrapping this thing it was playing my music - can't beat that! I know it says it's for kids 8 and up, but I loaded it with Raffi tunes and handed it over to my 8-month-old. He absolutely adores it! We'll see how well it holds up to baby slobber...regardless, at under $40 this thing is a steal. I might order another one now to have in reserve!
(1 out of 5)Absolutely Frustrating
I bought these for my twin six year old sons and I'm returning them. You need to twist the bottom to change songs and it's right next to the battery compartment which twists the same way. What genius thought of this design?! A simple lock on the battery lid would have done the job. Instead it falls open all the time and my boys (and I) get so frustrated. Did Sansa even test this product?!