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| Click photo to see images of all the Editor's Choice 2007 products. |
This attractive large-screen personal media player is slimmer and lighter than competitors because it uses flash memory for storage instead of a hard drive. The tradeoff is a lower capacity, but its 8GB of onboard memory still holds thousands of photos, roughly 2000 songs, or 33 hours of video -- and by slipping an SD memory card into the Sansa View's slot, you can greatly expand that space.
At 3.1x4.8x0.66 inches, the Sansa View fits into a pocket, yet its beautiful four-inch widescreen LCD is perfect for looking at big, sharp stills (including in slideshows, with music) as well as DVD-quality movies. It also has a built-in speaker and AV output, the latter for playback on your stereo or TV. And it can drive a 1080i high-definition monitor when placed in an optional docking station. The SanDisk supports JPEGs up to 16 megapixels (no RAW files), as well multiple AV formats and media subscription services. Its removable Li-Polymer battery lasts up to ten hours per charge. About $300.
Best Buy: Samsung YP-T9
Though it competes with Apple's tiny iPod nano music player, this gorgeous, even-smaller device is actually useful for photographic purposes too. Measuring 3.3x1.7x0.4 inches and weighing just 1.7 ounces, it plays music beautifully, its 4GB of internal flash memory storing about 1000 songs (MP3 or WMA format). You can use the YP-T9's ample, sharp 1.8-inch color LCD screen to browse JPEG images, zooming and re-centering them for closer inspection. (The screen allows it to play converted MP4 videos too.)
The YP-T9 has a built-in microphone, useful for recording interviews or notes about photos you've taken. And when you connect it to a computer with its proprietary cable, it functions like a USB flash drive, allowing you to save various kinds of data. That includes text files, which you can open and read on the unit's own LCD. There's even an FM radio tuner for catching tunes or news. Only downside: no Mac support. About $170.
American PHOTO Editor's Choice 2007
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