14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is kind of obsessed with the WiFi and with the social impact that the wireless technology could have on people (actually, they are trying to find yet another way to control you and to make good money out of it but I guess that's nothing new). It's almost the same scenario as the one involving INTEL and WiMax. Recently, Microsoft has added WiFi capabilities to its Zune line but not because they want it to work online (which, by the way, is currently impossible) but because the players can stream music to another compatible device if it also uses WiFi (I mean another Zune, of course).
SanDisks's new Sansa Connect can't do that but it can connect to the Internet using a wireless hot spot meaning that you will be able to download music or distribute photos with your Sansa. And the good news is that you don't need a PC to do all that. You will only need the WiFi Sansa.
"It's about accessing music of your choice wherever you are. If you're listening to new songs from a music service and find ones you want to keep, you can bring them into your library and don't have to wait until you get back to your PC. If you want to tell your friends about your discoveries, the Sansa Connect will also allow you to share music suggestions over the Web-anytime, anywhere-over an open wireless Internet network," claims Eric Bone, product marketing director for SanDisk's audio and video line.
On the hardware side, there's nothing new, excepting the WiFi transmitter. Sansa Connect has 4GB of storage and it also comes with a microSD. A 2.2-inch color screen is used in this tiny player and the device even comes with a small speaker so you can listen to music without having to use the headphones. The WiFi Sansa should be available in stores by March with an expected price tag of $249.99.