The Fuze battery is rated for 24 hours. Li-Ion Polymer batteries typically lose 20% charge per year after manufacture, even if they have NEVER been used. Thus after 4 years, the Fuze will still be able to run approx 4.8 hours.
As far as expensive goes, I’m not sure what does expensive mean, whereas the most expensive fuze is less than $129.00.
I made the mistake and purchased a spare battery for my E200R, and it is degrading as it sits in the drawer. So unless BRAND NEW batteries are available 4 years after the date of manufacture, user replaceable means nothing.
MP3 players have increasingly become a “fashion statement” and it is the consumer that is driving the demand for non-user replaceable batteries. User replaceable batteries take up significantly more “bulk” than the non-replaceable Li-ION poly batteries being made for the fuze and the Nano’s.
Now, If I spent $500 for an I-Pod touch (32 GB) or I-Phone, I would want the ability to replace the battery. But I am sure in 4 years, there will be a better unit than the Fuze, and quite frankly at $30 a year, that results in the product only costing me $2.50 a month.
In the electronics realm anything in the sub 200 dollar price range rarely has over a 5 year life expectancy.
