“A CD player has a basic alphanumeric display though, so you navigate through the CD easily enough.”
Well, yes, but all you get is the track number. I’m not referring to some of the players that do have disc info or lyrics, just the plain old Sony Discman.
“The lack of a display makes the player much more complex to use, not easier.”
I’ll just have to respectfully disagree with you on that. I can operate a CD player without ever looking at the display. The same thing goes for my Fuze and Clip.
“I would like a slotmusic player to have both AM and FM radio and a basic alphanumeric display”.
I don’t think that’s gonna happen. The SMP just isn’t intended for that.
“It might well become that if it is the only mp3 player that Sandisk makes without a display.”
Nope, you’re forgetting the Shaker. It’s understandable, many people would like to.
“That is what I want, although I really want a player that has a basic low power consumption alphanumeric display that is always on while the player is playing like the m250 player, but also having sound quality equal to the Clip, both AM and FM radio, using a AA or AAA battery, and having a card slot.”
Sounds like a great player…maybe Sandisk is listening. It’s fine to want something better, but futile to expect the SMP to be anything more than what it was intended to be. It’s a average sounding player for new digital music users to use as a stepping stone to something better.
I tried to look at it as if I were a digital music virgin. If the SMP had a display or radio, it would be more expensive, and be less attractive to me in terms of not wanting to waste too much money if I decided I didn’t like the concept. If I liked it, I would then look to the Fuze, or Clip if it had a slot, and not be afraid of spending the money on it. If I were a cell-phone-only user of SM, I would appreciate a simple way to play my cards without my phone, and would probably want to graduate to a better player, assuming my phone didn’t live up to my expectations.
FWIW, I hope Sandisk makes your dream player some day.