Podcast/audiobook questions

Does the Connect support basic supporting features for podcasts and audiobooks?

  1. Resume at same spot where turned off (either manually turned off or auto shutdown because paused too long).  Nearly essential.
  2. Support Overdrive Media audiobooks (ones you get from public libraries).  Essential if you listen to these type audiobooks.
  3. Delete song on player.  Nice to have, esp. with cryptic podcast names.
  4. Display of song/podcast duration or time remaining.  Nice to have.
  5. Accelerating fast forward (goes faster after you hold the FF button down for a bit).  Nice to have, esp. if you don’t have #1 above.

Thanks.

Sansa Connect currently supports mp3, WMA and secure WMA audio files. For these formats the answers are as follows:

  1. yes…play resumes at same spot when turned off/on

  2. OverDrive Media web site indicates thier audiobooks are typically distributed in secure WMA format. I installed the Overdrive Media Console and downloaded thier test files. The files transferred to the Sansa Connect and played as expected. Note these links:

       http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/download.asp

       http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/devicesfaq.asp#4 

  1. yes…there is ‘Remove Song’ in the option tab menu

  2. yes…song length and time played are displayed

  3. yes…accelerate by holding FF button

Greig,

Thanks so much, very much appreciated.  With your kind help, I will now go buy the Connect.

The best player I’ve found that supports an external expansion card and has most of these desirable features for podcasts and Overdrive (public library) audiobooks was the Rio Forge (had an SD slot), but it is missing the on-player delete-song capability.  And Rio is out of business, and their players weren’t rated as very durable (mine is somewhat flaky), and they max at 1GB.

This player now seems great if you have some of the following uses:
 - have a Yahoo subscription,
 - listen to podcasts,
 - listen to library audiobooks,
 - have content on SD (or micro SD with adapter).  That would include those like me who own a RadioYourWay LX MP3 player/recorder (records FM or AM).  Since it costs a lot ($300) and its buttons aren’t very durable, RYW-LX owners have taken to recording on the SD card and moving the SD card into another player for listening.
 - want to access Flickr when in wireless range.

Again, thanks for all your help.