I read a couple weeks ago that the next FW is in QA testing and should be out in about 3-4 weeks. Any news on the status of the FW update?
Sansafix said today, “Next Month.”
http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=sansafuse&thread.id=2625
Message Edited by Tapeworm on 08-05-2008 07:11 PM
Keep in mind, that’s what he said a month ago, too. 
http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=sansafuse&thread.id=2098
In May I call SanDisk tech support with several operational issues and questions. I was told that there was a new release available that addressed some of my issues. When I got off the phone, I went to the updater and found that the April release already on my Fuze was the latest available. I had told the tech it was at 01.01.11A. Either they are ignorant of what is really available to customers because they have visibility to internal pre-release s/w or they just lie to you to get you off the phone. I’ll believe “next month” when I see it, but I’m not holding my breath. Their credibility is slipping.
Next release is in QA cycle. Trial version had bugs and required fixes. Our credibility would be less if we shipped you bad firmware.
(I own a FUZE)
We’ll Sandisk’s credibilty when it comes to firmware functionality is already uncertain…
I mean Sony and Apple manage to ship products that provide 99% of all expected funtionality for the year 2008!
Example 1. Support for AAC. (Expectation by now!)
Example 2. Support for embedded album art in all file formats. (Double expectation by now!)
Example 3. Support for MPEG-4 compliant videos in SP/ASP or H.264 baseline 1.3. (Instead of some proprietary Divx implementation AND is an expectation by now!)
MPEG-4 based audio and video codecs are now marketplace standards, hence it is now a requirement for Sandisk to ship ALL players with it from here on out!!!
But Sony and Apple only rarely increase functionality with firmware updates. Particularly in the case of Sony, firmware updates are practically unheard of. To their credit, their firmware is usually very stable and bug free, but what you see is what you get, period, and Apple only adds features once in a blue moon.
Expectations should not be arbitrarily based on what other players can do, but instead on consumer research before you make a purchase. If all players offered the same functionality there would be no point in buying one brand over another. The Fuze has plenty of features that other brands lack, such as a brilliant bookmarking system, memory card expansion, flawless integration of memory card contents to the media library and player functionality, choice of MTP or MSC mode, and top notch sound quality.
I agree the weak point of the Fuze is video. Having to convert is a huge deficit. Even if it only played one codec at one bit rate and one resolution, it still would be better if they allowed the user to convert to that format using a program of choice rather than having to use SMC. That program took a WMV of about 30MB and turned it into a playable video of 300MB. That’s horrible, and made me basically give up on video for the Fuze.
Another deficit is lack of folder navigation. There are times when that is far more convenient than ID tag navigation. I like to keep a folder called ‘various’ on my player for songs I like that don’t fit in any particular category but that I like to play as a group. ID navigation separates and distributes them all over the library so there’s no easy way to play them all as group short of making a playlist, which is time consuming, and that wouldn’t prevent the media library from being cluttered with them when I only play them as a group anyway.
There are similar serious limitations with all players. Believe me, i’ve owned most of them. There is no perfect player. That’s why the consumer has to do his homework and pick the best player for his needs. The Fuze is easily one of the best players on the market right now, and it looks like the next firmware update, whether it’s released tomorrow or four weeks from now, will add considerably to that functionality. That in itself is a ‘feature’ that you won’t see in most other players on the market.
Message Edited by Riolist on 08-07-2008 07:19 AM
Is there any notion about what might even be fixed with this version? All I’ve heard is that ogg/flac will be added, which is about as exciting to me as adding Klingon language support.
That’s great!! I’m ready for Klingon support!! Oh, please! When can I get the fonts?
I couldn’t help myself on that one.
I have had the player hiccup a few times decoding Audible books, and come to think of it, it did sound like Klingon!
Patience, Grasshopper. Sansafix has it in control.
Bob :smileyvery-happy:
bdb wrote:
. . . is about as exciting to me as adding Klingon language support.
And just what’s wrong with Klingon, you batag!
I’ll have you know my nother is Klingon, and she’s still pretty hot!
@bdb wrote:
Is there any notion about what might even be fixed with this version? All I’ve heard is that ogg/flac will be added, which is about as exciting to me as adding Klingon language support.
And just what’s wrong with Klingon, you batag!
I’ll have you know, my mother is a Kilingon, and she’s still pretty hot! 
@bdb wrote:
. . . which is about as exciting to me as adding Klingon language support.
And just what’s wrong with Klingon, you batag!
I’ll have you know, my mother is a Kilingon, and she’s still pretty hot!
I’ll have you know, my mother is a Kilingon, and she’s still pretty hot!
You Klingons really should keep your private life private.
