The im413 appears to be discontinued by all retailers.
Any other options for stereo speakers or stereo alarm clock that dock a Fuze?
I will venture that nobody in Marketing realized that the Fuze works beautifully on the iM413, with a wee modification to the backrest foam pad.
On the other side of the coin, it’s all about the numbers. Apple is the 500 pound gorilla out there, with an unbelievable number of cheesy aftermarket docks out there, besides the decent ones like the Altec Lansing.
Altec Lansing designed the iM41* as a modular device family, with a Zune and Apple model available. Somebody hasn’t passed on that memo that there’s a large customer base for the Sansas out there. Producing a new batch of 413 / Sansa variants is possible.
Bob 
Since we know that Apple is the dominant mp3 player out there and everyone makes accessories specifically for them, this is why Sansa and other mp3 player manufacturers need to contract with companies like Altec and others to make accessories for their own products and sell them through their online stores. W/o the manufacturer support for accessories, there’s probably not much of a market for manufacturers of mp3 accessories to make brand specific versions of their accessories (I have read that all the other mp3 players sold each year combined do not come close to the number of iPods sold each year), this is why you only see iPod compatible accessories or accessories that are universal (i.e. use the headphone jack). I know people will argue that Sandisk is not an electronics manufacturer, their core business is flash memory, but if they really want to set themselves apart from the other non-iPod mp3 manfucaturers, they should continue to offer their excellent quality mp3 players and expand to include accessories co-branded Sansa-(insert mp3 player accessory manufacturer here, like Altec) accessories. The advantage is that Sansa can also offer bundles, say buy a Fuze and a clock radio docking station combo, or buy a Fuze and a travel kit combo that includes a window/dash mount and FM Transmitter, etc.
I completely understand the marketing stuff.
My question centered on the fact that the im413 for Sansa WAS available - and now it is not.
Seems like once the design, marketing, manufacturing and distribution are already done, why not sell it for another few years?
Apparently it just dropped off the face of the earth a few months after I heard of it.
And there are no other quality stereo/speakers that dock a fuze?
@blackdog_sansa wrote:
I completely understand the marketing stuff.
My question centered on the fact that the im413 for Sansa WAS available - and now it is not.
Seems like once the design, marketing, manufacturing and distribution are already done, why not sell it for another few years?
Apparently it just dropped off the face of the earth a few months after I heard of it.
And there are no other quality stereo/speakers that dock a fuze?
It is still listed, however on the altec lansing website, with a status of out of stock. You would think that if they had no intention of eventually making it available again, that they would have pulled it from the site.
Interesting…
Currently 5 listed on Ebay and this site claims to have at least one:
http://www.braigo.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=205319
I ordered that one at Braigo and after a confirmation got an “update” canceling the order. All the other sites are out, too. Two functioning ones on eBay are heading over $150; the remaining ones are “as is” (“don’t power up”) or missing the remote.
Spent an entire evening drilling down every other possible pathway, no luck.
See?
Isn’t that weird? They had all the upfront design, engineering, manufacturing and marketing done. Then they drop the ball.
Why, because it’s not selling seventeen trillion units a day? I swear some of these companies really do not understand or care about actual users. Some corporate MBA types with laptops and spreadsheets open make a few decisions at the conference table or over a three-martini lunch, and that’s that.
I’ve seen that happen on power tools too. Great tool, durable, guys love it, parts available…but corporate gives it the axe. I’m not saying that Ted Kozinski was headed in the right direction but business and capitolism sure leaves a lot to be desired.
On the other hand, don’t think communism was doing much better… Things are just moving faster and faster now. There’s no corporate tolerance for something that sells moderately but consistantly. It’s got to break all sales records because the next greatest thing if about to be released in another five weeks. And, even if they were to keep selling it, the biggest goal now in business is to eliminate parts supply systems. so you have no choice, you must buy something new when it breaks.
anyway…I’m thinking about stocking up on old 78 rpm records and some extra needles.
I’ve been emailing with the communications person at Altec Lansing who got this answer from the Product Manager “Unfortunately, we are not supporting the Sansa products anymore. We have products for iPod, iPhone and Zune (for the non iPod folks!).”
This is going exactly backwards – broad compatibility, competing on quality, price and features, benefits the customer. An Apple & Microsoft two-channel world funnels us into what they choose to offer.
An IM413 went on eBay tonight for $191.48, opened box. There is allegedly at least one in Israel for $99.99. It seems more realistic to figure out what components I can put together to replicate its functions. Suggestions are welcome.
There’s a market for SanDisk if they can find someone who’ll partner with them to make a good radio/mp3 player/recharger/recorder/ with inputs and outputs that plays well with Fuse and others.
Well that ■■■■■ if it’s true 
I bought the IM413 for my daughter, for Christmas - but we just got her an iPOD Touch…
This is brand new, never even opened.
I’m going to list it on eBay if anyone is interested.
Chris
