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SanDisk Sansa Clip: Every Shuffle's worst nightmare

SanDisk's Sansa Clip has its targets set on Apple's iPod Shuffle, and it knows no remorse. This cute little 1GB and 2GB offering will sell from around £20 and boasts prodigious battery life

Nate Lanxon Special to CNET News

Don't want an iPod Shuffle? Fair enough, get a Zen Stone. Don't like the Zen Stone's screenlessness? That's fine, get the Zen Stone Plus -- it has a screen. Still not satisfied? Fine. We've got a brand new contender for your hard-to-cater-for pocket: SanDisk's Sansa Clip.

The Clip was first seen with a tiny pair of legs, feverishly wandering into an explosives store. In one hand, money for dynamite; in the other, the iPod Shuffle's address. SanDisk has set the Clip to go Guy Fawkes on Apple's diminutive and popular MP3 player, and with prices expected to start around the £20 mark, the Shuffle should be forgiven for working up a sweat.

Not only does SanDisk's new 1GB and 2GB offering dramatically undercut the Shuffle's £50 price point, the top model more than doubles its battery life, at 32 hours. There's also an integrated FM radio, built-in microphone, a large OLED screen and comes in a choice of colours. Knowing SanDisk, we expect the Clip's sound quality to be superb when the product is released in September in the US and UK.

We'll be stopping to see SanDisk at Berlin's answer to CES, IFA, tomorrow. Expect a full hands-on with the Clip and many more excited offerings over the next few days.

Update: A full review of the Clip is now available. -Nate Lanxon