SanDisk, the second largest seller of MP3 players in the United States, has introduced the Sansa Connect, a Wi-Fi enabled MP3 player that lets consumers enjoy and recommend music from almost anywhere. The Sansa Connect un-tethers consumers from their PCs allowing them to connect to music and online photos through any open wireless “hot spot” Internet connection.

Available on retail shelves in the United States in late March, the Sansa Connect will feature innovative Internet capabilities designed to keep music aficionados connected to a wide range of new music via subscription services and streaming Internet radio, with no PC required. Designed to work with premium Internet services, the flash-based MP3 player will also contain community features for recommending music and photos with the simple click of a button and a “live” Wi-Fi connection.

“The Sansa Connect is a new music experience focused on convenience, instant gratification and social connections,” said Eric Bone, product marketing director for SanDisk’s audio and video line. “It’s about accessing music of your choice wherever you are. If you’re listening to new songs from a music service and find ones you want to keep, you can bring them into your library and don’t have to wait until you get back to your PC. If you want to tell your friends about your discoveries, the Sansa Connect will also allow you to share music suggestions over the Web—anytime, anywhere—over an open wireless Internet network.”

The Sansa Connect feature set includes:

• Wi-Fi ‚ÄúConnect‚Äù ‚Äì access or purchase content from select service sites whenever there‚Äôs an open wireless Internet connection; no PC hookup required
• Music and photo playback
• Community connections via the Internet
• A microSD expansion slot for additional memory capacity
• Internal speaker to enjoy music with friends
• Sleek, thin design with large, 2.2‚Äù TFT color screen for easy viewing
• Simple to use, backlit controls for fast device interface navigation
• Lithium-Ion battery
• Multi-pin universal connector for ‚ÄúMade for Sansa‚Äù accessory upgrades, battery charging and USB 2.0 connectivity

The Sansa Connect is 2.05 in. wide x 3.58 in. long x 0.63 in. high.

The 4-gigabyte (GB)² Sansa Connect will be distributed to store shelves in the United States in late March with a suggested retail price of $249.99 .The device will be available in Canada in the latter part of 2007.