Score an 8GB Sansa View for $49.99 shipped
Originally $150, the refurbished Sansa View is down to $50.
(Credit: Buy.com)I don't like math (English was always my subject), but here are some numbers I can admire: Buy.com has the 8GB SanDisk Sansa View media player (refurbished) for $49.99 shipped. That's 10 bucks less than the older Sansa e280 I spotlighted in July and 50 bucks less than the equivalent refurb iPod.
Speaking of iPods, SanDisk's players tend to blow them out of the water in the feature department (the exception being the iPod touch). The Sansa View sports a 2.4-inch screen, a microSD slot for bumping up the memory (here's an 8GB card for just $19.99), an FM tuner, and a voice recorder.
Shortcomings? CNET dinged the View for being a bit large and having an unspectacular interface. Also, because this is a refurb, it has only a 90-day warranty, which is provided by Buy.com, not SanDisk. That's not a deal-breaker in my book, but it's something to think about. Still, 50 bucks for an expandable 8GB music/video/radio player is pretty tough to beat.
Rick Broida, a technology writer for nearly 20 years, is the author of more than a dozen books. In addition to writing CNET's The Cheapskate blog, he oversees BNET's Business Hacks. Rick is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. Disclosure. Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers. Follow Rick on Twitter at cheapskateblog. 
By the way, I'm still on the lookout for that 1TB external drive under $100 you foretold. Of course, I'm hoping it will be a Seagate (for the 5 year warranty). So, I may have to go over the $100 threshold.
If the interface is an issue, you might hope for a Rockbox port (http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/SansaView) for the unit. My girlfriend put Rockbox on her e260, and she LOVES it. It's faster, customizable, and comes with a handful of applications that the Sansa software does not provide.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3346290&sku=TSD-1000AS
$109 w/o any rebates.
- by Magicland November 13, 2008 5:43 AM PST
- Terrabyte external HD for under $100? No problem: http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=210239363&adid=17654&dcaid=17654
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(14 Comments)$99 after $30 rebate. Cavalry's a fairly well-known brand, and it's USB 2.0 AND eSATA. Free shipping too!