New SanDisk Music Player Will Use Yahoo Services

By The Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Flash memory maker SanDisk Corp. said Monday it will pair its new wireless music player with music services from Yahoo Inc., but analysts doubt the new gadget will be able to steal much share from Apple Inc.’s dominant iPod.

Users of the Sansa Connect device will be able to use a Wi-Fi wireless connection to listen to LAUNCHcast Internet radio, browse Flickr photos and see what Yahoo Messenger friends and other Sansa Connect owners nearby are listening to. LAUNCHcast and Flickr are both part of the Yahoo network.

With a single click of a button, Sansa Connect users can access Yahoo’s free music services or its Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go subscription service. Users also can download music and listen to or download tracks friends are listening to or recommended.

SanDisk is optimistic its new product could tap millions of existing Yahoo users.

“We see this as a very strong partnership with Yahoo,” said Eric Bone, a senior director of product marketing for SanDisk.

Separately, Apple said Monday it sold its 100 millionth iPod.

With the Sansa Connect and Yahoo partnership, SanDisk is offering Wi-Fi and communitylike sharing features the iPod doesn’t have.

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