I was asked a question in the forums towards earlier this month about when the next generation 
of iPods would appear. It is a question every tech journo on the planet would like to know, but the simple answer is it better be soon because the opposition has suddenly jumped ahead.
Interestingly, the ‘opposition’ in question comes from an unlikely source. SanDisk is a company more traditionally associated with flash memory (it has manufacturing rights over every standard), but recently it has drummed up attention with its extensive advertising and eye catching ‘un-iPod’ campaign. If you’re going to slag off the Feline Obsessed White Fetish however you better have something pretty special up your sleeve and thankfully it does.
The new Sansa e200 series is a direct bitch slap to the iPod nano. It comes in three sizes: 2GB – e250; 4GB – e260 and 6GB – e270 and to say it borrows extensively from the uber-popular little player’s styling would probably be like saying Oasis found some musical inspiration from the Beatles. Unlike the mono-browed Mancunians however, the e260 that I have been testing for the last two weeks is far more than a pale imitation. In fact, it batters its illustrious competitor in nearly ever area….
Verdict:
Out of the blue SanDisk has come up with a genuine nano killer. The interface may not be quite as intuitive as the all conquering ClickWheel but it is still highly straightforward and while the lack of iTunes may be an unavoidable flaw to some its absence in favour of a far more streamlined non-tying approach will be a boon to many. It feels a much more durable product than the nano, sports a far greater range of features, offers a bigger and better screen and costs significantly less. Until Apple comes up with a viable alternative there’s a new Sheriff in town. TrustedReviews - SanDisk Sansa e260: nano Killer