You wouldn't know if from where we sit, of course, but apparently the rest of the world is having issues making the transition from physical to downloadable media. SanDisk is looking to make the transition a bit easier with the with its new slotMusic cards--essentially full albums loaded on microSD cards. Today the company introduced the next step in its scheme, the Sansa slotMusic Player, a $20 devoted DAP for playing SanDisk's new cards. The company dropped off the new player, along with a couple of cards ("ABBA Gold" and Riahanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad Reloaded," for the record). Check out some initial hands-on impressions and pics, after the jump.

The slotMusic Player is roughly the size of a disposable Bic lighter (2.75 by 1.4375 H by 1.4375 inches). It's notably heavier, though, since it relies on a single AAA battery for juice. There's no display on the player, which isn't especially surprising, given its price.

The control configuration is fairly simple as well, Play/Pause, track forward, and track back (which also double as fast forward/rewind) are all located on the front of the device, along with a small indicator light, which lets you know that the thing is on. Volume up and down are located on the device's side, along side the headphone jack. The card slot is located on the opposite side of the player. The plastic face plate pulls off with a simple tug, revealing the AAA battery.

The device comes in two configurations: the aforementioned $20 base-price version and a $34.99 edition, which comes with a single album and a branded faceplate bearing the name and image of a music artist. The Sansa slotMusic Player also comes bundled with a pair of headphones that make Apple's proprietary earbuds seem like an audiophile's delight.

Honestly, the player feels like an afterthought--the real focus here is the cards, which seem firmly targeted at mobile phone users with microSD-ready handsets. The albums do, however come with a small USB adapter, for loading the DRM-free content onto your PC. According to SanDisk, the adapter carries a $10 street price, which perhaps goes a way toward justifying the hefty $14.99-per album price. However, you really need only that first adapter. Each subsequent one bundled with a disc is overkill.

The good news here is that the cards are, as mentioned above, DRM-free. They also boast a higher-than-download bit-rate of 320 kbps. But I wonder whether those interested in purchasing an album through this method will really be the sort of audiophile who demands high bit-rates. The cards may also come loaded with special extras, such as lyric sheets and videos--however, such bonuses will be lost on those who plan on making the Sansa slotMusic Player the primary destination for the cards.

The cards themselves will be sold in packaging roughly the size of a compact disc (reminiscent of the days when CDs came in way-too-large packages). The size of the cards seems to be something of a disadvantage. Personally, I can't be troubled to store my SD cards in plastic cases. The idea of having dozens or even hundreds of these microSDs floating around is downright frightening.

At launch, the player will boast a long list of major label artists, including ABBA, Chris Brown, Coldplay, Connie Talbot, Daughtry, Elvis Presley, Five Finger Death Punch, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Buffet, Katy Perry, Keane, Kelly Clarkson, Kiss, Leona Lewis, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Metro Station, MIA, Nelly, New Kids On the Block, Neyo, Nickelback, Pussycat Dolls, Rihanna, Rise Against, Robin Thicke, Saving Abel, Shwayze, Solange, Sugarland, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Usher, Weezer, and Young Jeezy.

I'm usually a fan of Sansa's music players, but I can't help but think that this is an idea that might have had some success eight years ago, when users truly were having some difficultly giving up their CDs for electronic music files. In 2008, it feels like a niche idea at best.