Archos 5 500 GB Internet Tablet with Android Review

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(More customer reviews)I just got my new Android 5 500GB direct from Archos yesterday and its quite a beauty. I'm upgrading from my old Archos 5 250GB, so that will be my primary point of comparison. I also have the following to compare to: iPod Touch 64GB, Archos 605, Walkman X, Samsung P2, and a host of other MP3 players large and small.
Given that my iPod Touch upgrade this year was less than astounding, I pretty much figured that this upgrade for Archos would be similarly understated. Mainly I just wanted the extra hard drive so I could backup all my laptops onto my music player. I was wrong! The new Android version seems to have a whole new feel both in form factor and the new software. I had heard that Archos was having problems with the software, but they seem to have ironed most of them out as of 1.1 firmware release. I did update my firmware immediately, and the process was quite smooth.
I'm going to rate this player on my absolute scale. I will also be making notes on the value of the upgrade from my old Archos 5. Note: I mostly use this as a media center to play music and video; secondarily as a backup drive.
Let's get to it then, these are the things I love about my new Android:
1) 500GB -- totally awesome amount of disk, I can now put just about every digital file I own on the Archos.
2) Android interface -- the overall feel of the software interface has definitively improved with the integration of Android. Effects are crisper, the esthetics are cleaner, things seem to happen faster. I especially like how easy it is to access the most recently played song or video from the main screen, pops up with a little thumbnail that you tap on and voila, resumes right where you left off!
3) Apps -- with Android we now have access to some serious app selection. Of course, nobody compares to the Apple App Store, but this comes the closest.
4) Weight -- this actually feels lighter to me than my 250GB.
5) Dock/DVR -- this popped right into my old 5 DVR and started playing right away. I still think this is the best DVR/Player combination available of all the MP3 players.
6) Video/Hi Def -- of the players I have owned, this has the best, biggest, and highest resolution screen.
7) Portrait/Landscape -- Archos has borrowed the iPhone trick of rotating the display according to orientation. I guess they have an accelerometer in there now, I dunno. Still, its fun to see this feature on an Archos. Its a lot easier to navigate playlists in portrait mode.
8) Easy and regular firmware updates -- with a WiFi connection, the firmware updates are easily performed on the unit itself. That's the easiest system I've seen of all my players. One thing I've learned about Archos over the years, they will put out a steady stream of firmware updates.
9) WMV/MTP mode-- very smooth interface to Windows for either Media Monkey or Windows Media Player.
10) Dedicated volume button -- power and volume buttons have been conveniently located onto the top edge. This is actually much easier to use when it is docked on the DVR (which is where mine spends most of its life!).
11) Sound quality is quite good, sounds great through my Klipsch speakers and seems to have more oomph than my other players.
12) WiFi/Browser -- has a good browser and WiFi connection has worked well for me. I think the keyboard is better than the Touch's, although Safari is probably the slightly superior browser. The bigger screen also helps for browsing. Overall I'm inclined to give the Archos the top ranking for browsers.
13) I just discovered Twidroid, one of many apps pre-loaded, allows me to check my Twitter in a really nice format -- love it!
14) Portability -- well there's only so much portability that can be expected with a screen and hard drive this large. This new design is smoother and rounder so its a little more comfortable in a pocket. It is very easy to carry around as a handheld device, fits nicely in my hand as I stroll about the house trying out all of the Android Apps! In any case, this is not as portable as a Touch but I think its pretty good for a small computer -- which is basically what this is.
15) No extra plug ins needed (so far!). Always in the past I've laid out another $40 for additional Archos plugins to play iPod format music and other video formats. So far I haven't had to do that -- thank you Archos :)
16) Archos will stand behind their product. I've had to send in a couple of Archos units over the years and they have always been happy to either repair or replace the unit without quibbling about it, as long as its under warranty. Note: it did take two weeks to get my unit back!
17) Multi threading: now I show my engineer/geek side. This baby can do a bunch of different stuff at the same time, unlike the iPhone/Touch which can really only do one thing at a time. The Android can be doing other stuff while you are listening music. I love the little bar on the top that you can pull down and switch to any other task that is running.
18) Built-in kickstand, very nice feature.
19) Stylus friendly touch screen -- sometimes you just get tired of trying to type a touchscreen keyboard with fat fingers! In general, this is one of my favorite touch screens. Most of the other touch screens, including iPod/iPhone, are capacitance which means stylus won't work
20) Micro USB cable plug-in: finally a standardized USB plug and you can have it resting on its kickstand while plugged in :)
Given that the Archos tops the class in several categories, and continues to be the best 500GB 5 inch screen player available I give it about a 4.7 stars out of 5 (round to 5). There are a few things I'm less than thrilled about:
1) Update: I believe you can now format your drive in a Windows friendly format on 1.7.96 version of firmware. External hard drive EXT3 -- as I understand it, Archos changed to the EXT3 hard drive format for reasons of speed and reliability. The result for me is that I can no longer simply select hard drive MSC mode, plug the Archos into a Windows machine and expect to access the drive. You have to install an Ext3 driver such as EXT2 IFS on your Windows PC. Once I did that I was able to access the hard drive and backup files to my hearts content.
2) The playlist interface didn't get much of an upgrade and its still kind of clunky. I want to simply tap my playlist and it starts playing. Often times I have to do a couple of extra taps to get the thing playing.
3) We lost the dedicated play button and removable battery a while back -- but I still miss them both! None of my favorite touch screen players has either of these features. I'm also missing the brown metallic color and the rubbery backside.
4) Finding a case for this baby is no easy trick. You're not going to find one at the local Best Buy I'm afraid. In the past I've resorted to ordering my Archos cases from European companies like I-nique and Noreve. This is generally true of any player that is not an iPod or a Zune.
5) As always with Archos, you must remember that you are dealing with a French based company. This means that they don't always provide the best support/service/upgrades to us Americans.
6) Lets face it, Archos is always playing catch up. Some of the new features aren't fully functional yet. I do have faith that Archos will fix all the little glitches with things like GPS over the course of the next 6 months. The Apps available are currently a bit limited. I expect this will improve over the coming months.
7) Keep in mind that this is not a unit for the faint of heart. This is more for the hobbyist who wants a cutting edge experience that may take some messing around to get it just the way you want it. If you want something easy that requires minimum effort then iPods are going to be more your cup of tea.
For me this is still the best player of its class -- that class being large hard drive, big screen PMP players with other fun features. Android makes for some fun possibilities, and overall I'm impressed with this as an upgrade. Once again, if you don't mind a smaller screen and you love apps I suggest you get an iPod Touch. If what you care about most is sound quality you may want to get a Walkman X. For me those are your top 3 touch screen players, it just depends on what you care about the most.
Note: 10-23-2009; I upgraded to firmware version 1.2.03 which fixes some App, Browser, and YouTube issues. Apps do seem happier now, upgrade process was very smooth. Still happily listening to tunes for about 8 hours a day with no problems :)
Update 11-7-2009: I've been running version 1.2.15 with a host of bug fixes and the unit does seem more stable in general now. Wifi is working better and USB connection seems more reliable.
Update 11-23-2009: Upgrade to firmware v 1.3.07 -- a long list of bug fixes including a few improvements that I had hoped for to control the scanning of multimedia files/ ArcLibrary. Got an AppsLib update which seems to work more reliably. There seem to be a lot more apps available now (300 ish) in AppsLib. Just keeps getting better and better! Still is playing music day in and day out with no problems and I'm backing up 2 laptops worth of files onto my 5 IT.
Update 12-18-2009: I've been on firmware 1.4.16 for over a week now. Lots of little fixes, seems even more stable now.
Update 2-11-2010: Firmware 1.7.33 (Android Donut) upgrade. The upgrade was a bit of work, I ended up reformatting the drive and starting anew. However, power saving seems to work a lot better and I haven't seen it reset itself for quite a while now. This seems to be the most solid release yet!
Update 4-8-2010: Firmware...Read more›

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ARCHOS, award-winning for its constant technology innovation, now introduces its new ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet. This product combines all the multimedia know-how that ARCHOS is famous for, with the ANDROID operating system. It offers you an uncompromised Internet, Media and TV experience in a customizable interface. In perpetual evolution with the continuous arrival of new applications, you can personalize your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet to perfectly reflect your tastes and needs.


HD Multimedia
Brilliant 5-inch Touchscreen The ARCHOS 5 features an 800 pixel-wide 5-inch touchscreen, an ultra thin design, and an accelerometer for portrait or landscape viewing. Whether enjoying media yourself or sharing with friends, it delivers outstanding image quality.
HD Video Formats Don't compromise--the ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet is able to handle the widest range of video formats, even at HD 720p resolution (H.264 HD, MPEG-4 HD, and WMV HD5).
Your Music Everywhere Enjoy more music formats directly on your device (MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AAC+, FLAC and OGG Vorbis). In addition, the unique ARCHOS music browsing system allows you to create your playlists without using a PC. Who needs a tuner? Just plug your ARCHOS 5 into amplified speakers and you're all set.
Experience Your Photos Browse through your photos with a simple flick of your finger or play a slideshow with music and transition effects. The high resolution screen is great for zooming in on details.
Take It All With a 500 GB Hard Drive, you won't waste time choosing what files to bring along--take your entire media library with you.

Internet
Fast & Convenient Web Surfing The ARCHOS 5 lets you easily surf the Web. With a Wi-Fi connection (802.11 b/g/n) and the new OMAP3440 processor running at 800 MHz, you get quick and responsive Internet browsing just like on a laptop, without the endless waits for page loads. Enjoy the Web in full width thanks to the 800 pixel wide screen, with no need to zoom in or out.
3.5 G Mobile Phone Connection If you own a standard mobile phone equipped with 3.5 G & Bluetooth technology, simply pair it up to your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet via Bluetooth. This will give you easy access to Internet directly on your device anytime and anywhere.
Web TV and Web Radio In less than 3 clicks, you can access nearly 1,000 Web TV channels, over 10,000 Web radio stations, and 100,000 podcasts. There's no downloading wait time. Radio and TV start streaming directly from a worldwide list of traditional and independent radio and TV stations.
Media Club The Media Club remains the easiest way to get video and music content on the go. With an even richer library with new partners and some of the biggest industry names, you'll discover a large library of movies, documentaries, music albums, and games. Buy or rent your entertainment in a couple of clicks and start watching it on your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet.

GPS
Full-Featured GPS Whether you are walking or driving, you will always find your destination with the on-board GPS. The GPS includes voice assistance, points of interest, fast multiple-route calculations, and car/pedestrian/adventure modes based on the latest maps from Tele Atlas with 3D landmarks.
You can go to your account at anytime on the ARCHOS website and purchase the available maps or cities.
3D Photo-Realistic City Navigation Find your way around cities in 3D Photo Realistic mode. With multi-angle views and four zoom levels, you'll be able to recognize places as if you had taken your own photos from the sky. This is ideal when walking and visiting large cities in the US (available Q1 2010).
Free 7-Day Trial Try the GPS for 7 days free of charge.

TV
HD TV-Out With the Optional DVR Station or HDMI Mini Dock Turn your TV into a real web-connected multimedia platform. Enjoy all the ARCHOS functions on the big screen of your living room. Watch your movies in HD (720p), listen to your music, share your high resolution pictures, play games or surf the Web.
Record your favorite programs with the Optional DVR Station With the optional DVR Station, you have the perfect match for your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet at home. Record TV shows and movies in one step using with the included remote control. Then you can enjoy your recording at home on your wide-screen TV or in the palm of your hand when you are out.

Applications

Ready to go with pre-installed applications Enjoy a selection of fun and practical applications for daily use right out of the box:
eBuddy IM: for instant messaging The multi-platform instant messaging application. Chat from one place to all your friends on the various platforms. Supports MSN, Yahoo, Gtalk, Facebook, ICQ, MySpace and AIM (AOL)
DroidIn: for connecting to LinkedIn Connect to your LinkedIn account to exchange information, ideas and opportunities. Stay informed about your contacts and industry. Find the people & knowledge you need to achieve your goals. Control your career online.
Twitroid: for instant micro-blogging Twitroid is the industry-standard Twitter client for the Android platform. Easily access the famous free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables you to send and read tweets, publish short URLs and pictures.
Deezer: for music streaming Enjoy 35 free web radio stations and the SmartRadio directly on your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet.
Dailymotion: for viewing and sharing videos Browse videos by searching tags, channels or user-created groups.
QuickPedia: for access to Wikipedia Access to the free web-based and collaborative encyclopedia.
ThinkFree Mobile: for viewing Office documents This application allows you to view, edit and create Microsoft Office 97/2000/XP/2003/2007 Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF documents. You will get a free update before year-end allowing you to also edit and create documents.
E-mail & contacts Stay in contact by using the full integrated Email and contacts applications.
Moov: toggles easily between your apps Moov wraps up your search needs all in one place, so you can quickly toggle between the product's contacts, Google, Wikipedia and the remaining Applications on your product.
CraigsPhone: for access to online classified advertisements CraigsPhone is a centralized network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements � with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, r�sum�s, and discussion forums.
High Paying Jobs: for access to a list of jobs (US & Canada only) Browse through jobs lists directly on the Product. Search over 2 million jobs from all the leading jobsites.

Add-ons
DVR Station This accessory allows you to record TV, play video back to your TV and charge your ARCHOS. Recording your favorite programs has never been so easy. You can also surf the Web or stream web video to your TV while comfortably laid back on your couch using the included remote control as a keyboard and mouse pointer.
DVR Snap-on Use our DVR Snap-on to record from almost any audio or video analog source when you are on the move.
Mini Dock Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter. Play video out to your TV with video output in high quality S-Video or standard quality composite.
HDMI Mini Dock Optimize TV playback with HDMI output quality. Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players from the standard USB port. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter.
Battery Dock Transfer your files directly from USB sticks, digital cameras, or other portable media players. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter and get extended playback with the built-in backup battery. Play video out to your TV with video output in high quality S-Video or standard quality composite.

What's in the Box ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet, headphones, Standard USB cable, DVR Station adapter, Quick Start Guide (QSG), legal and safety notice.

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Cowon D2 - 16 GB Portable Multimedia Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)(Initial Disclaimer: I am a big fan of most Cowon products.)
The D2 is a great A/V player, but I honestly have to say that I can't recommend it to everyone. If you want a flawless GUI, up-to-the-minute firmware, extensive playlist capabilities, compatibility with AAC files, bluetooth connectivity, superior FM radio performance, high-quality stock earphones, and name-recognition, then it is probably not for you. These are all D2 weaknesses.
Fortunately, most of these don't mean much to me. I don't really even care that much for the video capabilities (though they are pretty good for the size of the unit.) I want true drag-and-drop capability for media files, multiple playback formats (including FLAC and OGG,) superior battery life (EVERYONE admits that Cowon owns this one,) high power output at the phones jack, and superior (not necessarily audiophile) sound quality. The D2 has all of this.
I traded up to the 16GB D2 from a 8GB i7 and I must admit that I miss a couple things about the i7. For one thing, the touchscreen is annoying. (Don't misunderstand me...the touchscreen on the D2 works fine. It's just that ALL touchscreens are annoying to me. Would you prefer to use a mouse on your desktop, or to reach up and use a touchscreen monitor? A touchscreen is wasteful of motion, often difficult to use when your finger blocks your view of the screen, and ends up providing you with a nice fingerprint-filled display. Fortunately, the D2 display shows prints only at certain angles and is very easy to clean.) I also like the size and shape of the i7, which, being built like a little brick, has no wide surfaces to stress and no large display to protect. The D2, on the other hand, has a lovely (fairly-large) display and several firmware features missing from the i7. Both models are available in 16GB versions, with the i7 being slightly less expensive than the D2.
The sound quality of the D2 is very comparable to that of the i7, though I would probably give the D2 a slight edge in transparency. The output is more than enough to drive most earbuds, earphones, and low-impedance headphones, but you will definitely need a high-quality headphone amp if you use less-efficient headphones with this unit. My Sony MDRSA3000s and Ultrasone HFI-700DVDs definitely need the help, but my Grados and Ultimate Ears IEMs sound fantastic without the amp.
Frankly, I was looking at both the the D2 and the 16 GB Sony NWZ-A729BLK. The Sony is probably at least as good as the D2 in terms of sound quality and slightly better in its GUI, but the Sony is $60 more than the D2, doesn't have the EQ features of the D2, and won't play FLAC or OGG audio files. (Most of my audio files are encoded with OGG as I find that OGG files usually sound just as good as MP3 files, but with a 20% reduction in size.)
I haven't yet had a chance to check the battery life of the D2, but if it is anything like the battery life of the i7, it will be nothing less than astounding. My i7 will run for more than 35 hours, playing audio continuously.
One last comment...see the cute little pick-shaped stylus that comes with the unit? Do yourself a favor and just leave it in the package. Unlike most PDAs, the stylus does not fit into any sort of slot or recess in the D2. You're supposed to hang it by its little cord around the carrying strap (or somewhere.) Very irritating. It also functions as a little rest that allows you to lean the D2 at two different viewing angles on a desktop or table. The D2 is very unstable when you do this. If I were you, I'd just forget about the using the stylus altogether and use the back of my nail to select items on the screen.
So, there you go. I won't tell you that the D2 is the best thing since canned beer, but it does the things that I want extremely well. If I hadn't wanted to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB, I probably would have stuck with my i7, but the D2 made a lot of sense when I started looking at the avilable flash players.
UPDATE 3/2/2009: A couple more comments after more months of experience. I've seen several comments about database corruption here and I've got to say that I'm puzzled. The D2 builds a database when you turn it on (which causes a delay that some might consider annoying) but I've NEVER had to fool around doing some of the things other reviewers have described (reformatting SD cards, deleting files from the system folder, etc.) It reads MP3 tags just fine and without a hitch. I've used many tools to edit my MP3 tags (including my favorite, MediaMonkey) and they've all worked great.
You definitely want to remember not to change the SD card unless you turn the unit off. It won't hurt anything (I don't think) but the D2 needs to scan the new card to determine what media files are on it and it does this when you turn it on. Just don't plan on popping 1GB SD cards in and out to find your favorite songs. I keep things pretty simple...I keep audio files on the D2 internal memory and then use the SD cards for movies. I find that I can keep 15-20 movies on a single 8GB card. (I'm currently using Gordian Knot to convert the videos and it works fine.)
Battery life continues to be phenomenal. I have only dropped to a single battery segment on the indicator once or twice.
I use a rubber (silicone?) skin and a screen protector, rather than an actual case. Works great and I have zero scratches on the screen or unit. Unlike some other players, the D2 will use basically any mini-USB cable or charger to connect. I normally charge it on trips using my Motorola Razr charger.
I've done two firmware upgrades since I bought the D2 and neither one erased my media files from the unit. I'm not suggesting you take a chance, but my files survived just fine.
You can get an adapter which allows you feed the composite video and analog audio to a TV and/or stereo system. You would be shocked by the picture and sound quality you can get doing this. A lot of my movies are converted to 480p image, which is more than adequate for a standard (non-HDTV) TV set. This is really cool when you're on vacation.
While my fingertips work fine on the UI, flipping your finger over and using a fingernail is more practical. I also use a standard pen (not the writing tip) even if it's made of metal. The screen protector keeps you from scratching the screen at any normal pressure. The little stylus they give you continues to be virtually worthless, though I'll admit that there have been times I would have liked to have used it as a stand for the D2 while I was on a plane. Holding it in your hand can cause a bit of a cramp.
My SDHC cards work fine in the D2, though I've only tried 8GB and smaller cards. I don't see any difference in the speed with which the D2 accesses the files, regardless of what type or size SD media I use.
The biggest gripe remains the lack of a playlist feature. I just don't understand why Cowon is so hardheaded about this. You don't have true playlists on newer Cowon units, either.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cowon D2 - 16 GB Portable Multimedia Player (Black)

Take your media everywhere with the versatile Cowon D2-16BL 16 GB Portable Media Player. Features include a 2.5-inch LCD touchscreen, wide video and audio file format support, audio recording via internal microphone or line-in jack, FM radio, clock/alarm, TV output, and more--all in an ultra-portable package.
Compact Size. Jumbo View. The D2's touch-sensitive, 16-million color 24-bit 2.5-inch LCD screen maximizes your viewing experience. Enjoy finer details and richer colors from your movies and images. Also, sharing memories with your loved ones has never been easier. Watch it, read it, and view it on your big screen TV or high-resolution monitor using the TV output.
Touch screen interface. Use the D2's stylus touchpen for navigating your player's contents. It also doubles as a kickstand for extended viewing. The "Virtual Click" overlay navigation function lets you enjoy the convenience of navigating through the other contents in your player while watching video. Detailed information, such as file size, pixel, and format, can be viewed while browsing through files. The direct searching feature allows you to move instantly to the position you've clicked on from the progress bar while you're playing music or movies.
Format Freedom Don't limit yourself. In addition to 320 x 240 30fps (frames per second) QVGA videos, the D2 will play MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, APE, and WAV file formats. ID3 support lets you browse your files by artists, genres, and albums. Use the screen to view lyrics while listening to your favorite tunes. Enhance your experience with customizable EQ, bass boost, and stereo effects. The MP Enhance feature compensates for sound quality lost in compression. Cowon's JetAudio VX software is used to create high-compression files for quality playback on Cowon D2, and use Jetshell to play and manage your multimedia library
Plenty of Room In addition to the on-board 16 GB of storage, the D2 supports SD, MMC, and MMC-plus flash memory via the built-in SD card slot, so you'll never run out of memory. Transfer files freely from/to other digital devices, such as digital camera, PDA, and more.
Hours of Power The D2's rechargeable battery provides up to 10 hours of video, and up to 52 hours of music on a single charge. Wherever you go, free yourself from worrying about interruption of your music. The D2 can be charged via USB cable or standard wall adapter.
Recording Features The built-in microphone optimized for voice recording can be used to easily record meetings and lectures. Line-in recording capability allows recording of sound output from CDP, MD, TV, and other playback devices. Use the clock to schedule recording of FM radio.
Tools of the Trade Cowon's JetAudio VX software is used to create high-compression files for quality playback on Cowon D2. Jetshell is capable of playing and managing of various multimedia allowing seamless integration of multimedia library.
Take Your Data, Too Cowon D2 is automatically recognized as a removable disk when you connect it to your PC via the USB cable. USB 2.0 supports transmission of maximum 40 Mbps speed.
What's in the Box Cowon D2-16BL 16 GB Portable Multimedia Player (Black), stylus, earphones, USB cable, AC adapter, QuickGuide, installation CD.

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Archos 605 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (80 GB) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this to replace a Creative Zen Vision:M 30 GB MP3 and Video Player (Black) that had been stolen. I really liked my Zen, but I wanted to see what new stuff had come out in the time since I bought it. This led me to getting the Archos 605 80GB instead, mainly because of the optional TV hookups. I've never liked to watch movies or TV shows (or even music videos) on my PC monitor because I can't relax and enjoy something passive while I'm at my computer. I'd also never used the Zen's video capabilities much because the screen was too small. The Archos 605, on the other hand, could be hooked up to a TV (with the DVR station or other accessories--I bought the DVR station), which would allow me to watch downloaded TV shows and movies in comfort--and even better, with other people (it's difficult to crowd around a computer desk to watch a movie), plus I'd be able to watch stuff on the go with its larger screen.
The wifi access, web browser plug-in and PDF reader also helped sell me on the Archos 605. I particularly looked forward to being able to read ebooks in PDF format.
So when I ordered the Archos 605, I was thinking of it as an MP3 "with benefits."
When the Archos 605 arrived, I found out that its screen was totally large enough to watch video comfortably. Shortly after I got it, I watched two and a half seasons of Weeds on it. It's fantastic! I can carry a TV show into the kitchen to grab a snack, etc. When I'm home alone, I'm even able to rely on the built-in speaker--for TV shows, I don't need fantastic sound quality; I just need to be able to hear what they're saying. It's very cool; I'm very addicted. :)
Like I said, I bought the DVR station with it. I had wondered how a video file from the Archos would hold up enlarged on a TV screen, but no worries--the picture quality is good (we have a 32" set). I've recorded some stuff from our TiVo onto the Archos, and the picture quality is good in that direction, too. Since we do have a TiVo, I haven't used the Archos as a DVR (with the downloaded TV listings and scheduled recordings), so I can't say how easy that is to use, but it's definitely easy to manually record something, and I was happy to see that I could tell it how long to record for.
As an MP3 player, it's not as good as the Zen, simply because it's not, primarily, an MP3.
One way the Zen (and probably most other MP3 players) is a better MP3 player than the Archos is that if you power the Archos 605 off while you're playing music, it doesn't automatically start up where you left off when you turn it back on. Instead you boot up to the main screen, and then you have to tap the "resume" icon; otherwise nothing happens. In this way it's less "plug and go" than my Zen was; sometimes if I'm only going to be driving for a few minutes (like a hop from the grocery store to the gas station), I won't bother starting it up at all. Also, the way you lock the controls takes a few seconds longer than the Zen did. With the Zen, you just slid the switch to the lock position. With the Archos, you hold down the TV button until the lock icon appears on the screen.
If you're playing from a playlist when you turn the unit off, and then you hit "resume" after you turn it back on, it doesn't seem to resume the playlist--it does indeed play the song you were on, but it's playing it from the album instead of the playlist, so the next song after that is the next song on the album, not the next song on the playlist. Possibly this is glitch that will be fixed in a firmware update (or perhaps has been--I haven't updated my firmware in a couple weeks).
Finally, changing the play mode (normal, shuffle, repeat one, repeat all), takes a lot more navigating around than it did on the Zen. It really shouldn't take that many clicks.
Sound-wise, the Archos is good as the Zen was, and its drawbacks as an MP3 player aren't so onerous that I'd consider buying a separate MP3 player. The Archos does well enough.
The PDF reader, however, turned out to be a disappointment. First, it takes several (loooong) seconds to go to the next page. Second, there's no way to bookmark where you are so that you can pick up where you left off. I figured I could just remember what page I was on and use the Go To Page feature to get back to it, but the Go To Page feature uses a slider, which is nowhere near as quick as if they'd let me type in a page number, and it takes a long freaking time for it to then load that page. Ugh. So this thing definitely hasn't replaced my Palm Tungsten for e-reading.
I haven't used the web browser or wireless much. It seemed pretty slow the times I have, and there's no "tap feedback" in the Content Portal, so when you tap on a link, you often don't know whether the tap has registered or not because the screen stays the same while the Archos (slooooowly) downloads the data for the next screen. That's frustrating. The web wasn't as frustrating as the Content Portal; I just haven't had much of a need to use it.
Another downside is that there aren't any cases for it that will protect the unit while allowing you direct, immediate access to it, the way the skin I had for my Zen did. Instead it comes with a padded, envelope-like case that you have to slip the unit completely out of if you want to use it. (To be fair, it's much better than the cloth pouch that came with the Zen.) Leather case options are limited, and all the ones I've seen require you to open the case in order to view the screen or access the navigation. The one from Archos won't even let you turn it off with the case closed, which isn't very handy if you're listening to audio and want to shut it off quickly.
I don't know how many hours I'm getting out of my battery. I did listen to music for 10 hours on a recent road trip without it giving out on me, but I didn't keep going to see how much more I could get out of it. I've also watched a couple hours of video without it running out of juice--and again, I ended up dropping it in the DVR station (which charges it) before it did run out, so all I can say about the battery is that it's lasting long enough for my needs.
Despite the caveats I've listed above, I LOVE my Archos 605. I love being able to take TV shows and movies with me everywhere. I love that I can finally watch bootleg concerts and other stuff I've downloaded on the "big screen." It's easy to use. The DVR station is easy to use. The two work together seamlessly. The Archos holds a ton off stuff. It plays my music. It lets me browse the web if I need to.
I'm happy with it, definitely. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that future firmware updates will make me even happier with it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Archos 605 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (80 GB)

The Archos 605 generation 5 portable media player comes with a convenient WiFi feature, an attribute that offers the fastest and easiest way to access digital entertainment. You can use the built-in Wi-Fi capabilities of the Archos to download online media content from the Archos content portal: All you need is a usable Wi-Fi connection, and you're good to start downloading (fees may apply).With the Archos in hand, for the first time you can download favorite movies, TV shows, and music wherever you are, without being tied to the PC or Mac. Other great features include a full-color 4.3-inch touchscreen that crams in an amazing 800 x 480 picture resolution for superior picture quality and 80 GB of built-in memory.
With full Internet access, the player's Opera browser plug-in offers Adobe Flash support, which lets you access and enjoy YouTube and other Web video sites on your Archos device. By using the player, you can view and post YouTube videos wherever you are with an active wireless connection. In addition to downloading media straight from the Archos content portal, you can stream and watch videos from your home PC or laptop. For added video playback versatility, the player is compatible with MPEG4, AVI, and WMV video files. The player features robust music playback features, too. On-board music file playback capabilities support MP3, CBR, VBR, WMA, protected WMA, and WAV files.
To help round out the player's multimedia superiority, the Archos even comes with photo viewing capabilities. JPEG, BMP, and PNG files are 100 percent compatible with the player, and the player can pull up PDFs for portable review -- an ideal means to take bigger documents or e-books in PDF format on the road with you. Because of the Archos's USB 2.0 compatibility, files can be quickly transferred to the device in the absence of a Wi-Fi network connection. Charging the device can also be accomplished with an active USB connection. An AC adapter is sold separately for additional charging options. Other great features include mass storage capabilities, automatic firmware downloads, and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. With an advanced Li-Poly battery, the player supports up to 17 hours of continuous music playback and 5.5 hours of continuous video playback. Weighing in at a scant 9.17 ounces, the Archos generation 5 605 measures 4.8 by 3.2 by 0.6 inches.
New Free Widget Pack Archos has launched a new widget pack that is free for the 605. A widget is a piece of software that adds new features to your player. It gives you fun, quick, and easy access to hundreds of tools, right on the device. The package contains seven widgets, including a calculator, a currency converter, a unit converter, news, weather, a note writer, and a data vault.
To be able to use the widgets, you need to purchase the Web Browser plug-in (about $30). Then, you can download the free widget pack via Archos.com.
New Dish Network Plug-in With a new plug-in, you can transfer recorded movies and TV shows from your Dish Network set-top box directly to your Archos 605. Play back Dish Network-recorded movies and TV shows on the go or on TV--in DVD quality.
Multi-language is supported. The plug-in is compatible only with Dish Network STB models 622 and 722.
What's in the Box Archos 605 Wi-Fi portable media player, headphones, USB cable, DVR Station Gen 5 adapter, protective pouch, quick start guide, and legal/safety notice.
(1)On average; based on 3.5 mins/song & 64 kbits/s WMA, on 1000 kbits/s MPEG-4 audio/video encoding and 1h30/movie (for near DVD Quality), on JPEG, VGA

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Archos 3 Vision 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Chocolate Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)this review was updated on 12/27/2009.
my archos 3 vision absolutely meets or exceeds my personal requirements for an mp3 player!
times are tough so when my mp3 player was stolen in july 2008, i honestly tried to use my aging windows mobile phone with windows media player as a replacement player for over a year. however, that solution had several limitations and frustrations. there were workarounds, but i grew tired of them.
the stolen player was an archos g-mini which i had owned for several years and i really appreciated it's features so that is the main reason i shopped for a new archos player first. the archos 3 vision player has all of those same features with heaping helping of style, storage and added features.
pros:
- it has style
- priced under $100
- plenty of storage space
- fits comfortably in all pockets
- good quality video on beautiful screen
- random play by folder, artist, album and genre
- better than average playback quality with a good equalizer
- total access to music at all times (without proprietary software)
neutral:
- battery life
- no firmware updates yet
cons:
- screen scratches quickly and easily
- the on screen control dial is almost useless for browsing tracks
the screen is beautiful and will also scratch quickly. my device had a 0.25" scratch within 24 hours of use, but i could only see it when the device was off. luckily, i have lots of screen protectors so cutting one to fit was easy. i could not see the scratch unless the screen was off. with the protector on, the screen looks much less beautiful.
the on-screen dial is certainly not the easiest navigation interface i have ever considered. if you prefer to use random play or pregenerated playlists, the on-screen dial will likely never be a concern for you. however, if you require the ability to browse through every song on your device so you can carefully consider which track is worthy of your listening time at this very moment, this device is not for you.
a couple bugs that i expect to be remedied with firmware updates...
- the button hold function sometimes requires a redundant switch on and off in order to switch off properly.
- the device will not remember my personal background picture; i select a picture, but when i turn the device on again, a different default background is displayed and my personal background picture is still available quickly by cycling through the default selections.
when i posted this review, i had owned the player for 2 months and the video features were basically useless to me. i thought i would occasionally use video playback during long train rides or plane trips, but music is really all i need... i knew i had paid a price for the feature so i felt committed to actually using the video playback and realized 1 very good use when i thought ahead to load it with a few downloaded holiday shows that i knew both of my youngest kids would enjoy. i also purchased a cheap speaker carrying case and the result is that watching shows on daddy's player was a hit during stressful holiday road trips and it is not something they will expect for everyday driving.
however, i still could live without video playback and i have recenly had a chance to play with the archos 2 vision player, which a friend purchased as a gift to himself. it has a screen that is barely big enough for showing id3 tags, but if you do not need and will not use video playback, i highly recommend that player because it has the same basic player features for about 40% less price. that player also has a simpler control scheme for browsing tracks.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Archos 3 Vision 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Chocolate Brown)

The ARCHOS 3 vision media player is a full-featured, affordable media player packed with a bright and sharp 3-inch LCD touchscreen, 8 GB of storage, and an FM transmitter. Just the ticket for making all your photos, music, and videos, truly portable.

3-Inch LCD Touchscreen The ARCHOS 3 vision screen is big and bright enough to show off your best photos and videos, but the device will still fit into your pocket. The touchscreen interface boasts a virtual scroll dial that lets you quickly zip through long lists of music files.
Your Music The ARCHOS 3 vision is perfect for music fans, with up to 14 hours of music playback before recharging and support for MP3, WMA, and WAV formats. The music library shows music by title, album, artist, genre, or your own favorites. With 8 GB of disk capacity to store over 4,000 songs, you'll have no problem saving tons of music and podcasts onto your device. And with the lyrics function, you can actually see song lyrics display right across the screen.
Your Video ARCHOS has always been the leader in portable video. This device is able to read a number of video file formats meaning that most everything you throw on it will play without conversion--MPEG 1/2/4, WMV, FLV, AVI, RM, and RMVB.
Your Photos The ARCHOS 3 makes a great little photo wallet. Display them one by one or play as a slide show. For a little more fun, add a soundtrack--your favorite song.
FM Radio The ARCHOS 3 vision has a built-in FM Radio. Set the radio presets to your favorite stations and your music, news or other programs are just few screen-taps away.
FM Transmitter With the FM Transmitter you won't need any cables in your car. Just select the frequency you want to transmit, lay your ARCHOS on your dashboard, and it will transmit your music or podcasts to your radio, for enjoyment right through your car's speakers.
Voice Recorder Need a voice recorder for a classroom lecture or personal notes? The ARCHOS 3 vision has a built-in microphone that will allow you to record audio for hours if needed.
Stopwatch/Calendar The ARCHOS 3 vision also includes stopwatch and calendar applications to round out the list of functions.
What's in the Box ARCHOS 3, headphones, USB cable (for charging and file transfer), user manual

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