Mobile media devices are becoming increasingly popular. Although
Apple continues to dominate market share, other companies have taken great
strides in innovation and functionality. Archos, a French consumer-electronics firm,
is one of the companies taking a bite out of Apple.
Recently, I tested the Archos 605 Wi-Fi PMP, a 30-Gig
portable media player (PMP) with audio and video capabilities. Right away, I
noticed several things about the Archos 605 which make it a very attractive
unit. First, there's a generous 4.3" TFT LCD touch screen which boasts 800 x
480 pixels and 16-million colors. The Archos 605 responds to finger use, but
the stylus provides more comfortable and accurate navigation.
The Archos 605 Wi-Fi PMP also supports a variety of
different file formats, including MPEG-4, WMV, MP3, JPEG, PDF, and WAV. Sound
quality on the device is wonderful with AAC and AC3 support. There are six
buttons on the side of the mobile media player that assist with volume control,
as well as menu access and track playback. The Wi-Fi support (802.11g) is
convenient, as many hotels, rest areas, coffee shops, and other locations have
Wi-Fi connections these days.
The web page for the Archos 605 Wi-Fi PMP states that this
mobile media player has a battery life of 17 hours for music playback, or 5.5 hours
for video playback. The web site also provides a docking station which allows
Archos users to view scheduled TV programs and record them in MPEG-4. There are
many available widgets such as a currency converter, weather forecast, note
writer, unit converter and news reader.
The Archos 605 Wi-Fi PMP has a price tag of about $275 (USD)
for the 30-Gig version, $330 for the 80-Gig, and $380 for the 160-Gig. Apple
sells a 32-Gig touch screen device that compares to the Archos 605, but Apple's
offering sells for $500. So, for $120 dollars less, you can choose Archos over
Apple and snag 128 more Gigs.
The Archos 605 is a relatively large and heavy unit, but it
boasts a higher screen-resolution with more storage space and a cheaper price
tag. For these reasons, I consider the Archos 605 both a great value and a quality
media device.
| 
