Archos 5

Offers Oodles Of Storage

by Tim Gideon

archos media player

Archos’s new “Internet media tablet,” as the company calls it, is available in 60GB, 120GB and 250GB capacities, and along with the iPod classic and the Microsoft Zune 120GB is the last of the hard drive-based portable media players. With built-in 802.11b / g Wi-Fi, a stunning metallic design, and a beautiful touch screen, however, the Archos 5 more closely resembles the flash-based iPod touch Is it as Stellar as the touch?

Archos has positioned its Internet media tablet line as distinct from its traditional PMP line, but although the media tablets do improve on the previous models, they’re not all that different. We tested the 60GB Archos 5, which measures 5 by 3.1 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs 8.8 ounces, the 120GB and 250GB models are slightly thicker and heavier, at 5 by 3.1 by 0.8 inches and 10.6 ounces. The player’s front panel is completely dominated by the sharp and sprawling 4.8-inch, 800-by-480-pixel touch screen. Also in the box are a USB cable, a screen cleaning cloth, a DVR station adapter, and a Quick Start guide.

The player also supports MPEG-4, WMV, and M-JPEG video files, along with JPEG, BMP, PNG, and GIF photo files. Archos’s new interface looks more modern and runs more smoothly than the earlier ones in the players. The screen responds to finger touches more quickly than the previous ones did to a stylus. Navigation, being menu-based, is more straightforward, so clicking on Play pops open a side menu with folders for Music, Video, Photo, Games, and Flash Apps. Media Club brings up content for purchase from the Archos Media Club, Cinema Now, and Daily Motion. Cover Flow, which showcases album art, not only looks cool but cuts down on the number of button presses required to play a song or album. But moving around is definitely quicker and more graceful than with the older Archos players. Video looks stunning on the Archos 5. Even the video menu looks impressive: A moving-image thumbnail plays the next video that’s highlighted on the menu. I also wish the Now Playing screen were a little sexier. Surfing the Internet on the Archos 5 is a vastly improved experience compared with the older Archos players. Of course, no Archos device would be complete without the bevy of extras that you can purchase either in the Add-ons section of the player itself or on the Archos Web site. There’s also a widgets section to pick up apps that load straight to the player’s main screen. The device’s battery life is rated at 12 hours for audio and 4 hours for video. While the Archos 5 does feature big interface changes, it would have been nice to see more of an Overhaul. The iPod touch can do more, but it offers far less storage and a smaller, 3.5-inch screen. If you’re not into iTunes but want a PMP that can compete with the touch, the Archos 5 is definitely worth checking out.