Archos also announces 105, 405, 705
By Ryan Block 
posted Jun 14th 2007 2:24PM
posted Jun 14th 2007 2:24PM
Update: Plenty of pictures of the 405 and 605 WiFi here, we'll have more soon enough.
iPod killer.
right there.
Yeah that's what they said about the Zune, but look at it now.
While I agree that it has better features and is a better player, it will do nothing to iPod's market share.
this isnt a zune...
i know that nothing can really touch ipod, but if people took the time to look for alternatives, and they found Archos, i think archos could start to take off.
The only issue I have with Archos is that they use a proprietary plug. I prefer the mini-USB connector since almost everything I have uses it and can charge from it. If they had that connector on their devices I would go for them.
A lot of people refer to the Archos stuff as iPod killers but quite frankly I think it's attacking a different market altogether. The iPod is a music pplayer that can do video. The Archos is a video player that does audio. Same market different ends.
I own an iPod but would consider an Archos for video since it has the larger screen and is designed for it. My iPod will remain my music player of choice since I can plug it into my car. Until I can plug another player into my car and have the same level of integration I currently enjoy, the iPod stays;.
I'll add another gripe, their control system is impossible to use without looking at the device. I've had a 404 for months now, and still have to look at it since every button feels the exact same.
Hey, LegendZ28, how could use a video player without looking at it?
But is it mac compatible?
That's what I want to know too! I supposed I can connect to it via Parallels, but I'd prefer to not have to do it that way.
I forgot about that but native support is the best like you said.
Why wouldn't it be? Aren't these drag and drop? I don't think they come with NTFS formatted drives.
looks like a big hunk of ugly.
"looks like a big hunk of ugly."
only until you use one, at which point it becomes its own kind of sexy. if iPod is the blonde, this is the brunette, it's all good.
Of course it will do nothing to iPod's market share, it's not meant to.
It's for people who want or need something to play hi-res video on a portable. Beats the hell out of a laptop or a portable DVD player. Bet you'll be able to synch this with their set-top box too... Wirelessly.
Pics at ArchosLounge :
http://www.archoslounge.net/spip.php?page=dossier5G
I did some measuring and it looks like the 605 has a 1.5:1 screen size ratio and the 705 has a 16:9 screen size ratio. I have no idea why the the 604 would have a 16:9 screen and a 605 would have a 3:2 screen size ratio. Seems like a downgrade to me. I really don't want to either a) watch videos with black bars on an already small screen or b) watch a video with smushed images. Looks like the the 705 will be my choice, even if it is "large and in charge".
You measured them? From that picture? You realize that the perspective is skewed, right?
I looked at multiple pictures, including some of the ones on the french sites with head on pictures (thus no perspective skew). Also Archos lounge shows a 605 by a 604 and you can clearly see the difference in aspect ratio.
the 605 is 800x480. That's not 16x9, but it's not 3x2 either.
16x9 == 1.777777777
4x3 == 1.3333333333
Archos 800x480 == 1.66666666
@Rex
the new models seem to have the MINI USB !
I don't get it. I thought the av700 monstrosity sold poorly enough that they weren't gonna do anymore behemoths. These huge pmps are not pocket or school backpack friendly, at least not for me.
Cool!
You're right it's not an iPod killer, it's a hell of a lot more than that.
The portable video market, not MP3 player that has some limited video abilities. I like my iPod, but really it's not all that great for video.
I might just buy this and the set-top box
Archos is dead to me. Gmini 220 was the worst POS that I ever owned. They've lost me as a customer for life.
Archos? it will fail just based on the name. When you have a product that has such a simple and popular name - iPod, and you are trying to knock it off of it's throne, you have to come up with a name that is or can be even more ubiquitous to music than iPod. These obscure, stupid names like Archos and Zune are one of the main reasons that a good 75% of the population probably won't even give this a second look. Who are these marketing people and how do they still have jobs? This kind of stuff should be obvious, yet these huge companies still manage to **** it up.
I'm pretty sure you're either retarded or have been living under a rock for the last few years. I can't tell which though.
What?
Their PMP's dont even have names. Just numbers.
Its called "classy"
Really? Maybe YOU should realize that 99 percent of the target market is NOT a tech geek like yourself, they don't check engadget everyday. Its stupid elitist ideas like that which is why iPod will stay on top because they understand that they have to reach people and provide the information, not the other way around. Why don't you walk down the street and ask people which name they recognize, iPod or Archos 705? Then come back here and try to call me retarded, you stupid prick.
Kuzu-b I completely agree with you. Zune and Archos have no chance at gaining any marketshare from the ipod.
When you build a brand, you have to building it right from the ground up. The obvious thing would be the name, right? Big companies, with big egos some time make big mistakes with brand marketing. And Zune and Archos are two good examples.
Bring on the prices!
Flash support for sites like YouTube and I'm SOLD! After all, I was hoping the Nokia Internet Tablet (or any internet surfing device for that matter) would allow me to surf the net and go to the same sites I would if I were on my computer ... so far all have failed, including the upcoming iPhone, so hopefully this one doesn't!
It does support Flash video in full screen or native in the browser. They even have an awesome special touch-screen friendly version of Dailymotion, and I'm sure they can have such a special interface also for Youtube and Google Video. The special interface is made to navigate with fingers on a 4 inch PMP touch-screen, while browsing the normal youtube, google video and dailymotion also works natively using the Opera browser.
The Dailymotion demonstration is still awesome, eat your heart out Zune wifi
That's the ugliest thing in the world. Who the hell would bring that out for people to see in publc?
San Chiu... I think it has something to do with being obsessed with what total strangers think of you, and hating Apple for their success.
We took a av500 around the world with us on a 1 year trip, absolutely love it! It may not be quite as sexy a 'the pod' but its rugged, lasts well and has great functions and is quite watchable.
If i was off traveling again id totally take the 605wifi!
I see the Ipod fanboys are out in force today. If this is too "techie" for you then don't get it.
As for me, I think the 160GB 605 is mighty sweet. Will definitely get it once it is released. With that space I won't have to re-encode my DVDs, just ripped all of them direct, before going on a trip.
darn, I was hoping for a newer cooler layout, but it's still nice
now we just need word on pricing
plus will there be a Camcorder equiped player like the past couple generations?
The reason it isnt really a mainstream ipod alternative isnt so much its features, which it dominates the ipod, or the screen, same there, is that it lacks in marketing.
Have any of you ever even seen a Archos commercial? Any one? I havent. Sure I know of them because I am a tech writer and keep up on these things and from being online a lot. But I could mention a archos to even my semi tech savy 16year old brother and he would be like, what is that?
The ipod become dominant when even your non tech savy family members started buying them. And that comes from marketing, and word of mouth.
This is where the archos trails.
well hopefully more people actually look into things before buying them and sites like engadget keep readers aware of cool products coming out from companies like Archos
The 704 Wifi is 599.99 Euro, and $549.99 - which is, considering the state of the $ ($2 ~= 1 GBP, $1 ~= 1.35EUR) a complete ripoff in Europe.
/sick as a parrot
So does the 405 still come with HDD like the 404, or is it flash only??? Hopefully it'll go >= 60GB.
FYI: they are Mac compatible, and also appear to now have universal mini-USB connection.
Still need to get Bluetooth going here, what gives??? I'll pay a couple nickels and dimes for BT if that's what they want!
When exactly do they go on sale?
Anyone else out there getting tired of the fact that the BEST mp3 players aren't Mac-compatible?! I've heard nothing but good things about the Archos brand. I would drop a couple hundred for this pretty quickly, if it synced with my iMac!
Since I know there is a third party application for Archos 704 WiFi which makes it connect to an RSS feed, I was planning to buy it and use it, other than as "almost portable" (car, train, holydays) a media player, also as a wifi digital photo frame (since I discarded all the products dedicated to that function because they are too expensive for what they offer). My only concern is... Do you think Archos devices can stay several hours a day on (with AC adapter) without malfuctioning or without an early degradation of the lcd panel?
This isn't a ipod killer. It can be a appletv killer though. Even though the appletv iS about $200 cheaper the the 705...the 705 is way smaller and thinner and looks better. Both are wifi, both do 720p.
So the only difference is appletv with 160gb HD is $279 and is AV ready.
The 705 with 160GB will be over $500, plus you still have to buy the $99 home av dock. But the bonus is its ultra portable.
Hmmm, now that i type it out...who cares. You spend the same buying aappletv and an video ipod. I guess do you want to mess with two devices or one?
Well am no help. Still buying the Archos though.
Does it have a faster processer than the old 604? I was reading up on those, planning on getting one, and that seemed to be the biggest problem. Does anyone know if this has a faster processor, and better wifi than the 604?
archos is better than ipod since AV500, and now with this 605 wifi ,kiss ipod GOOD BYE!!
in europe archos is #1 .. in the rest of the world is going to be #1 in less than a year....
.BOTTON LINE IPOD IS GARBAGE.
ok heres the deal....4.3 touchscreen,160gb, wifi pmp....tell me how it gets better or what can beat it!