Archos Vision PMPs get UK pricing, August release

Few details were available when Archos announced its new lineup of PMPs last month, but today we can provide you with fuller specs and news of imminent UK availability. The new flagship model, 3 Vision, comes with a 3-inch touchscreen, 8GB of storage, microSDHC card slot, video playback, and a few extras like a voice recorder, calendar, stopwatch and an FM transmitter for streaming music to your Hi-Fi. Positioned as a direct competitor to the iPod Touch, the new Archos will cost nearly half as much at £90 ($148). Other models detailed today include the 2 Vision -- a 1.8-inch "credit card sized" player that loses video playback but gains a 16GB option, with prices likely to start at £50 ($82) -- and the Archos Clipper, a 2GB no-frills player priced at £20 ($32).

[Via Pocket-lint]

[No Phone For You @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:39PM]

I am an official member of the Apple Haters Club, but I can honestly say, I hope they make these devices with multi-touch screen. The iPod Touch touch sensitivity is quiet nice. Good to see that Archos is moving forward.

[jeti @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:58PM]

The iPod Touch uses an capacitive touchscreen whereas the Archos devices use resistive touchscreens. Capacitive touchscreens are more sensitive when used with flat fingers. But this has nothing to do with the multitouch feature.

[nanobis @ Jul 2nd 2009 12:46PM]

At last a pmp that im actually interested in, a decent price and avaible in the UK. Vision 2 = All good for me

sadly to be a ipod touch competitor wouldn't the 3 Vision it need WiFi?

[Dave Skaggs @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:16PM]

Also wouldn't it need the App Store? I too will never support Apple monetarily, but I've used the Touch and I think it's main uses are wifi and games/apps.

[voodoo @ Jul 2nd 2009 5:22PM]

The 'vision' range are intended to be cheap and stripped-down media players, not competitors for the iPod or iPhone. They all appear to be designed by Archos's Chinese business partners, and perhaps are just slightly modified models that already exist on the Chinese market. There will also be a Vision 4 and Vision 7.

In September the proper higher-end models will be updated, they're the ones that will be competing with the iPod and iPhone. Android etc.

[Charbax @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:11PM]

You always convert EU prices directly over to US dollars. You need to consider EU prices include at 25% VAT tax that does not exist in the USA. The US price for the Archos 3 I think has been announced at $99, and not $148 like stated in this article.

[Alan Partridge @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:33PM]

Maybe your finger slipped but sales tax is only 15% in the UK

[No Phone For You @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:11PM]

Thank you Jeti. Honestly, I was afraid to write Capacitive as I thought I would misspell it. Lol. I felt too lazy to google the right spelling as well.

[Ntw1103 @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:18PM]

I was thinking about picking up a zuneHD when it comes out, but now..
this is something I am really thinking about getting.
I have an archos gmini402. I have had it for 3 years now, and I love it. sadly the player is starting to wear out. I am surprised at how long it has lasted.

[GMoney @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:37PM]

No doubt Archos will release another half-baked, buggy device that will be abandoned in a few months. I wonder if my Archos 5 is now officially orphaned.

[Rob @ Jul 23rd 2009 4:07PM]

For this reason and the repeated returns to service (3 at 23-28 days each) for my Archos 605 is why I will never, ever buy another Archos product. No matter how tempting. Their support stinks, hardware breaks and their software is the buggiest I have ever used on a portable device.

Too bad. The 605 had soooooo much potential.

[bjsguess @ Jul 2nd 2009 1:36PM]

Do you have to buy codex packs with the Archose 3 Vision? If so, that will certainly add to the cost.

[kelli @ Jul 2nd 2009 4:04PM]

unless it has wifi it isn't itouch similar

[nowayman @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:13PM]

looks nice actually.

[BUC @ Jul 4th 2009 1:02PM]

Vision 2 and clipper is a competition to players like Shuffle and other small music oriented players...

Vision 3 is more like a Nano competitor... and adds few cool features, but is not an iTouch competitor...

Its also nice to see that they have TV out built in again... Cause that's the most appreciated feature of my AV580... (and the USB host)

I hope they work as good as old players... my AV500 is the best tech investment Ive made :)