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Archos 204 digital audio player gets reviewed
Archos typically does a fair job kicking out leading-edge PMPs, but the oddly small (and relatively stripped) 204 didn't exactly do the brand any favors. Sure, the 20GB DAP rocks an unnecessarily sweet 1.8-inch OLED display, but the curious lack of video playback was deemed an unfortunate omission by the folks at ArchosLounge. The thorough review remained pretty downtrodden the whole way through, citing the lack of innovation, smallish hard drive, and less-than-inspiring interface as tidbits that really hurt the overall value. Of course, it was noted that the sound quality exceeded that found on "even the iPod," and the diminutive size and somewhat rugged casing were also nice touches. But unless you just can't live without owning every single Archos device that leaves its doors, it sounds like your €179 ($235) could certainly be better used elsewhere.[Via DAPReview]
Archos 204 compact DAP announced
Following up on the recent razzle-dazzle 704-WiFi hype, Archos busts out with a much lower-key product: the 204 DAP. The 204 packs in 20 hours of playback time for MP3, WAV, and WMA files and uses a USB 2.0 connection. You can peep photos (JPEG only) on it, but no video, which is fine since it'd be quite squint-inducing on the 1.8-inch OLED display. Costing approximately €179 (about $235), the no-frills 204 offers a generous 20GB HDD in place of the more progressive features and styles seen in similarly priced DAPs and PMPs. The Archos 204 DAP will be available soon throughout Europe and on the Archos site. [Thanks, Voland]
