Archos 7 160 GB Internet Media Tablet Review

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(More customer reviews)As an owner of both the new Archos 7 as well as last year's model (the 705), I wanted to provide some points of comparison between the two for anyone trying to decide whether to save some money on the older model. In general, the two are very similar -- they provide essentially the same functionality, although the new 7 includes a couple of new features (and includes for free some of the plugins that you had to pay for before with the 705).
Here's a quick rundown of the positive changes in the 7 vs the 705:
* Speed -- particularly of the web browser. The new 7 has a much faster CPU and renders web content at a much better pace (probably 3x the speed of the 705). Using the browser on the 705 was often painful except on pages that were geared to mobile devices. The 7 can handle even most complex pages without a problem. Since I use the device for browsing quite a bit, this is a HUGE plus for the 7.
* Email -- The 7 includes a native email client that supports GMail, Yahoo mail or any POP/IMAP server. It's very simple but usable. It's also free (i.e. not a plugin).
* Better screen -- The screen on the 7 definitely is crisper than that on the 705. And the colors are rendered more accurately (at least from my subjective point of view).
* Better responsiveness -- The touchscreen on the 7 is more responsive than on the 705. The increased sensitivity really helps the usability. That said, people who use other touchscreen devices (e.g. iPhone) may find that the screen is still not as sensitive/responsive as other devices.
* Size -- although the screen is the same size between the 2 units, the 7 is slightly shorter and thinner than the 705 (but not by much). The 7's glossy case does collect fingerprints rather quickly, but that's purely an aesthetic issue.
Advantages of the 705 over the 7:
* Archos dropped the mini-USB plug that was used to connect the Archos to your computer. It now uses a proprietary connector for this purpose.
* They also dropped the USB host port from that came with the 705. The 7 includes the USB host capability, but to use it you must purchase the DVR station or mini-dock add-ons. This was built-in directly in the 705 unit. This makes using the device to dump pictures from your digital camera more of a hassle as one more attachment must be carried just for this.
* They also dropped the video out connecter that was standard in the 705. Again, to use this feature with the 7 you'll need the DVR station or mini-dock.
* No stylus or case included -- I've found that using my finger generally works fine but a stylus is still better/more accurate on the screen. Luckily, the 705 came with 2 of them, so I use the spare with my 7. As for the case, you'll have to buy one from Archos to a third party if you want/need one.
Things I wish they would have improved:
* Weight -- this is one heavy device at nearly 1.5 lbs. Granted, the size makes carrying it in a pocket prohibitive, but the weight would do you in otherwise. Fine for a travel bag though and definitely much lighter than a laptop.
* Most plugins still not free -- The browser plugin and "web radio/tv" plugins are now free, but to view many online videos and items ripped from DVD, you'll need to plunk down extra $ for those plugins.
* Support for Flash 9 -- The Archos ostensibly ships with support for Flash 9, but what they don't tell you is that not all Flash 9.x versions are created equally. For example, while most clips on YouTube work, the version of Flash on the Archos does not support popular sites like Hulu. This for me is one of the largest disappointments of the Archos 7.
* No HD or 3G plugins available -- despite what the product description days, the plugins that provides HD video thru the DVR dock (or mini-dock) and which support a 3G wireless connection thru a USB dongle do not actually exist. There's also a very good chance they never will. Archos is notorious for promoting features which are never delivered. If either of these plugins is critical in your decision to purchase the Archos 7, you would be best off waiting until they are released before making the purchase.
For me, I use the 7/705 as a travel companion so I can watch videos, browse the web and store digital pictures. For web use, the 7 is a huge improvement. For videos, the better screen is a nice improvement, but for picture storage, the lack of the built-in USB host port and the need to carry the mini-dock is a bummer.


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Chumby one Review

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(More customer reviews)My wife was thinking of getting me a Sony Dash for my birthday but then heard me say "Why would anyone want something like that - why not just buy a netbook" in passing, so she opted not to get it. She let me know afterward she was looking at the Dash and Chumby (which I hadn't heard of even though they make the Dash). After looking at it, I thought it was really cool and got the Chumby One to surprise her.
Whether we want to admit it or not, we vote with our wallets. Two days after we received it, I ordered two more. It's not perfect but it's great.
The FM Reception is non-existent as another commenter noted. I'm going to try using a 'real' antenna today to see if that makes a difference, but if not, I really won't be too bothered. If it's a feature it should work, but FM clock radios have been around for years and FM stations aren't why I bought it.
We've only had it about a week but we have experienced none of the reception problems others mentioned. We have a ton of wireless devices in the house and have had a lot of problems with interference on other devices, but so far, the Chumby has worked without a blink. Although we have several repeaters throughout the house, I connected it to the primary link which is on the far side of the house (which has a moderately weak signal in our bedroom) and we still didn't have any problem. Full disclosure on that - I just did it as a test and let it run for about two hours but if a problem was going to surface, i'm quite sure it would have by then. Suffice to say - at least so far, we've had great connectivity and no problems.
The setup process was very simple. I wished I had a real keyboard when setting up the wifi b/c our Wifi keys are insanely long, but that's not the fault of the Chumby. The sync between the web site and the unit during registration was one of the coolest things I've seen in a while (basically, you fill in a bunch of circles on what looks like a giant tic tac toe - the pattern is then used to transmit the unit id to the web site so you don't have to). The whole process took about 10 minutes but much of that was b/c my wife and I were talking about how cool each aspect was. [Make sure however that when you align the screen, you use your fingernail as instructed. It's easy to just use your whole finger but if you do that - the sync will be off slightly. We goofed the first time around and had trouble using the keyboard - until we went into settings and re-adujusted everything. After we read the manual and did it the way we were supposed to - all was fine. But it's an easy thing to overlook. It's also easy to think the thing is your iPhone or Android and try using the screen according - your mileage will vary)
Once it was loaded, she spent about 30 minutes getting rid of default apps she didn't want (like ESPN, which is why I ordered two more - b/c I like a few of them) then adding new ones. Facebook, check. Twitter, check. Gmail check. Craigslist, check. We hadn't found an app to check Exchange or SMTP email but what she did was create a Gmail account and had her other accounts forward to it. While having email invade the bedroom might sound like insanity - it can actually be really helpful - you can glance over at the email list and quickly determine if it's ok to sleep in for a bit or if you need to rush to work early to put out a fire.
There are a ton of apps and b/c the API is open, you can build your own if you want something that isnt' there. I've taken a stab at two such apps and will be giving the upload process a try later this week. While most people aren't going to take advantage of that b/c it requirest some specific development experience, it's a great touch.
She's found an app for pretty much everythign she's wanted including a great backlight app, some amazingly cool wake up applications and the standard stuff you'd expect. Setup was amazingly straightforward and everything other than the FM tuner works as advertised (if the aux antenna works, I'll update the review). All in all from start to finish the experience is delightful and considering the price we love it - like I said, so much we wanted a few more for the rest of our house. I also ordered a pair of Beats by Dre just to make the whole thing perfect and it's a great combination (although being my wife's present, I feel guilty using it too much that's one reason for the other ones). That brings up one issue though - these aren't as generic as we thought. What I mean is, this is the type of thing that becomes "Mine" and the customizations are what makes it so cool. We have different facebook, twitter, pandora settings even though they're mostly similar and we're married. So one generic one for the family probably won't do for most folks especially if you have kids - get one kid a Chumby and I promise you the ohter will scream bloody murder until he/she gets her own. However that's the nature of anything cool and useful so it's not a knock.
Additionally, this will make one heck of a Christmas present. It's quite easy to spend $100.00 on a gift card which will partially go to waste or a similar present that will just get regifted or sit in the garage - this is guaranteed to be loved by anyone but hard core luddites.
Like I said, the wifi has not been a problem although we've only had it about a week and I'm comfortable saying that b/c although we have several repeaters , we've connected to links that have moderately weak signals and didn't appear to have any issue. I'd still be loving it if it was twice as much - if it was much over $250.00 I'd have my second thoughts just b/c a netbook really would be in order there, but for the price, it's an amazing value and packs a lot of bang for the buck. It's right in the gift price range and pretty much everyone has wifi these days so I don't think you can go wrong with it.

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Chumby takes your favorite parts of the Internet and delivers them to you in a friendly, always on, always-fresh format. It's a window into your internet life that lives outside your desktop, so content like weather, news, celebrity gossip, podcasts, music, and more has a place to play away from your world of documents and spreadsheets. Just plug in your chumby, connect to your network, and use your computer to create a lineup of favorites from over 1,500 apps in more than 30 categories, with new ones arriving all the time. Then let your chumby do its thing streaming everything you like, from sports scores to stock quotes, from video clips to interactive games, from photos to trivia. Fall asleep to music or nature soundsMusic from iPod and memory sticksFM radioIt's Chumby - Create custom channels with 1,500+ apps; Wide variety of news, weather, sports, gossip, games, clocks, and much more; Facebook photos and friend updates; Your photos from Photobucket and Flickr; Twitter tweets; Play YouTube and TV clips, movie trailers, sports highlights, and other video; Send customized e-card greetings; New content added all the timeWhere does it belong - By your bed - Fall asleep to a favorite internet music station; wake up to a Zen gong, a news podcast, or Pandora Radio; In the kitchen - Consult your Google Calendar in the morning, check the weather, and cook to streaming internet music; On your desk - Watch your photos stream by, follow your friends on Facebook or Twitter, or get alerted to that craigslist find you've been waiting forIt's simple to use - Intuitive touchscreen operation; Step-by-step Wi-Fi setup; Connects to your home wireless network; Manage content directly on the Chumby One or from the website;

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Archos 5 16GB Internet Tablet with Android (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I previously owned the 605 WiFi and the Vision 3. This is a huge step up. PROS: great sound, excellent video playback, very responsive screen (especially for a resistive touch), G-Sensor and Accelerometer works great, Browser is awesome, games run great, etc. Now I updated to the newest firmware only to find that youtube has not been fixed. But here's the thing...I used a hack to install marketplace and now Youtube works great. Strange?
CONS: proprietary plugs, too many accessories that you have to buy to get full experience, charge time is kind of extreme, does not come with marketplace. it has their own version. gets lots of fingerprints!
They almost messed this one up. they are so close i can taste it. Every year they release a amazing play on paper...but when you use it...you find that certain features may or may not work. or work half a**. This is very close. In october they will be releasing ever better players that include so much more including built in camera :-). It's not bad...i still prefer it over the iPod touch. especially since it will sync with nearly any player. not just itunes. works with Winamp and Windows Media player. Another cool thing is that if you have album art...it will import it. very cool. There are two versions of the Archos 5. one with android and one without. It was definitely a good idea to go WITH android. It's almost impossible to screw up android. Having owned the iPod Touch, iPhone, Archos 605, and more....I can honestly say...this one isn't bad. especially for the price. Wish it had more space though. 16gb isn't enough for me. but hey...it comes with the SD slot too so you can add up to 32gb. awesome!

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ARCHOS, award-winning for its constant technology innovation, now introduces its new ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet. This product combines all the multimedia know-how that ARCHOS is famous for, with the ANDROID operating system. It offers you an uncompromised Internet, media, and TV experience in a customizable interface. In perpetual evolution with the continuous arrival of new applications, you can personalize your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet to perfectly reflect your tastes and needs.


HD Multimedia
Brilliant 5-Inch Touchscreen The ARCHOS 5 features an 800-pixel-wide 5-inch touchscreen, an ultra-thin design, and an accelerometer for portrait or landscape viewing. Whether enjoying media yourself or sharing with friends, it delivers outstanding image quality.
HD Video Formats Don't compromise--the ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet is able to handle the widest range of video formats, even at HD 720p resolution (H.264 HD, MPEG-4 HD, and WMV HD5).
Your Music Everywhere Enjoy more music formats directly on your device (MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AAC+, FLAC, and OGG Vorbis). In addition, the unique ARCHOS music browsing system allows you to create your playlists without using a PC. Who needs a tuner? Just plug your ARCHOS 5 into amplified speakers and you're all set.
Experience Your Photos Browse through your photos with a simple flick of your finger or play a slideshow with music and transition effects. The high-resolution screen is great for zooming in on details.
Take It All With a 16 GB hard drive, you'll have plenty of room to drag and drop a good chunk of your media library.

Internet
Fast and Convenient Web Surfing The ARCHOS 5 lets you easily surf the web. With a Wi-Fi connection (802.11 b/g/n) and the new OMAP3440 processor running at 800 MHz, you get quick and responsive Internet browsing just like on a laptop, without the endless waits for page loads. Enjoy the web in full width thanks to the 800-pixel widescreen, with no need to zoom in or out.
3.5 G Mobile Phone Connection If you own a standard mobile phone equipped with 3.5 G and Bluetooth technology, simply pair it up to your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet via Bluetooth. This will give you easy access to Internet directly on your device anytime and anywhere.
Web TV and Web Radio In less than three clicks, you can access nearly 1,000 web TV channels, over 10,000 web radio stations, and 100,000 podcasts. There's no downloading wait time. Radio and TV start streaming directly from a worldwide list of traditional and independent radio and TV stations.
Media Club The Media Club remains the easiest way to get video and music content on the go. Featuring an even richer library with new partners and some of the biggest industry names, you'll discover a large selection of movies, documentaries, music albums, and games. Buy or rent your entertainment in a couple of clicks and start watching it on your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet.

GPS
Full-Featured GPS Whether you are walking or driving, you will always find your destination with the on-board GPS. The GPS includes voice assistance, points of interest, fast multiple-route calculations, and car/pedestrian/adventure modes based on the latest maps from Tele Atlas with 3D landmarks.
You can go to your account at any time on the ARCHOS website and purchase the available maps or cities.
3D Photo-Realistic City Navigation Find your way around cities in 3D Photo Realistic mode. With multi-angle views and four zoom levels, you'll be able to recognize places as if you had taken your own photos from the sky. This is ideal when walking and visiting large cities in the U.S. (available Q1 2010).
Free 7-Day Trial Try the GPS for 7 days free of charge.

TV
HD TV-Out with the Optional DVR Station or HDMI Mini Dock Turn your TV into a real web-connected multimedia platform. Enjoy all the ARCHOS functions on the big screen of your living room. Watch your movies in HD (720p), listen to your music, share your high-resolution pictures, play games, or surf the web.
Record Your Favorite Programs with the Optional DVR Station With the optional DVR station, you have the perfect match for your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet at home. Record TV shows and movies in one step using the included remote control. Then you can enjoy your recording at home on your widescreen TV, or in the palm of your hand when you are out.

Applications

Ready to Go with Pre-installed Applications
Enjoy a selection of fun and practical applications for daily use right out of the box:

eBuddy IM: For Instant Messaging The multi-platform instant messaging application. Chat from one place to all your friends on the various platforms. Supports MSN, Yahoo, Gtalk, Facebook, ICQ, MySpace, and AIM (AOL)
DroidIn: For Connecting to LinkedIn Connect to your LinkedIn account to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Stay informed about your contacts and industry. Find the people and knowledge you need to achieve your goals. Control your career online.
Twitroid: For Instant Micro-Blogging Twitroid is the industry-standard Twitter client for the Android platform. Easily access the famous free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables you to send and read tweets, and publish short URLs and pictures.
Deezer: For Music Streaming Enjoy 35 free web radio stations and the SmartRadio directly on your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet.
Dailymotion: For Viewing and Sharing Videos Browse videos by searching tags, channels, or user-created groups.
QuickPedia: For Access to Wikipedia Access to the free web-based and collaborative encyclopedia.
ThinkFree Mobile: For Viewing Office Documents This application allows you to view, edit, and create Microsoft Office 97/2000/XP/2003/2007 Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF documents. You will get a free update before year's end, allowing you to also edit and create documents.
E-mail and Contacts Stay in contact by using the fully integrated e-mail and contacts applications.
Moov: Toggles Easily Between Your Apps Moov wraps up your search needs all in one place, so you can quickly toggle between the product's contacts, Google, Wikipedia, and the remaining Applications on your product.
CraigsPhone: For Access to Online Classified Advertisements CraigsPhone is a centralized network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, and discussion forums.
High-Paying Jobs: For Access to a List of Jobs (U.S. and Canada only) Browse through job lists and search over 2 million jobs from all the leading job sites.

Add-ons
DVR Station This accessory allows you to record TV, play video back to your TV, and charge your ARCHOS. Recording your favorite programs has never been so easy. You can also surf the web or stream web video to your TV while comfortably lounging on your couch and using the included remote control as a keyboard and mouse pointer.
DVR Snap-on Use our DVR Snap-on to record from almost any audio or video analog source when you are on the move.
HDMI Mini Dock Optimize TV playback with HDMI output quality. Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players from the standard USB port. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter.
Battery Dock Transfer your files directly from USB sticks, digital cameras, or other portable media players. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter and get extended playback with the built-in backup battery. Play video out to your TV with video output in high-quality S-video or standard quality composite.

What's in the Box ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet (16GB), headphones, standard USB cable, DVR Station adapter, quick start guide (QSG), and legal and safety notice.

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Archos FM Remote for Archos 5 and 7 Internet Media Tablets (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Note: When I first purchased this accessory, it did not work until later when I updated my firmware. Only then did it become functional.
In one sense, this is a slick and versatile little accessory for your Archos IMT. It does allow you limited control over your MP3's and also the ability to listen to the radio as well as record voice memos. This is an imaginitive and inexpensive add-on to add to your collection.
However, now I can't remember why I bought this: I rarely listen to the radio, and if I wanted to do that I could buy one for ten bucks or so instead of using the biggest and best media player available. If I wanted a voice recorder, there are far smaller such gadgets available. I guess it's just cool that the FM Remote can do these things, and isn't the primary reason you buy an IMT. It simply increases its versatility, which is already great.
Two things to keep in mind:
1) When the FM Remote is plugged in, the IMT's built-in speakers disengage, so you will have to use headphones or MP3 speakers. Fortunately, the FM remote also has a headphone jack at the top.
2) The FM Remote cable is only slightly longer than the length of an average adult arm, which means that anything you could use the remote to do, you could also just reach over and interface directly with the Archos anyways. Ergo, the Remote isn't really that remote.
All in all, it is ok.
- CtheV

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Video did not kill the radio star! Widen the useability of your Archos player by adding the Archos FM Remote with built-in FM receiver to listen to radio anywhere. Wherever you go you've got music on your Internet Media Tablet. Sometimes you may simply not have any internet connection this little inconvenience shouldn't prevent you from listening to the radio when you're out in the country side hiking or biking. That's where the FM remote comes in handy. The features don't stop there! The FM remote also allows you to record directly from the radio into a standard digital format so that even if you can't download a podcast or if you want to enjoy the slience in the woods you can still listen to your favorite show… And conveniently you can also make vocal memo recordings with the built-in microphone. Just in case you would forget to bring milk on the way back home. Remote control with built in FM receiver Records radio to the hard drive of your Archos player Includes mic for voice recording Please note: This product has been confirmed by Archos as not being compatible with the Archos 5 Android Internet Tablet

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