Not many people know that ARCHOS was the first company every to launch a PMP, even before the Video iPod from Apple or Zen from Creative followed by a gazillion portable video players were launched in the market. Now you know

Based on our comparison, we awarded ARCHOS the winner in PMP products back then. This post will specifically talk about ARCHOS Internet Media Tablets and its features.

ARCHOS offers 3 different products in this segment.

1. ARCHOS 5
2. ARCHOS 7 and 
3. ARCHOS 5g

There is not much of a difference between ARCHOS 5 and ARCHOS 7 other than the screen size and the storage space, the features offered by both these PMP’s are the same.

ARCHOS 5g takes these gadgets a step ahead by offering 3.5g network capabilities which makes it preferable over ARCHOS 5 or ARCHOS 7. ARCHOS 5g is not released yet, but is said to hit the stands pretty soon.

Personally I wouldn’t buy an ARCHOS 7 because of its size, 7 inches, unless I want a mammoth storage space offered by ARCHOS 7, 160 and 320GB’s. Because when it comes to gadgets which are made to be used on the go, the smaller the better.

Internet portable devices are known to shrink the websites and web pages making then unreadable unless you zoom in. ARCHOS Internet Media Tablets seem to address that issue by rendering all websites and web pages in 800×480 pixels.

Though you have the option of zooming in and out, you just wouldn’t feel the need to do it.

“There is only One Internet” with that caption in mind ARCHOS tries to make internet on mobile as good as internet on PCs. ARCHOS Internet Media Tablets come with Adobe Flash Player 9 and Opera web browser to make browsing an effort less experience on the go.

Sharp high resolution screen, effortless navigation through the web just like your PC makes it a must buy. Also, the full email application lets you read, write and reply to emails, download and send attachments and also lets you manage your contacts.

ARCHOS Internet Media Tablets uses ARM® Cortex™ processor, making it the first mobile device to incorporate this processor. When compared to any Internet capable mobile device ARCHOS is 4 times faster and definitely surfing on a handheld device has never been so fast.

Another change we have noticed is that the DVR compatible with ARCHOS Internet Media Tablets is much smaller and sleeker, along with other options it also offers a HDMI Out for viewing HiDef videos on TV.

In addition to the features offered by ARCHOS gadgets you can add more features like HD playback compatibility or Internet Radio compatibility by buying version compatible plugins for you device.

One of the areas we think ARCHOS is lacking is the products battery life. We have seen generations of ARCHOS being launched since a few years now and none of these gadgets offer a battery life over 4-5 hrs for video viewing. This is precisely where we think ARCHOS’s closest competitor COWON Q5W beats ARCHOS by offering 7 hours of continuous Video playback.

ARCHOS 5 is priced at $449.99 for 250 GB and ARCHOS 7 is priced at $550 for 320 GB. Price for ARCHOS 5g is not available yet, as the product is yet to be launched.

To start with if a programmer is creative then he cannot control himself but suggest UI changes, functionality changes and if too intelligent then expect nothing less than a brand new business model based on your old one.

Another thing that can happened to creative programmers is that, because they are creative they will come up with a product or an application and start working on (coding) it but in the process of development they might come up with another brilliant new idea and the old one is shelved and the new one starts to see some light on the other end of the tunnel but never comes out of it because now another idea is better.

Usually people who are creative also have a huge EGO because of which they do not like people finding loopholes or improvements in their ideas. This is another reason programmers should not be creative.

Programmers should not fall in love with their own ideas. If this happens then the programmer will do everything from marketing, planning, promotions to partnering and etc… But code.

This is the only reason why companies maintain separate UX design teams. This is why separate marketing and development teams exist.

The camera comes loaded with lots of features. Automatic Light Adjustment, 1.3 Megapixel camera, 640×480 video resolution, Parental control (first of its kind in webcam technology) and bundled with video effects. The package includes a good looking hands free headset and for uninterrupted video calls.

Cam Optia is priced at $79.99 and is available at us.creative.com

How about downloading all the episodes of Lost and taking it with you on a camping trip into the woods. It’s not easy to choose a PMP (Portable Media Player) especially when there are more than a few options available. Let’s talk about a few popular PMP’s (Portable Media Player) and not so popular but worth its money. By the end of this post we will have a clear winner as to which is the best PMP available in the stores today!

In this post I will not discuss pointless features which do not affect the performance of the player. For example: PIM or What does the package include or whether it can read PDF’s or not.

I have highlited a few key features which a potential buyer should ALWAYS keep in mind while buying a PMP.

Listed below are the PMP’s we will discuss:

1. Apple iPod Video (30 GB)
2. Zen Vision W (30 GB)
3. Archos 604 (30 GB)
4. Cowon A2 (30 GB)

Comparison chart of Archos 604 and 604 Wifi, Apple iPod Video, Zen Vision W, Cowon A2

Archos 604/604 Wifi: This is a master piece and for other PMP’s to catchup with Archos 604 features will take couple of years. The only difference between Archos 604 and 604 Wifi is that the 604 Wifi is touch screen and Wifi enabled. It comes with amazing accessories such as a DVR station which converts Archos 604/604 Wifi to TiVo which enables Video recording from external sources such as TV. A special camera which is an optional accessory turns Archos into a video recording Gadget. This camera is specially designed to be attached to the helmet for shooting sporting activities. Archos has added a real smart feature to Archos 604, a stand which supports and holds the player vertically which makes it really easy for viewing videos.

Archos 604 Wifi is truly next generation PMP as it offers the option of IPTV to its users.

Archos 604/604 Wifi virtually plays all the video formats, however Archos believes in the saying “There is no such thing as free lunch” so offers paid plug-ins to play certain media formats. This is something you should keep in mind while buying Archos PMP. Over all it’s a great gadget to have, in fact, it is a must have!

Apple iPod: This is probably one of the most popular Gadgets ever made. iPod was a great player about a year ago however as Steve Jobs refuses to update and include new features to keep up with its competitors it’s popularity is fading by the day. Apple does not offer an FM Radio; it does not have the option of voice recording. iPod plays very limited video formats.

It is still one of the best looking PMP’s available in the market; however lack of features make it less impressive and desirable.

Creative Zen vision W: This is my favorite PMP as far as design and interface goes. Creative Zen Vision W offers almost all the features Archos offers except Video recording from external sources. Its battery life is not as good as Archos and is not compatible with MAC. 

Cowon A2: Cowon A2 is one of the best, stylish and a smart looking PMP’s. Cowon offers smart features like viewing lyrics of the current playing song. I love its designed and easy navigation. It offers the option to set your own wallpaper.  I did browse through the accessories list offered by Cowon for Cowon A2 and did not find as interesting accessories as Archos offers, which means Cowon A2 cannot real time videos and does not offer removalble battery.

Alright that’s enough of writing and reading about PMP’s! Here is my verdict.

1. Archos 604/604 Wifi: 4.5/4.8 respectively (Must Have – Winner)
2. Cowon: 4.3 (Excellent)
3. Creative Zen Vision W: 3.8 (Good)
4. Apple iPod: a pitiful 2.0 (Poor)

I hope it helps the readers in making the right decision and buying the right product.

Good Luck!