Archos 5 250 GB Internet Media TabletArchos 5 250 GB Internet Media Tablet
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- NOTE: For best experience, fully charge your device before turning it on (about 8 hours)
- 250 GB capacity for up to 300 movies, 2.5 million photos, or 145,000 songs
- Up to 22 hours music and 7 hours video playback time on a single charge
- 4.8-inch TFT LCD touchscreen; 800 x 480 pixel resolution; 16 million colors
- Video support: MPEG-4, WMV, and M-JPEG; Audio support: MP3, WMA, Protected WMA, WMA pro 5.1, WAV; plug-ins available for further video and audio format support
 Enjoy Internet, media, and TV in a handheld device with a 5-inch touchscreen. Click to enlarge. |
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| (Click on image below to change view.) Buy or rent media from the Archos Media Club, surf the Web, and enjoy your music, photos, and videos anywhere, anytime. |
 Ultra-slim at just half an inch deep. Click to enlarge. |
Uncompromised Web Surfing in the Palm of Your Hand
With an 800-pixels-wide resolution and a 5-inch screen, you can browse the Web just as you would on your PC. No need to zoom in and out, as web pages are fully displayed on the Archos screen. Plus, with Adobe Flash 9 video support, you can natively browse video-sharing websites, such as Dailymotion or YouTube. The Archos IMTs boast enough processing power to surf the Web on the go, just like you were doing it with your laptop. No more endless waiting for the page to load; just grab your Archos 5 and check the latest news right away. Your PC wouldn't have finished booting up by the time you've put the Archos back in your pocket. Once connected to a Wi-Fi or 3.5G network, the included email software allows you to check your email accounts (compatible with POP/IMAP) whenever you want. See the number of awaiting emails right on the Archos 5 home screen, answer back, or share attachments with anyone (only compatible formats). Stay in touch while on the go.
Download hundreds of useful and fun widget applications and then put your favorite ones on the Archos home screen. Check the weather before leaving for work, or see the latest sports results without having to start a new application. In less than three clicks, you can access nearly 1,000 Web TV channels, more than 10,000 Web radio stations, and 100,000-plus podcasts. There's no downloading wait time. Radio and TV start streaming right away from a worldwide list of traditional and independent radio and TV stations.
Your Digital Library in a Thin Handheld Tablet
The Archos Media Club remains the easiest way to get video and music content on the go. With an even richer library featuring new partners and the biggest industry players, the Media Club lets you discover a large library of movies, documentaries, music, and games. Buy or rent your entertainment in a couple of clicks and start watching it on your Archos 5. Enjoy a great multimedia experience on the go with a high-resolution 5-inch touchscreen right in your hands. Enjoy your favorite videos, browse through your photos with a simple flick of your finger, or play a slideshow of your last vacation.
Plus, you can store your entire CD collection comfortably on your Archos device--there's plenty of room. Rediscover songs left aside for months, or show your friends your latest discoveries. The unique Archos music browsing system allows you to create your playlists without using a PC, and the displayed album covers complete the experience.
Don't get bored on your commute. For a little fun before getting to work or whenever you have a little time to kill, grab your Archos and enjoy some poker, Sudoku, or a round of golf. Premium games can be purchased directly from the tablet or at www.archos.com, or find Flash-based games downloadable for free on the Web.
When you're at home and want to watch a movie or listen to music stored on your PC, just browse the device's hard drive wirelessly and play it without transferring the file. Just stream it via your Wi-Fi network and enjoy it on your Archos.
Experience the Best TV at Home or on the Go
With the optional DVR Station, you have the perfect match for your Archos 5 at home and on the go. Schedule and record TV shows and movies in one step with the included remote control. Just locate the TV show on the program guide grid, and you'll have a recording to enjoy at home on your widescreen TV or in the palm of your hand. The DVR Station also will turn your TV into a real multimedia platform connected to the Web. Enjoy all the Archos functions on the big screen in your living room. Watch your movies in HD, listen to your music, share your high-resolution pictures, play games, or surf the Web.
| Plug-ins: Add even more capabilities to your Archos 5 Free with registration: |
 Web browser: Open up your Archos device to the full power of the Internet with a full-fledged Internet browser. Surf the Web via the Opera web browser with Adobe Flash 9 video support. |
 Web TV & Radio: Receive via the Internet nearly 1,000 Web TV channels and more than 10,000 Web radio stations. Select your stations by popularity, genre, country, etc. from the Archos video and audio browsers. |
 TV Program Guide: Easily schedule your recordings with the TV Program guide embedded in the tablet. A couple of clicks are enough to check the scheduler, get instant information about the program selected, and schedule the recording. |
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Technology Meets Design
The Archos 5 features a comfortable, clear widescreen that'll earn a few looks over your shoulder. The touchscreen technology ensures the most instinctive and direct way to access your movies, view your pictures, listen to your music, or browse the Web. The new graphical interface has been designed for total touch control. Reach the main functions with a tap, return at any moment to the home screen, and use the search function to access your files right away. Add shortcuts to your favorite files and display them directly on the Archos home screen for quick access. You also can bring your home screen to life with the new animated wallpapers.
This Archos 5 gives you 250 GB of storage for up to 300 movies, 2.5 million photos, or 145,000 songs--and the processing power to handle them. Enjoy blazing speed with the ARM Cortex superscalar microprocessor.
Add-ons--Enhance Your Archos 5
- DVR Station
Record TV, play video back to your TV, and charge your Archos device via the DVR Station. With the included TV Program Guide, scheduling and recording from your satellite receiver, cable box, Digital TV adapter has never been so easy. You also can surf the Web or stream web video to your TV while comfortably laid back on your couch using the included remote control as a keyboard and mouse pointer. - DVR Snap-on
Record from most any audio or video analog source on the move with the DVR Snap-on, a small device that's no bigger than a pack of gum. - Mini Dock
Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players with the Mini Dock. Quickly charge your Archos with the included charger/adapter. Play video out to your TV with video output in high quality S-Video or standard quality composite. - Battery Dock
Benefit from all the great features of the Mini Dock and get extended playback with the built-in backup battery. - Helmet Cam
Turn your Archos into a hands-free digital camcorder with the Helmet Cam, perfect for sports and family fun. - FM Remote
A built-in FM receiver and microphone on the FM Remote let you listen to radio anywhere or make voice recordings. - Protective Cases
Protect your Archos and show your style with a protective case. - GPS Car Holder
Turn your Archos 5 into a high-end GPS with the GPS In-Car Holder. - TV Snap-on (Available by end of 2008)
Watch live digital TV right on your Archos, record, and enjoy the time-shifting function.
What's in the Box
Archos 5 250 GB Internet Media Tablet, headphones, Archos USB cable, DVR Station adapter (DVR Station is sold separately), screen cleaning cloth, quick start guide, legal and safety notice.
- Electronics: 0 pages
- Platforms: Mac, Windows
- Publisher: Archos
- Label: Archos
- Format: CD
- Studio: Archos
- Average Customer Review: based on 238 reviews
- Sales Rank in Electronics: #2742
At first, the Archos, to me, seemed like too much. I don't really have an interest in the video feature and have a general bias against touch screen devices because I think they're automatically more prone to damage and general breakage than something with buttons.
But then I really got into it. I was able to upload all of the music that I had sitting around in mp3 format, including all of the stuff that my previous mp3 player couldn't hold. When uploading, I discovered one of the Archos' big, initial issues: the initial battery charge. When you're uploading, you're actually using more battery than the little USB can take in to recharge so, you'll get weird messages on your computer and, at times, your Archos will just outright turn itself off. This is obnoxious, and it caused some sort of data corruption where I now have a couple of folders on the device that I cannot delete. I thought my device was messed up when this first happened, but I found stuff online documenting the same issue, so I just take it as a device flaw. Lesson: charge it up fully before you try to upload anything.
A couple of things that I love about this thing: the disk space and the web radio feature. It not only scans those mostly awful internet radio stations, but also the usually great, independent over-the-air stations around the world that have streams. Most of the time, when I'm at home, I find myself just plugging in the local community radio here (KXCI), WBER in Rochester, WCSB in Cleveland, WSPN in New York, KCRW in LA, KEXP in Seattle, or one of the other great, independent radio stations that are out there. It's really nice to have them in one, easy to access list, and you can also add them to your "Favorites" so that they're even easier to access.
Now, let's talk issues.
I mentioned the battery life above and that comes up again and again. The wifi feature, whether used with the web radio, internet browser or anything else, sucks it up at a really surprising pace. If it's not plugged in, you're looking at, maybe, 1-2 hours of battery life, and that's if fully charged already. Luckily, the wifi does NOT use more battery than the charge can take in, so it won't die if you use it too long.
Then there's the "standby" issue. If you leave your device unplugged and inactive, it goes to a standby mode where it requires the "On" switch to be pushed when you want to access it again. Fine. Problem is, the whole time it's in that standby mode, it's using a surprising amount of battery. If you leave it unplugged in that standby mode overnight, it will be down to about 1 bar on the battery, or even right above dead.
Now, you can avoid this by actually turning the device off. Strangely, this isn't as intuitive as you'd expect. To do this, you have go into "Tools," then "Settings," then "Power," and only then you'll see a "Device Power Off" button that you can use. When completely turned off using that button, the device uses 0 battery and really does not take much longer to start up than if it were on just standby. Now, there is the power button on the side, but that's really only for hard resets and, just knowing how doing that on a computer can damage it, I don't like to use it. It will also turn back on when you do that sometimes.
The most obnoxious issue by far though is the hard drive delay. When listening to music, it often doesn't buffer the next track. When you hit the next track, the hard drive is often on standby and has to spin up (you can hear it doing this). I'd say 1 out of 20 times, it doesn't spin up fast enough, and you get a "File is corrupted" error on the screen. This requires you to push the "OK" button to the error, then restart the music. You can just play the same track and it will work (unless it really is corrupted), but it's really annoying, especially if you're in the car and can't look at it to navigate the touch screen.
The proprietary plugs are a little annoying. It comes with a single USB plug. I just happened to have both a car USB charger and a wall outlet USB charger, so I just use those as opposed to purchasing the Archos stuff. I did lose my car one (left it in a rental), so I had to buy a new one and paid $20 for it. Excessive, but less excessive than what the Archos store charges for the stuff. The down-side to that is that, of course, you only have one plug and, if you ever lose that, you're screwed.
All in all, I think it's a good device. I would say that it's not of tremendous quality, and that comes through when you start using it. It's cheaper than comparable products by quite a bit though, so you have to expect that.
You do *not* want to put it in a pocket of any kind, despite what other reviewers might suggest and regardless of whether or not you put it in a protective shell. I had it in a coat pocket & bumped it getting into a car. Crunch... touch screen was toast, and this two weeks after purchasing it.
It turns out that not only is the touch screen delicate, there are no available replacement screens for it, no warrenty coverage on the screen, no local place to buy parts for it.
Great idea, lovely screen, very easy to use, but it is now an overpriced detachable hard drive.
If you DO buy it, treat it like a small portable *fragile* pc.
The device would benefit from a hardshell/screen cover that protects from any pressure when not in use.