Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player w/ WIFI (160GB) $269.99 Shipped

[Taken Aback]

I know this is a bit bigger, but is it that much better than playing movies off a memory stick on a PSP?

[Idunnomyname]

I have had several archos products - The original AV140, then the 420, then the PMA briefly, which I returned for the AV500 and finally the 605 Wifi. All these products made me, as a tech geek, salivate. I was willing to overlook a lot of the imperfections - buggy software, hanging hardware, NO CUSTOMER SUPPORT, lack of firmware upgrades on the 366th day and the new nickel-and-dime approach to accessories (and how none of the previous gen accessories are compatible with the newer versions). With each successive product I told myself this one is the one, the technology is better, their presence in North America is bigger and their "fan" base has increased. They won't let me down again.

However, after giving Archos the benefit of the doubt every time I can officially say I am done with them. They are not worth the hassle or the expense. They have big ideas but the implementation is always off and frustratingly so. Just one example, as a 605 user I purchased the DVR add-on for about $100 (Note: this functionality used to be part of the hardware, but they decided to make the recording an accessorial charge at an additional fee). The cradle includes a programming service that makes it easy to schedule recordings (this was great, and was missing from all the prior versions of the Archos lineup). Unfortunately, on the 366th day your programming service expires and you have to pay to continue it. BUT even if you wanted to pay for it, you can't, since Archos stopped issuing software upgrades there is no way to renew the subscription service. So now I have a $100 DVR accessory and no way of using it properly. Thanks Archos! If you don't believe me, read it here [archosfans.com] It's issues like these that typify the Archos experience. They almost get it right, but then you are left out in the cold.

I wish Cowon would put more into their PVP lineup (a remote would be all I want) and offer something to compete with the 7" version from Archos.

Sorry for my rant, just wanted to warn people. If you have any questions please let me know.

[musicpirate]

Quote from Gameross : Go check archosfan.com, you may want to avoid any of their products. For a site with the word FAN in it, there's a lot of unhappy people. Archos is finally going to bail on their proprietary enviroment and go with Googles new OS which is why these are being clearanced out.

Actually if you'd have researched at all. You'd have found out that this model is over a year old and a newer model have been released since this one (The Archos7).
That's why it's cheap.

[musicpirate]

Quote from Idunnomyname : I have had several archos products - The original AV140, then the 420, then the PMA briefly, which I returned for the AV500 and finally the 605 Wifi. All these products made me, as a tech geek, salivate. I was willing to overlook a lot of the imperfections - buggy software, hanging hardware, NO CUSTOMER SUPPORT, lack of firmware upgrades on the 366th day and the new nickel-and-dime approach to accessories (and how none of the previous gen accessories are compatible with the newer versions). With each successive product I told myself this one is the one, the technology is better, their presence in North America is bigger and their "fan" base has increased. They won't let me down again. However, after giving Archos the benefit of the doubt every time I can officially say I am done with them. They are not worth the hassle or the expense. They have big ideas but the implementation is always off and frustratingly so. Just one example, as a 605 user I purchased the DVR add-on for about $100 (Note: this functionality used to be part of the hardware, but they decided to make the recording an accessorial charge at an additional fee). The cradle includes a programming service that makes it easy to schedule recordings (this was great, and was missing from all the prior versions of the Archos lineup). Unfortunately, on the 366th day your programming service expires and you have to pay to continue it. BUT even if you wanted to pay for it, you can't, since Archos stopped issuing software upgrades there is no way to renew the subscription service. So now I have a $100 DVR accessory and no way of using it properly. Thanks Archos! If you don't believe me, read it here [archosfans.com] It's issues like these that typify the Archos experience. They almost get it right, but then you are left out in the cold. I wish Cowon would put more into their PVP lineup (a remote would be all I want) and offer something to compete with the 7" version from Archos. Sorry for my rant, just wanted to warn people. If you have any questions please let me know.

Archos releases the accessories to lower the cost of the base unit. Does Apple include all the accessories for the ipod in the box? No if you need the function the accessory provides, you buy it.

But I won't defend Archos's customer support it's bad. But I recently had bad experiences with Paypal, eBay, Barns and Noble and Hughesnet. Customer support doesn't exist anymore.

In terms of firmware updates and buggy firmware. My niece has a video ipod and she absolute hates. It doesn't transfer all the music she wants on it. and then it gets really sluggy. and crashes. Apple has yet to fix those bugs after a few years.

Company's aren't going to support a product for more then a year. Because they come out with a new model every year. Most company's are like that.

And if you read the last post in that thread you sent. Curly says:
I renewed my Program Guide with tvtv but I had to login to their website with details that you can find when you've logged into the Archos site under Product Services/Update. I paid something like £15 and within minutes it was working again.

Be sure to update your viewing preferences otherwise your updates may not affect all the channels shown on archos.

[Idunnomyname]

Quote from musicpirate : Quote : Archos releases the accessories to lower the cost of the base unit. Does Apple include all the accessories for the ipod in the box? No if you need the function the accessory provides, you buy it. That is bull. The base unit has the functionality, it is just disabled without the accessory dock. Also, just because Apple is a ripoff doesn't mean Archos isn't. The comparable A3 from Cowon has recording functionality built in. All of the previous Archos devised had recording built in as well. Quote : But I won't defend Archos's customer support it's bad. But I recently had bad experiences with Paypal, eBay, Barns and Noble and Hughesnet. Customer support doesn't exist anymore. Their lack of customer support is legendary. Browse through the forums. Quote : In terms of firmware updates and buggy firmware. My niece has a video ipod and she absolute hates. It doesn't transfer all the music she wants on it. and then it gets really sluggy. and crashes. Apple has yet to fix those bugs after a few years. Again, just because Apple isn't good doesn't excuse Archos. Quote : Company's aren't going to support a product for more then a year. Because they come out with a new model every year. Most company's are like that. That's not true. Cowon and Microsoft support their products beyond year 1. Also at least Apple's products have some backwards functionality. With Archos, if you buy a product this year it won't be compatible with the accessory that comes out next year and vice versa. Quote : And if you read the last post in that thread you sent. Curly says: I renewed my Program Guide with tvtv but I had to login to their website with details that you can find when you've logged into the Archos site under Product Services/Update. I paid something like £15 and within minutes it was working again. Be sure to update your viewing preferences otherwise your updates may not affect all the channels shown on archos.

This is hit or miss, though I do stand corrected.

Again, I'm not saying the device itself isn't tantalizing. I'm just trying to share my experiences with Archos products as a whole.

[kRaYzIeG]

I own a Archos 5 (120GB) and it's really nice. I would upgrade to the 5 instead of this junk. It's like a little pc on the go.

[elBradford]

It's an Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player WITH WIFI?!?!?!?!

[nsfw]

Quote from elBradford : It's an Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player WITH WIFI?!?!?!?!

Isn't it better just to get a Dell Mini 9 for a similar price? You open up the possibility to use whatever codec you want, browser you want. At 7" you almost cross the line of DAP and into netbook.

[Bargainfinder]

Apple may be overpriced, but their products are way more polished and ahead of the game.

With an Ipod touch you can browse with Safari, download thousands of apps, and much, much more. If you can Jailbreak it, your options are virtually limitless, you can put on emulators of all different platforms, and you can put on VLC player which plays almost every video format. The only limitation is 32gb, which for me is more than enough. (Apple will probably expand it to 64 or 128 in the near future).

Developers are developing and will continue to develop for the Iphone/Ipod platform, nobody gives 2 shi%s about Archos.

This has been discussed over and over again. The fact remains that Apple remains WAY ahead of the game, their Ipod has risen to power the same way Microsoft did back in the 80's, developers have chosen to go with their platform, thus giving them the monopoly.

[Taken Aback]

They're latecomers to the party though. If Apple had got in earlier, they might have true PVPs now rather than adding video capabilities to a MP3 player platform.