- NOTE: For best experience, fully charge your device before turning it on (about 8 hours)
- 160 GB capacity for up to 200 movies, 1.6 million photos, or 95,000 songs
- Up to 39 hours music and 10 hours video playback time on a single charge
- 7-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
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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I have not been more excited to receive a digital toy for many years, and after reading up on the capabilities of the Archos 7 according to Archos, I was eagerly anticipating its arrival. However, after playing with the device for a few days I must say that I am terribly disappointed. Perhaps, given that I have been in the tech industry for over 30 years, I have high standards, but I must say, in that 30 years no device has ever come to me so premature as the new Archos PMP.
I can understand in today's economic environment that companies are cash-strapped, and the desire to have items on the market for the Christmas season. However, Archos has lost me as a customer this device is in no way ready to have been released from their development cycle.
Flash support. Some youtube videos work, though newer formats do not. That said, youtube was the only website from which I was able to view videos. Hulu, Joost, network websites none of their videos would work. Technical support tells me that its a combination of Adobe flash and the Opera web browser that prevents these videos from working. Since I purchased the device primarily for this purpose, it scores a 0 here.
Connectivity. Abysmal. I can detect my wireless network, go to a website and click on another link, and the device can no longer find a wireless network. So, back completely out, reconnect, go to the website. Sometimes wireless connection stays up, but most often the behavior is as above. Another 0.
Email crashed the device every time, I never got it to work with any mail server. 0.
Transfer of movies. Why on earth don't companies that develop hardware devices also bundle software to transfer DVDs to their device? In order to do so, multiple other software packages are necessary, making a very cumbersome process.
How many separate docking stations does one device need? This is clearly a method of Archos making more money from the consumer. It is absolutely ridiculous to have multiple addons that "kind of" serve the same purpose. Massive fail here release one docking station that does it all, charge us for it, and be done with it.
Additional $ for plugins. While I understand that licensing costs must be passed down to customers, Archos should quit nickel and diming consumers to death. Add it to the cost and be done with it. Given that we can purchase fully functioning laptops and netbooks for significantly less money, this device, as it is, is overpriced by a large margin.
Effectively, this device performs at an estimated 15% of its manufacturer's claims. Mine is going to be RMA'ed, and I will be looking at competitive devices. Initially I wanted an iPod Touch, but went with Archos for flash support (that doesn't exist). Maybe Archos will resolve most issues in a few months, and it is possible that I go back to the device once this milestone has reached. That said, at this point in time Archos is high on the list of companies to avoid. I hope they got their needed cash inflow, but in releasing a product altogether too soon, they forgot to understand that the consumer too is cash-strapped, and we are not happy purchasing expensive items that do not live up to company promises.
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I have bought one Archos 605 wifi and two Archos 7's with the DVR Station and they all were sent back. As much as I wanted these media players to work they were just a big let down. I have three other Insignia players that have worked fine for many years. I even bought a new laptop hoping the Archos 7 would sync to the Vista Home Premium Windows media player. The DVR station using the Archos 7 would not sync to my local channel guide. After hours with tech support, which by the way is at least a 30 minute wait on the phone, I was totally unable to get the things working correctly. To add insult to injury, I had purchased the Cinema plug-in for 19.95, which you must have to view most video, and even though I sent the Archos back and showed proof with a confirmation e-mail from Amazon.com, they would not refund the purchase of the plug-in to my credit card! They would be great devices if they did half of what they say they will! I highly advise Amazon to drop Archos from their list of media players. Can I give this product no stars?!
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I have the Archos 7 320 gig. The huge hard disk means I no longer have to worry if all my stuff will fit. I've never yet it's only a month had any problem at all with it web surfing great, unbox works perfectly. They all work just fine. Picture is quite good and the sound level is high enough so you don't need earphones. I've even figured out a way to convert Itunes video. The wifi is neat the other day it asked me if I wanted to upgrade my firmware I said yes and it did so with no connection to anything. Apparently, the battery is removable, but since I haven't seen anything from Archos about this, I haven't tried. It lasts for at least 3 movies, but it takes a while to charge it fully. The touchscreen lets you associate a click with each tap, is easy to use, simple to understand, and really works. Drawbacks it does take fingerprints easily, but not badly enough so that it's more than a minor matter. Actually, the touchscreen really doesn't get at all smeared unless of course you've been eating fried chicken with your hands (the only way to do it.) It's larger and heavier than any music/video player/recorder of which I know, but it fits into the inside pockets of a sports jacket, and the stand means that you don't have to hold it. It's not really portable like an Ipod or a 605, but it's not really made for that kind of portability. All-in-all a 9.5/10. Anyone who's seen it has lusted for it.
Update 3/4/09: finally they are selling saddles for the dvr stations. Before, if you bought a second station, you got no saddle. Only one comes with the Archos 7 itself and none come with the stations. Using a station without a saddle is highly discouraged as it may damage the IMT. The same problem was true of the 605 you had to call Archos and beg them to send you a saddle. With the 7, I called and they very nicely said they would send me one, but never did. Now you can get one for 5 bucks.
I have had my archos 7 for about a year now and it is a pretty sweet toy. i use it for all kinds of stuff but, mainly for media purposes though. This unit with additional plug-ins will play just about anything you throw at it and that includes sound and video. The large screen makes it ideal for movies and the kick stand works well. I posted a video review for this product when i first got it and I think it has surpassed my expectations thus far. I got this to avoid buying an ipod touch and It definitely worked.Archos 7 160 GB Internet Media Tablet
I've already written a review for the original HandStands Sticky Pad, so I won't repeat myself here. I will just add that it's great that HandStands now offers this larger size. I used to have to use two of the smaller Sticky Pads next to each other for larger items like sunglasses. Now I can just use this one. It works exactly the same and just as well; it's just bigger.
