iPod touch Where Apple's Touch won't go....

[4DThinker]

Archos will. With several threads in this forum debating what a new iPod Touch should have, it looks like Archos has been reading up. The linked to new touchscreen media player from Archos has wifi, a 3G option, HDMI output, and the assorted mandatory media players/viewers.

I'd buy one if it wasn't so big.

Just thought you'd like to know.

 

[sandman42]

I don't know -- could be a hit, but I have my doubts. You can always pile on more features and make devices more capable, but also bigger and more complicated (and busier looking). Apple seems to have an uncanny ability to strike the balance between features and style, maximizing plain ol' overall appeal -- I think that's why the iPod took off leaving other, feature-comparable MP3 players in the dust. It's like when people say the iPhone, "doesn't do anything other smart phones don't do", but what they're not accounting for is how great the overall experience is. That's where Apple excels. The court of public opinion will eventually tell us, though...

 

[CSIrules]

The archos may have the advantage in features and capabilities but ultimately its brand loyalty and placement that will decide. I mean, how many people have actually even heard of archos, yet alone considered it? Maybe 5-10%, and besides, does Archos have the app store?

 

[MasterNile]

It's interesting, but the battery life on it is worse than the touch, and also you're comparing it to the current touch (of course, no one knows what the new one will have) but I say before we do too much comparing we wait till the end of september and see what the updated touch has. Also it has an internal hard drive, which always puts me off a little just like the ipod classic. Oh...and it weighs more than twice as much as the touch.

 

[4DThinker]

I wasn't comparing it to the current touch, but rather to what might be the next Touch. There have been several threads here with heated debates on what may or may not, will or will not, be on the next Touch. Most insist a Touch will never have 3G for everywhere data access, and that may be true. But thinking it's not a good idea for a media player (steals sales from iPhone, becomes an iPhone:get an iPhone instead, etc.) is obviously something Archos disagrees with.

Time will tell if it becomes a hot item. Clearly Apple rules the market, and can rest on their cult followers devotion if they want. I posted this simply because it's interesting (to me, anyway) to see what else is out there that compares to the Touch.

 

[QCassidy352]

expensive as hell. also, far bigger than a touch, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, but certainly makes it target something of a different market.

 

[scotty96LSC]

I'd like to get an idea just how big this device is. Sure it may have some nice features but how practical is it?

 

[4DThinker]

With a 5" diagonal screen, and 16:9 ratio, the screen itself would be roughly 2.4" x 4.36". Add a small bezel around it and the final dimension is probably 4.75" x 2.8"
, and I believe I saw a thickness of 12mm somewhere.

Aha! THIS page has the dimensions. A larger hard drive gets you a thicker device. They size the 5 at 5" x 3", the same size as a typical file card.

 

[bloodycape]

The archos may have the advantage in features and capabilities but ultimately its brand loyalty and placement that will decide. I mean, how many people have actually even heard of archos, yet alone considered it? Maybe 5-10%, and besides, does Archos have the app store?

Back in 2004 when I was looking for an mp3 the Archos line caught my eye because it similar to a PDA as in it had wifi, touch screen, video support, and even video recording capabilities. I didn't even look at apple, and started to look other similar devices at a lower price. I played around with the Archos at best buy, sharper image, compusa(when there was on on my state) and wal-mart. Needless at that time in 2004-2005 the were being sold in store at many of these stores. I do know that I have played with the 05 series at Office Depot, Costco, and Circuit City. Is that enough stores and locations for you?

Needless to say a few months later I went with Cowon pmp as it offered way better sound than Archos(or most other mp3) with a 10hour video life. Still want to get an archos, but the fact that their sq is no better than my moded Nano(which i got back in 2007 and finished a while back). Then again Cowon Q5w have been out for a while that has the same specs + GPSm, BT, and better sound.

 

[4DThinker]

Even the Chinese are starting to catch on to what makes the Touch so cool. This new Ramos iMovie (great name, eh?) with 4.3" screen is also thin. Something the Cowon and Archos still struggle with.

 

[bloodycape]

Even the Chinese are starting to catch on to what makes the Touch so cool. This new Ramos iMovie (great name, eh?) with 4.3" screen is also thin. Something the Cowon and Archos still struggle with.

I think you have to remember the Cowon and the Archos are HD device(at least their PMP models) and this is a flash device. Not to mention the Cowon includes fm radio and built in voice and video recorder. I know the Archos is using a 2.5in hd(hence the 180gb before the other and 250gb hd) and the Cowon is like a 1.8in hd on the larger size or something.

 

[4DThinker]

I think you have to remember the Cowon and the Archos are HD device(at least their PMP models) and this is a flash device. Not to mention the Cowon includes fm radio and built in voice and video recorder. I know the Archos is using a 2.5in hd(hence the 180gb before the other and 250gb hd) and the Cowon is like a 1.8in hd on the larger size or something.

Yes, I know the Ramos is flash. As such it compares more with the Touch than the hard drive models do. One nice thing about it is up to 32gb on board, and a microSD slot for more. It also has FM/FM recording, as well as voice recording I believe. It generally takes a hard drive based models for video recording although my ancient Mustek player could do it to SD cards.