Archos 5 Internet Tablet with Android. My Review

Now that Archos put Android on one of their touchscreen monsters I thought it was worth a look. The Archos 5 Internet Tablet (with Android) comes in 8gb (Radio Shack), 16gb and 32gb flash memory models, as well as 160gb and 500gb hard drive based models. The 500gb model is roughly $500 and a great deal per gigabyte. I don't have any need for that much space so I picked up the 32gb version. The flash memory models are thinner and have a microSD slot for add-on storage.

Dimensions: 143.2 x 78.8 x 10.4mm. Mine weighs 182 grams (6.4 ounces). The Screen is 800 x 480 pixels, 4.8" TFT LCD, 16 million colors. There is a nice little fold-out stand which holds the 5 up at a great viewing angle.

Source: BHPhotoVideo.com. Amazon.com and Newegg.com have them as well. Typically $380 for the 32gb model.

Media play includes:
- Music: MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, OGG, FLAC. Up to 22 hours. Gapless play seems to be there, at least with the MP3 files I've tested. - Video: MPEG-4 HD (up to 720p), MPEG-48 (ASP@L5 AVI, up to DVD resolution), H.264 HD (up to 720p), WMV (MP@ML, up to DVD resolution) including WMV protected files, MKV (up to 720p, 2500kbs, 23fps), M-JPEG (Motion JPEG Video) in QVGA resolution. Up to 7 hours. - Photos: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF- Flash Games
- FM Radio (with RDS). You can find it after tapping on Music. I'd love to have a dedicated icon for it but haven't figured that out yet.

Media Input includes:
- Voice Recording with the built-in microphone.
- Stereo Line-In recording with the optional DVR Station or DVR Snap-on.
- FM radio recording.
- Video Recording with the optional DVR Station or DVR Snap-on.
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Radios:

- Wifi including 802.11b, g, and n.

- Bluetooth for wireless headphones and more. Bluetooth keyboard and mice work too.

- GPS for Navigation and location sensing (Google Maps).

- FM Transmitter.
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Other:

- G-Sensor

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Apps: I'm not going to list or review them here, but you can find a list at Archos.com. Many rely on you subscribing to their associated web sites. Email and contacts are there thankfully. You can also find many more apps and download them directly to the 5 using the AppLib application on the 5. The User Interface: Sensitive and reliable. Some actions take awhile to process and that can make you think the UI is sluggish, but once you are at the Home Menu or within the photo app you'll see there is plenty of horse power for smooth graphics and quick response when it is most important. The body has only three external buttons. Thankfully they included VOLume Up and VOLume Down along with the Power button.
Quality: As a media player this Archos has what it takes. Music, Video, and photos all take advantage of the hardware, sounding and looking great. Using Wifi you can also access shared folders on your home network to find far more than you might have stored locally on the 5. As a pocket computer the 5 is not completely there, but it's got the tools to improve with firmware updates. Support for a bluetooth keyboard and network printer would be all that's needed to eliminate one's need for a notebook PC. The 5 tends to attract fingerprints front and back, but so do most touchscreen devices I've tried. Seams between body halves are a little sharp. The built-in stand is a nice touch and is mounted stiffly enough to be adjusted to variable viewing angles. It will also prop the 5 up on it's right end but the 5's rounded end makes for a teetery perch.
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Conclusion? My Archos 5 is growing on me every day. So far the software has updated itself twice. It now runs on Android 1.5, and version 1.4.25 of the Archos firmware. While pricey, you are getting the largest screen that will still fit into a shirt pocket. There doesn't look to be too much the Archos 5 won't run eventually. It might be an amazing value in a year. At the moment though it is incredible but pricey.
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iriver P7 Dock

If you enjoy watching movies off a 4.3" screen, the iriver P7 is a great little device for you. The hardest part though is holding the blocky player at a good viewing angle. Iriver teased us when first showing off the P7 by showing it with it's own speaker/charging/syncing dock that holds it up at the perfect angle for viewing. You can now buy that dock, and the price is reasonable. You can find it at iriverinc.com ($49.99) or Warehouse123.com ($36). Both include an AC adapter with it now.

The speaker output isn't loud, but fine for your own enjoyment in a quiet space. The headphone jack of the P7 is still accessible and active if you need louder audio. The Dock has a built-in Li-Polymer 2000mAh battery. You can charge your P7 from the dock's battery. You can charge both using the include adapter while the P7 is in the dock and the AC adapter is powering the dock. To charge the dock you need the AC adapter. It will not recharge over USB.

At $36 I find it a great deal. It makes my P7 seem complete.

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Archos 3 Review. An Inexpensive Pocketable Touchscreen from Archos

It's taken awhile to get here, but I finally received my Archos 3 today. I love the red anodized back. Seems to resist fingerprints well. This is a quick look. I may add a deeper review of it's capabilities at a later time. Keep checking back.Dimensions: 95mm (3.75") x 52mm (2.05") x 9mm (.35"), Weight: 63 grams (2.2 ounces). It's smaller and lighter than the iPod Touch.
- 3” Color LCD touch-screen - 400 x 240 pixels
- Battery: 14 hours music, 4 hours video

Includes: ARCHOS 3 Media Player, USB Cable (for charging and file transfer), earphones and user manual.

UI: Very simple. Tap an icon to open the associated app. Tap the bottom target to go back one level. The only confusing thing is the on-screen circle that I assume should be a list navigator. So far I haven't quite figured it out. Far from intuitive. The screen does react quickly to your touch. Volume control is on-screen in each app. There are no external volume buttons, and no way to control volume from the home screen or within the photo app.

Apps:
- Music
-- Formats supported: MP3, WMA (non protected files), WAV, OGG, FLAC
-- Sort by Track, Artist, Album, Genre, Recording, Favorites, or Folder

-- EQ: 5-band manual and 6 presets.
-- Add to Favorites Option

-- Display cover art, Lyrics, frequency spectrum, or nothing.

- Video.
-- Formats supported: WMV, AVI, MPEG 1/2/4, RM, RMVB, FLV

-- Resume from last point watched or play from beginning.
-- output to TV.- Photos
-- Formats supported: JPEG, BMP, GIF
-- Slide Show, with music if you wish.

-- Flick left or right through photos.

-- Zoom in or out.

-- Rotate image clockwise or counter-clockwise.

- FM radio

-- FM record

-- Auto Search

-- Save or delete a station from presets.

-- Set your Region

-- Stereo or Mono.

- File Browser. A simple listing of the files/folder on the 3. Touch and hold for a delete files option.

- Calendar. Display only. No appointments or events.

- Stopwatch. Includes lap time. 100th of a second precision.

- Recorder. From internal microphone or FM radio. WAV format. Stored in the RECORD folder.
- Text: Reads and displays text files (.TXT) & lyrics files (.LRC). Find TXT files using the browser. You can save and load bookmarks. You can also set the font size and color.
- TV Output. No cable included. Nothing to report.

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Summary: Every app has the basic features. Nothing unexpected though. Scrolling through long song lists is difficult. The sound is great, although the included headphones can be thrown out. The backlit LCD screen is old tech, and won't compete with any player that comes with an OLED screen. It serves it's purpose though.

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Conclusions: For under $100, the 8gb Archos 3 is competitive with other players in it's price and capacity range. All the basics are there, but none of the extras like bluetooth, microSD expansion, or even external controls. A better value would be the Samsung P3 at under $150, but including bluetooth, external volume buttons, and a more refined set of applications.

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HTC Hero. My New Phone.

I've had the original Samsung Instinct for a while, and almost every day of that time I've wished it was better in some way. I never was able to get it to access my work email. It doesn't have Wifi. MicroSD card support is limited to 4gb, and the included apps are "barely" better than what you would find on a phone from 2001.

Today was the "official" release date for the HTC Hero, and I was at my local Sprint store when the doors opened to get mine. I've had it for a few hours now, and without looking in a manual did succeed in:

- getting it set up with my home WiFi,

- adding 4 email accounts including gmail, AOL, and one from work,

- downloading and installing two free games from the Android App Store.

- installing a 16gb microSD-HC card in it for access to every song I own.

- pairing it with my favorite stereo bluetooth headphone.

- removing the NFL and Nascar apps I'll never use from the home screen.

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While these tasks were not intuitively easy, they were at least there to stumble through with a good chance of success. The UI is smooth. Touch response is quick where it needs to be, but not always where you want it to be. Build quality is good. The back panel comes off easily to reveal the removable battery and microSD slot.

I've got my Hero charging up, and intend on running all the media apps through their paces. Keep watching for a more in-depth review.

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MintPass MintPad Review

Wifi, Web Browser, Memo Pad, and much much more. That's what you get with the touchscreen MintPass MintPad. It is also possibly the best portable music player you'll ever find. Detailed specs can be found here.
There is no other device like the Mintpass that I know of on the market. Billed as a PDA, with WinCE OS underneath it's skin, it doesn't even come with headphones. Yet copy your highest quality rips to it, plug in the best headphones you own, then sit back to be amazed. There seems to have been considerable effort put into the Mintpad to make it a superb sounding device. I've been greatly enjoying my music off this Mintpad as I write this blog post. They have not exaggerated it's music playback capability.

Source: I picked this one up from JetAudio, Inc via Amazon.com.

Dimensions: 78.3 x 68.8 x 15.3 (mm) or 3.08 x 2.7 x .6 (inches)
Weight: 90g or 3.17oz (Battery included).
Screen: 2.86" (diagonal) color TFT LCD, 262,000 colors, 320 x 240 resolution.

Included: USB Cable, Quick Start Guide, Mintpad and Battery. Self storing Stylus. Supports microSD HC cards up to 16gb (not included). Online User Manual.

Main Apps:

- Memo Pad. Use the included Stylus to write or draw notes to yourself or a friend.- Camera. The 1.3 mega pixel camera will take still photos (up to 1280 x 1024) and (supposedly) video. There is no flash, so as usual you'll get better photos and video in areas with brighter light.

- Schedule. The calendar allows recording appointments, with an optional alarm to remind you about them.

- Name Card. Attach a photo to the name, address, and phone numbers of your contacts.

- Internet. You can use the MintPad's Browser or IE Mobile. Neither is great on the small screen, but they'll do when you have no other option. Internet gets a C+. Better than the web browsing on my Sony X series though.

- Music. MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV APE, FLAC. Name the music control feature you want, and they will have already included it. The only thing it doesn't do is play music tracks gaplessly, as with no audible gaps between consecutive songs. The Now-Playing screen gives you access to nearly all the options. There is an excellent 12 band equalizer with 12 more presets. You also get three User EQ settings to create and choose from. Music gets an A+.

- Videos. WMV, AVI, and MP4 will play. Some need to be rescaled to 320 x 240 though. SMI formatted subtitles also supported. Web streaming of videos is something I haven't figured out yet. The MintPad doesn't come with any addresses, and I can't seem to get any I find on the web to work on it. Instructions are non-existent. Something for a future update to address I hope. Video gets a B.

- Pictures. JPG(except progressive), BMP, and PNG up to 2048 x 2048. There is one double-tap zoom level, and when zoomed it is smooth and easy to pan around the photo. A timed Slide-Show can be set as well. Pictures get an A.

- Recording. Records to a WMA file from the internal microphone. You get to choose quality and duration, and between auto-detect or not. You can also save either to the internal memory or microSD card. Recording gets a B.

- Text Viewer. TXT files only. The G-Sensor work great in this app. Change font and colors. Text Viewer gets an A.

- Chatting. You'll need at least one friend with a MintPad, as this feature uses local adhoc networking to share quick sketches/notes with other MintPads. Can't test so no grade.

- Connect. Your wireless and USB connection settings.

- Settings. Menu, Display, Sound, Time, G-Sensor, Password, Alarm, Smart Button, and Misc Settings.

- Programs. Your access to the underlying Windows Mobile UI and Programs. It appears that you can run any WinCE apps too, although I haven't tried it.

Summary: The web browser(s) are a little touchy. The chatting function is pointless unless you have several friends that own a MintPad. As a portable media player this is a great little device. For music it is excellent. The G-Sensor could be better utilized. A YouTube app would be nice. It'll be nice to see the internet TV option working.
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Conclusion: At $140 This little player is a great value. The 4gb internal memory does seem limited, but access to media on an inserted microSD (HC up to 16gb) card is easy and music is integrated between the two. At almost exactly 3" x 2.5" by 5/8" it is easy to pocket. I'm loving mine. Highly recommended. It's also likely to get better with time and "funware" updates. You can get accessories including silicone and leather cases, replacement batteries, and styli at mintpass.com. I expect to see them eventually at Amazon.com as well. If you are interested in something original that is also fantastic at music playback, this little MintPad may be perfect for you.

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Creative X-Fi2 Review. A Touchscreen Alternative.

Creative has now officially ventured into the Touchscreen Personal Media Player field. This first attempt is their X-Fi2 and comes across tentative. It's as if they are testing the touchscreen waters but not daring to get wet. While the other players role out 3.3" OLED screens with 480 x 272 resolution, this X-Fi 2 offers a smaller LCD screen. Audio Codec support is decent with MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, and FLAC. It should play your iTunes music and iPod videos, so long as they aren't DRM versions.

Dimensions: 4" x 2.2" x 0.5". Weighs 2.6 ounces.

Features:
- 3.0" TFT LCD Touch Screen, 262k colors, 400 x 240 pixels resolution.
- Built-in Speaker on the front face. Surprisingly good sounding compared to speakers on other devices I've tested.
- MicroSD card slot on the top edge. Holds up to 16gb MicroSDHC cards. Media on an inserted card is treated as a seperate database rather than integrated with the media on-board in the same database. You can transfer media directly from the card to the player's memory using an option available on the X-Fi2's MicroSD menu.
- Video/Photo output with $20 accessory cable (not included).

- Headphone/Audio-Video output jack on the right end.

- Standard micro-USB jack on the right end.

- Reset hole on the bottom edge.

- Power/Lock button on the top edge.

- FM Radio

- Alarm, with once/daily/week day/week end settings, and the option to wake to a beep, music, a recorded message, or the FM radio.
- One custom 5-band equalizer setting, as well as 8 EQ presets to choose from.

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My Source: Amazon.com. Even though they claim availability after October 2nd, my device arrived almost two weeks before this post.

Included: Premium ear buds with replacement tips. Short 6" USB cable. Quick Start guide.

Apps:
- Music: MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, FLAC, Audible4. You've got these two screens, one with info over the art and one with just album art, as well as a third screen where you can rate the songs up to 5 stars. The standard display below shows you almost everything you might want to know about the song currently playing, along with the time and battery status. Tap once to bring up shuttle controls and a progress bar. Position in a song can be adjusted by sliding the endpoint along this bar. Sorting music can't be done by folders. There is a great alphabetic search feature though, making it VERY easy to find the song or album you're after.

- X-Fi: Extreme Fidelity. You get two variables to enable and set. Crystalizer and Expand can both be set (using a sliding scale) from low to high and independantly turned ON or OFF. From Creative.com: "The adjustable X-Fi Crystalizer allows you to experience the very essence of music perfection as it intelligently restores detail lost during file compression with just one touch. Take in also the most acoustically natural sound staging in headphone audio available from a media player with the X-Fi Expand technology."

- Videos. WMV9, MPEG4-SP3, DivX3 4/5 and XviD3 Up to 640 x 480 video size. Videos can be stretched to fill the screen in most cases.
- Photos. JPEG, BMP (TIFF, GIF, PNG to be converted with bundled software). Zoom and Rotate included.
- FM Radio, with 32 preset stations
- RSS, Synced from your PC.
- Voice Recorder.
- Clock, Date display, with Alarm.
- Calendar, Appointments synced from your PC.
- Contacts, synced from your PC.
- Tasks, synced from your PC.UI: Orientation is landscape (horizontal) and can't be changed. You have two pages of icons to slide between. Screen response is not sensitive. You've got to plant your finger the wait a fraction of a second to get a reaction. There is no way to re-arrange the icons. The initial "home" page has the expected Music, Videos, Photos, and FM Radio icons. It adds Mic, RSS, X-Fi, and Date options to choose from. Slide to the right page and find System, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, and microSD icons as well. There is room or three more.... perhaps Creative has something in the works for future updates. Quality: Although lightweight and far from ground-breaking in design, the X-Fi2 is well made and well finished. The back has a matte silver paint job that doesn't show fingerprints. The front is what appears to be plastic with only two perforations for speaker and home button. There is a chromed ring around the face for nice finishing detail. The whole device is comfortable in the hand and easy to grip.

Value: The X-Fi2 is available in 8gb, 16gb, and 32gb versions for $130, $180, and $230 respectively. For comparison the Cowon S9 sells for $170, $205, and $280 and the Samsung P3 sells for $150, $200, and $300. The X-Fi2 has no bluetooth. It's screen resolution is less than the other two. Yet it does add a microSD expansion slot and some useful utility apps for it's lower price. I'll rate the Creative X-Fi2 a good value.

Conclusion: Creative has done a thorough job here. The UI isn't as slick or smooth as you'll find on an Ipod Touch or the new Zune HD, but once you get used to it you'll find this player has most of the features you would expect from a high-end pocket media player. The apps are complete.

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