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General discussion

Archos 5 or 7: anyone have one?

Jan 10, 2009 7:17AM PST

I just recently discovered the Archo Internet Media Tablets.

The Archo 7 is the newest and has the least reviews, anywhere. But it fits my needs more than the Archo 5, which has excellent reviews.

Does anyone have one?

How do you like it?

I know they're pricey but it's what I need for my job.

Discussion is locked

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my coworker had an Archos 5
Jan 10, 2009 9:06AM PST

He bought one after hearing that the speaker on the 2nd gen Touch wasn't that great (not loud enough) and hearing that the Archos had a fairly loud speaker. He liked it, but the battery life was horrible and took forever to charge (longer than overnight) via USB. He bought a game pack for it, but was disappointed with the quality of the games. He mainly used it for audio, though. The battery issue was a deal breaker for him and he ended up selling it on eBay and went back to using his 1st generation Touch.

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Curious
Jan 10, 2009 10:07PM PST

Well, that doesn't sound promising. But, having read over 40 reviews of the Archos 5, no one mentioned the low battery life...they mentioned the exact opposite!

Maybe he had a dud. I'll wait to see if anyone else replies to add or subtract from your review. Thanks, though, for passing along your information.

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true, it could have been a dud
Jan 10, 2009 11:48PM PST

And it being a hard drive player with reportedly a faster processor, you can't really expect an exceptionally long battery life. The CNET review said that a firmware update would double battery life for audio and nearly double it for video. But the review hasn't been updated to reflect whether or not this actually beared out in testing.

http://reviews.cnet.com/portable-video-players-pvps/archos-5-60gb/4505-6499_7-33226902.html?tag=mncol;lst

Just wondering if you have seen Attack of the Show's (on G4) take on the Archos 7? Here's a link, if you haven't:

http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/gadgetpr0n/65940/Archos-7-Internet-Media-Tablet-Review.html

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Thank you! Thank YOU!
Jan 11, 2009 2:48AM PST

Ktreb: YOUR reply back is the BEST thing that's happened to me today, after shoveling 15" of snow off of my car, the house, the front and back gardens, etc.

Thanks so much for responding back to me. the link that you provided for the previously unknown to me G4TV was all that I needed to know to order the Archos 7 from the manufacturer.

I've had "duds" with everything: cell phones, computers, e-books and none of the companies I've dealt with have ever had a problem replacing them. Your friend should have had a bit more patience but then, maybe he was on the fence about the Archos the entire time and this gave him the excuse to ditch it.

See, I'm a landscape architect and I've been using my small SONY to drag to clients homes to show them pictures of my landscapes. But, a lot of times, I'm going to "raw" job sites where there's no electric or wi-fi so I can't use any computer.

I never know just what a client wants to see, so having a pretty book for them to look at means nothing; we're talking about $250,000 land scapes, so if they want to see it ALL, I need to show them what my firm does.

With the Archos 7, the screen is the actual size of a 4 x 6 photo and I can have various folders ready for viewing, depending on my preliminary interview of them. Also, it doesn't require wi-fi OR electricity to operate the slide shows, so that's the way I'm planning on going.

Thanks again for both links but especially the G4TV one; I've got them bookmarked as I've never heard of them.

People like YOU are the reason why I've joined cnet.com so many years ago.

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your welcome
Jan 11, 2009 10:04AM PST

I thought the same thing myself of my coworker's problem. He ended up selling it on eBay for more than he paid for it on Amazon. He realized after he got it that it was more than he really needed. And it being a hard drive player was heavier than he wanted. He just wanted something to play his podcasts (which he already had). I actually was the one that suggested the Archos 5 to him when he had told me he wanted a louder on board speaker. I was trying to steer him away from 2nd gen Touch (which I do own) because the speaker is not so loud.

As for the Archos 7 video, I came across it because I subscribe to the Gadget Pr0n podcast, which is a segment from Attack of the Show. I like gadgets, so I like to listen/watch gadget oriented podcasts. I also listen to the MP3 Insider podcast here on CNET.

I hope everything works out with the Archos 7. It looks like an amazing device. It's a little too big for me, but given what you just told me, would be perfect for your work. I was about to suggest a wall charger, but from the specs it looks like one comes with it.

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Archos 5/7
Jan 11, 2009 9:35AM PST

I bought an 120gb Archos 5 for the holidays and it is the best overall media player/internet tablet out of all the ones out right now, in my opininion. The interface is clean and customizable and the internet speeds are nearly as fast as a laptop. However, some things don't work well, like the pdf reader is amazingly slow and it needs to reload a page even if you've already viewed it.

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Thanks for the additional info
Jan 11, 2009 12:16PM PST

I know it's silly, by most people's standards, to buy this expensive gadget for the primary use of showcasing photos but if I get ONE job using the Archo 7 to sell a landscape, it will have paid for itself.

(SEE QUESTION AT BOTTOM OF POST! I DON'T WANT IT TO GET LOST, PLEASE!)

What I'm trying to say is, with all the other features that the Internet Media Tablet supposedly has, if it reads pdf files slowly, then that's okay by me. I appreciate your telling me this. I haven't ordered the Archos yet; I need a client check to clear my bank. And although I'm using it primarily to sell landscapes, ANYTHING that works well on this machine will be gravy on my mash potatoes!

I'm not discounting what you said and it's valuable information. After I get used to the thing, once I order it, it will be fun to see how the other features pan out. I surely don't need the music storing feature since I love my Zune and have all my music stored on that, but the DVR, video and internet will be fun to explore.

Now, here's my question to anyone who cares to answer: The Archos website sells "refurbished" Archos 7's for $200 cheaper than brand new. I'm a big fan of used cars and have NEVER been burnt but "refurbished" personal electronics....I don't know. What do YOU guys think: buy refurbished and save $200.00 bucks or just bite the bullet and buy it new?

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refurb vs. new
Jan 12, 2009 3:20AM PST

I would suggest buying new if you're using it for business. Refurbished items usually work fine, but they are more likely to break and might have a little nick or two on the bezel. I don't know if they offer warranties with the refurbished archos, but if they don't it's another nonplus.

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It was great while it lasted
Jan 11, 2009 5:14PM PST

I had an Archos 5- But after 2 weeks of slight use it stopped working. So I brought it back and picked up another Zune. Why don't you just carry a photo album around. Anyhoo, good luck.

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Isn't that illegal?
Jan 11, 2009 8:29PM PST

Say WHAT? You mentioned the "discouraged/forbidden/analog" PHOTO ALBUM!!!!!???? On a Tech site????!!!! For shame! <(just kidding about all of that.)

Well, before cell phones and digital cameras and iPods, about 10 years ago I did carry a photo album with me. Even then, it didn't fit the bill. No matter WHAT photos I brought along, my whiney/petulant clients would ask "Do you have any photos of _________"??? So, in 2002, when I got my little Sony laptop, I thought that that problem would be solved. And it was, for the most part, with a 90% success rate.

But, skip ahead to 2008/2009 when EVERY client has a 1)Blackberry; 2) 51" Plasma TV; 3)has grown up on Powerpoint presentations at work, and suddenly, just carrying a clunky computer or ~gasp~ a photo album just doesn't cut it.

I'm increasingly meeting customers at "raw" job sites: no electric, no wi-fi, just a hole in the ground. Standing in the shade of a tree, in hopes of us being able to see the computer screen, and worrying my butt off that they won't drop my laptop is just too bothersome and worrisome.

That's why I want/need a sophisticated e-photo album that can hold several 1000 photos, with NO need to put in a CD or a Memory Stick or hook up to a network.

I realize that my needs are pretty unusual, compared to other people who sit in an office but that's why I love my job/career...it involves NO office...just the Great Outdoors!

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archos 7 on 1saleaday.com
Aug 15, 2009 7:58AM PDT

You can get a refurb for $200 at 1saleaday.com - but better hurry, 'cause sale changes every day at midnight.