Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder (20GB)

Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder
Following on the heels of the successful Gmini 402, Archos's Gmini 402 Camcorder is now available in the United States. It is essentially a Gmini 402, except that it includes a built-in 1.2-megapixel camera, giving it the ability to capture stills and video--something that most other portable media devices cannot do. The Gmini 402 Camcorder, which is distinguishable by both the lens on its backside and its red-orange accents, is available with 20GB of storage for $370, about $120 more than the noncamera Gmini 402.

Upside: Like the Gmini 402, the Camcorder measures a sleek 4.1 by 2.3 by 0.7 inches and weighs 6.6 ounces. Despite the smallish 2.2-inch color screen (220x176 pixels, 262,000 colors), it's an ideal size for a portable media gadget and feels more like a dedicated MP3 player than a portable video player. In addition to playing MP3, protected WMA (including subscription content), and WAV audio files, the unit can display JPEG and BMP photos and play back MPEG-4 and protected WMV files. And this puppy sounds excellent.

The Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder lets you consume and create media. The 1.2-megapixel camera won't win any awards for quality, but shots are decent and usable. There are four video-resolution modes that give you a maximum of 50 hours of recording at the lowest resolution. And you can capture your voice or line-in recordings in WAV. We've always loved the colorful and bustling Archos interface--it includes album art, on-the-go playlists, and an active playback screen. The controllers, which include three soft keys that correspond to options on the screen, are intuitive and tactile. The USB 2.0 Camcorder can also act as a USB host, so transferring photos from another digital camera is no hassle. Finally, the player includes some decent lo-fi games that run on the Mophun engine.

Downside: We've spent a lot of time with the old Archos Gmini 402, and we do see room for improvement. We'd love to be able to multitask--that is, view photos while listening to music. We'd also like better audio battery life, as it's rated for 10 hours; ironically, the 4-hour rating for video is decent. Some sort of a kickstand to prop it up during video sessions, as well as better sound-enhancement options, would also be welcome additions. Although the Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder can record video, you can't hook it up to a TV and record like you can on the bigger AV500. The Camcorder is tiny, so you can't criticize its screen size too much, but it's noticeably smaller than those of many of its siblings. Also, while the camera has a zoom function, it's a 2X digital zoom. The Gmini 402 is actually a decent deal nowadays at $250, while the Gmini 402 Camcorder is set at a premium $360 price--we'd love to see a 30GB version at that price. Finally, even though most fans of portable video players are willing to convert their video to a compatible format, it's definitely not as easy as going to an online movie store and purchasing content that plays as immediately as you can with the iPod. All Windows-compatible players need more legal sources for video content.

Bottom line: We've always liked the Archos Gmini 402 for its pocketable size, and now the Camcorder makes this agreeable form factor an even more delectable prize. Despite a small screen and subpar battery life, the Archos Gmini 402 Camcorder gives you the most features of any device in the iPod-size division and certainly makes a fine, albeit more pricey, alternative to the current MP3 champ.