The boys at CG just returned from an Archos event to bring you the latest PMP goodness. The line-up starts with the 105, but today we are giving you a brief hands on with the Archos 405, 605, and the new Apple TV competitor… TV plus.
The 605 comes standard with all the nifty features you’d expect in a next gen Archos device…
– WiFi
– Capacities of 4 ($230) , 30 ($300) , and 160 ($400) gigs
– 800 x 480 resolution 4.3 inch touch screen
– PDF viewer
– Plugins (Opera browser, additional codecs)
– Video recording via included DVR station at VGA res (640×480)
– HD 720p video playback! (plugin – extra $20)
– Plays flash content like YouTube (plugin – extra $20)
After playing with the 605 for a while we learned that the interface was quite intuitive and very responsive. The usual tactile buttons replace the touchscreen should you ever decide to indulge in a bag of Cheetos. Its ability to play YouTube videos smoothly blew us away as this is a new feature to mobile devices.
The plugin system was an impressive addition which allows the playback of more video and audio formats, surfing the web, and even HD video. Plugins cost $20 each but the one time fee is definitely worth it.
Video playback was incredibly smooth.
The DVR dock is included and can be combined with an optional QWERTY remote which allows effortless web surfing and media viewing on your TV.
The little brother of the 605 has the same general features but omits the wifi, touch screen, a few pixels, and some storage to knock the price down to just under $170.
It comes in a 2gb capacity but has SD expansion of up to 16gb
And yes, we realize it is labeled as the 305.
The TV Plus, an obvious competitor for the Apple TV, also uses the QWERTY remote for
– DVR
– HDMI
– WiFi, Ethernet (streaming)
– External storage
Big thanks to John Biggs for volunteering to be our lovely hand model!