Since a gal can’t have enough stupid electronic toys (shaddap, pervs 
) I’ve been looking at the iTouch , but the Archos hard drive version seems bigger, better, but has anyone used their products before? Is it the Curtis of the new age? Having to buy the browser separately certainly bites. Dope me, people.
If you’re looking at the iWhatever, I think the classic iPod would be a better choice than the iTouch. Much bigger hard drive and an interface you can actually feel. Link is bad for me for the Archos.
Sorry 'bout the link- this doodad. The regular video Ipods don’t have wifi, so not interested. The Archos have 30gb-80gb, plus wifi, a SD card slot-good stuff. Bad stuff-proprietary cables, have to buy the browser for $30, weighs 2x what the iTouch does. Since my whole mp3 collection is less than 16gb, I don’t have to be a total size queen.
As I understand it, the Archos will play videos in codecs people actually use, which is something Apple refuses to learn. Because they refuse to let you put third party apps on their gadgets, you’re restricted to using their piddly insignificant video formats that literally almost no one trades.
I have an iPod, but I never considered it a video player, even though it can.
Archos makes a fabulous MP3 player. I’ve had one for 2 years now. The TV DVR pod that comes with some of their players is killer. I’m not sure if there’s an iTouch equivalent, but the TV pod for the Archos allows you to use the unit as a DVR as well, with full scheduling/recording capabilities.
Plus, the screen is fantastic.
Overall quality and durability is good, then? Do you have a video version? Can you drag and drop for file transfers?
So many questions? 
I have a video version, yes. And yes, I can simply drag and drop. The computer recognizes the player as a hard drive (using a standard USB interface, included, IIRC.) No crapware interface to go through.
One minus: the file navigation system is clunky and not very intuitive. Maybe they’ve addressed the problem in the later models. One other possible issue: some folks have reported that Archos units are sensitive to static; that is, they have been known to freeze if delivered a static discharge through the fingers.
Again, though, this was a concern a few years ago. I’m not sure if the current models have this problem.
I think I’m going shopping, thanks!
Former Ipod owner here. Switched over last year.
I love my Creative Zen. It’s twice as wide as an Ipod but I get FM radio, can hook it up to the telly to watch videos or play tunes and it takes a much wider range of codecs. The software is much simpler than itunes as well.
I’ve got an Archos 504. 30GB hard drive. It’s an excellent video player. I have the DVR docking station, and it all works really well.
The major pluses of the Archos are:
- Wide codec support. I can play just about anything on it.
- Fast bootup/load time. As in, almost instant. No watching progress meters as you try to load a video.
- Nice sceen. Very large and watchable.
- Very easy to use. Easy to set up, easy to watch on a regular television, etc.
Basically, if all you want to do is watch video, this thing is excellent.
I’m sold.