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I purchased this as an upgrade to my beloved Archos 605 160GB. I actually purchased this directly from archos because I had worry getting it through Amazon.
First impressions: dazzling sleek create, care for the rubbery backside and the enlarged hide! I accumulate that the touch shroud UI interface is quite improved over the 605, the buttons all flash when you press them so that is a nice confirmation that you hit it. Also, play buttons and such seem to be bigger than before, easier to hit. Although the glossy, smart scrutinize is heavenly to view at, it also shows fingerprints (mighty like the Touch) . Not a gargantuan deal to me, I'm former to wiping off my glossy surfaces regularly.
So lets acquire into the nitty gritty, starting with the things I fancy about the original Archos 5. Objective one caveat, I am using this primarily as a replacement media player for the Archos 605 so I won't advise great to internet browsing issues. I will exercise as a basis of comparison my collection of MP3 players (ok I'm an addict so sue me!) which includes iPod Touch 2nd Gen 32GB, Creative Zen WiFi 16GB, iPod Classic 160GB, Archos 605 160GB, Archos 604 30GB, iRiver Clix2 8GB.
*) 250GB: gotta worship all that storage site, especially since the novel Apple Classic tops out at 120GB now it seems Archos is in a class all to itself.
*) Gargantuan glorious glossy color cloak, definitely an improvement over 605.
*) Easily connected to my Wifi, browser is now free instead of costing extra like before. Upgrade to firmware was accomplished easily.
*) Easy synchronization of my entire music library and playlists using Media Monkey in Windows Media Mode (605 had problems here, so elated Archos fixed this!)
*) Resplendent stout featured DVR dock available (apple doesn't even effect one as far as I can reveal!)
*) Esthetically the most inspiring player I've seen yet from Archos.
*) Nice context menus on most pages (tap upper suitable corner) that accomplish it easy to acquire around.
*) Worship the ability to switch between hard drive mode and Windows Media Mode (something I do quite frequently) . Also nice to be able to set aside a password on folders with sensitive or Adult boom.
*) Ability to play all kinds of audio/video files, although you do have to pay up to $40 for additional plugin firmware in order to play apple and cinema formats.
*) On veil touch qwerty keyboard is really nice, easy to exhaust -- I found it remarkable easier to type accurately than the Touch/iPhone onscreen keyboard.
*) Browser supports flash controls, woohoo, welcome to the 21st century fercrissakes!
*) That 250GB of data is readily available to the PC as a hard drive so I can expend it for backups or whatever else I want to do with it. (unlike the Creative Zen for example) .
*) Convenient built-in speaker can be feeble in a pinch: everybody seems to have one of these now but as far as I can deny Archos did it first on the 605!
*) Now Playing music conceal is easier to expend, volume, and play buttons are easier to spend now and it displays the name of the next and previous songs: a feature that I don't glance on any of my other MP3 players.
*) Nice dedicated volume and power buttons, the volume buttons are definitely easier to fetch and exercise than the 605.
And now, my suggestions to Archos for how they could improve on what I deem is a cutting edge graceful product. Please understand, I'm a nitpicking software engineer so I give 5 stars even though I can procure room for improvement!
*) I miss the dedicated hold/tv-out button which has been removed. Not a expansive deal since can tranquil be done through the context menu.
*) Some of the text menus honest ogle a exiguous exclusive and seem to catch a too grand dwelling on the cloak. For example, I have to scroll down to obtain to the "Playlists"... at the very least "Playlists" should be on the first page as its the one I utilize the most. Really it seems like too many button presses are required to dig down and play a playlist, I wish "playlists" was available from a top level menu because I employ it more than anything else...
When all is said and done, I honestly hold that there is no comparable product with a stout gorgeous high resolution camouflage like this and a vast hard drive. This is it!
Now if you are cheerful with a smaller cover and less storage, the iPod Touch is arguably a better product: my solution? Rob one of each!
Update 12-31-2008: As of Novel Years Eve I am serene quite happily using my Archos 5 as an entertainment center. It seems Archos heard me and they have made the album art a itsy-bitsy bigger in firmware release 1.2.05!
Update 1-24-2009: Firmware update 1.3.05 works enormous! Had to spend my Touch for a few days and very joyful to have my Archos assist on the speakers, I do own the sound is better through the same speakers.
Update 3-14-2009: Updated to firmware 1.5.08. Due to previous upgrade, the upgrade process is Mighty easier now because it doesn't try to rebuild its library from scratch (this takes hours when you have a lot of files like I do) . I'm also enjoying the "parental control" password which allows me to protect my data from unauthorized access. Unruffled a cheerful customer 
Update 5-22-2009: Smooth very tickled with my 5. Firmware version 1.6.53 now offers succor for their GPS package and High Def. I tried the GPS package before and it was ok, my well-liked thing about it was the windshield mount which really comes in handy on a long drive. The GPS itself is decent considering it doesn't cost great, but can't compare to Garmin. Detached, how many MP3 players even offer a GPS option?
First of all, I'd unbiased like to provide some context. I first discovered Archos benefit in summer '08 when my Elgato EyeHome died. For those of you who aren't aware of this product, it was basically a method that could be faded to spy computer files (avi, mp4, etc.) on an obsolete school, standard-definition television. When my EyeHome went kaput I was very disappointed to gawk that the product had been discontinued. The search for a similar product finally led me to the Archos TV. At this point I've had the Archos TV for more than a year now. It's a improbable product and, at least so far, has worked flawlessly - I couldn't be happier with it. In fact, it was because of this honorable experience that I decided to invest in the Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet. I consider it's critical to give this backstory because some of the more keen Archos fans on here and on positive internet forums seem to reflect that any criticism of their popular company means that you're nothing less than a drooling Apple fanboy - blinded to reality and incapable of giving a competing product a pretty chance or just assessment.
So, to continue, slow last year I was in a area that will probably be familiar to all of you. I was alive to in buying a portable media player. Would it be an iPod Touch or... something else? Ultimately, I opted for the Archos 5 based on two main factors:
1) Greater storage capacity - 250 GB as compared to the maximum 32 GB on an iPod Touch
2) File flexibility - the Archos 5 can play objective about anything, whereas the iPod Touch is restricted to the mp4 file format. This was an notable consideration for me, since I already had a puny library of avi files that I wanted to bask in without having to convert to a different format.
I read some abominable reviews good here on Amazon and elsewhere, but, because of my obliging experience with the Archos TV, I serene decided to invest in the Archos 5. Big mistake.
To be handsome, the Archos 5 worked fair graceful for the first few months. The problems seemed to initiate after I installed the latest version of the firmware - 1.6.53. Basically, the unit seized up and became nothing more than an expensive paperweight. Pressing the power button would begin the startup process, but, rather than going to the main menu, the introductory "Archos - Entertainment Your Method" conceal would simply flash on an endless loop until all the battery power was drained.
Now, I'm extremely first-rate when it comes to tech. I'm the guy that friends and family call to serve with stuff like installing an additional internal hard drive, deciding between plasma or LCD, setting up their Blackberry to bag email from home... you score the belief. The Archos 5 is equipped with some rudimentary built-in plight solving tricks. I tried these as the instruction manual advised - but nothing worked.
At that point I went to Archos Customer Service - this, folks, is where things go really haywire. In a word, Archos' customer service is appalling. If you don't want to rob my word for it, fair read some of the other comments on here and pick a notice elsewhere on the secure. Their sheer incompetence is legendary.
My experience with them is hardly typical, but I'll summarize here -
Step One - Contact customer service. Account For quandary. Earn an RMA (Return to Manufacturer Authorization.)
Step Two - Send unit in for repairs.
Step Three - Wait expectantly.
Step Four - Receive unit serve from the RMA warehouse.
Step Five - Unpack unit and test. Scrutinize that nothing has been fixed. Bid process beginning with Step One...
My last round with Archos Customer Service ended when I received my unit assist from the warehouse and found that they had simply given me another unit altogether. I knew this was the case because the recent unit was mysteriously missing the sticker on the bottom that included the serial number. I'd also fitted the current unit with a Lexerd Cover Protector - something that was conspicuously absent from the modern model.
Mind you, replacing my unit with another model of the precise same type isn't necessarily a terrible thing - it might have worked out unbiased glowing. The only spot was, this replacement model has a damaged power button, and, on the rare occasions that I can turn the thing on, it has the loyal same jam as my musty unit - stuck in the "Entertainment Your Contrivance" startup loop. When I called customer service to discuss these issues, they claimed that the unit was exquisite when it left the warehouse (expansive consolation, huh? ) and that the broken power button was probably caused by someone at UPS unpacking the map and "messing around with it." Say what?
Now, to be delicate, we all know that our electronic gizmos aren't perfect. The Archos 5 certainly isn't the first diagram I've had problems with and it won't be the last. The immense dilemma is that Archos simply doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with issues like this when they occur. Impartial for comparison, I had some problems with my Mac G5 when I first got it - but a lickety-split scramble to the Apple Store for a tune-up solved everything. Archos isn't like that. The company is based in France and, by virtue of necessity, their North American customer service is outsourced to a shoddy firm here in the U.S. staffed with reps who can do limited more than vow you to try pressing the reset button again and/or do pathetic excuses.
To all of those people who have a functional Archos 5 and bask in it - terrific. I'm delighted for you and I know from experience that when an Archos product does actually work, it's shining. BUT - God befriend you if you rush into worry, because you're basically screwed.
I'm writing this in the hope of convincing some of you quiet on the fence that you really ought to go with another product altogether. Seize whatever you like - Cowon, iPod Touch, whatever. Unprejudiced don't salvage an Archos. Trust me on this, it's basically a crap shoot. And, at the kill of the day, do you want to gamble, or do you want a product that actually works?
The first thing anyone should know about the Archos is that as of 10/5/08, the Archos 5 Firmware is unruffled in beta. Beta means very different things for different products, but for the Archos 5 it means that some of the features are crippled, and that the firmware is collected buggy. I have been using the 5 for about 2 weeks now, and during that time the contrivance has crashed 6 times. Preserve in mind this is only relevant if you want to choose it accurate now. If you determine to wait, I deem Archos will have the firmware finalized in a few months.
I migrated to the Archos 5 from an iPod Touch, my main reasons for doing so being the significantly larger capacity and the larger shroud. I utilize a mac, so it was quite jarring migrating out of the Apple universe. Some things you should know if you are coming to this blueprint from an Apple product:
1. The Archos will not sync with iTunes. This means that music you downloaded from the iTunes music store will be incompatible with the Archos. This also means that the playlists from your iTunes library will not natively work with the Archos. For many people this will not be an train, but I have a rather gigantic library (7000 songs), and depend on playlists to separate my music. The Archos uses the universal .m3u playlist format, so if you want to have your iTunes playlists on the Archos, you will need to obtain an iTunes playlist exporter.
2. Even if your songs are not copy-protected, the Archos will not play AAC files without a $20 plugin. For some, this is a moot point, for others, it could be a deal-breaker.
For the PC users: The Archos can either function as an external hard drive (very useful), or as a Windows Media Player Drive.
Now, the plot itself:
HARDWARE:
THe specs of the Archos are impressive, and best most other "IMT"s of its class. I have the 60GB version, however all models boast a 4.8" (Resistive, not capacitive) touch shroud, Wi-Fi, a speaker, and a pull-out stand. But retain in mind that the Archos uses a proprietary USB connector, and that all previous Archos accessories (for the 605, 604, etc.) will not work with the 5. The support of the unit is mirrored, and scratches incredibly easily. The front shroud is susceptible to glare, but this is not very noticeable unless viewed in stutter sunlight. Withhold in mind that all the models exercise hard drive based storage. This enables a great capacity for a cheap impress, however, the unit will be slower because of this. The iPod Touch uses flash memory, which is very expensive and has a coarse capacity, but is less likely to wreck. The Touch is also thinner. (You wouldn't reflect so, but the Archos is surprisingly pocketable) The speaker on the unit is microscopic and tinny, but I am amazed on how many occasions I have found to consume it. The 2nd gen. Touch also has a speaker, and I highly doubt it is distinguished better than the one on the Archos. Something no one else has mentioned: The Wi-Fi antenna in the Archos is located on the accurate side, a spot where you normally might believe the unit. It is very easy to accidentally block the Wi-Fi signal, and I have noticed that the connection can be tenuous (this might honest be my network) . The external volume control is very useful, but I wish the 5 also had a gain switch, as it can be annoying to have to get the "lock draw" protest throughout the menus. Also: on the modern settings, the method will automatically power off after 5 minutes when locked (and when not in music mode) . This can be very annoying if it is not changed.
I know that in the above paragraph I have criticized the Archos, but I cannot stress that the arrangement itself is a pleasing, well made, section of technology. Everything works very well, and most Mammoth problems with the plan lie in the...
SOFTWARE:
The software is currently the Archos' feeble point. As I said before, the firmware is unexcited in beta, and this means that a few of the features unbiased don't work. (A marvelous example of this is the file sharing feature. When I take "file sharing", a scrutinize pops up telling that the feature will be enabled in a "future release") . The parts of the software that do work function adequately, but could be better. The Music menu is a helpful example. Scrolling through astronomical lists is jerky, and I glean the organization of the metadata perplexing. However, the Music fragment works.
The Video fragment, on the other hand, is advance perfect. Videos can be organized any design you want, and watching movies on the 4.8" hide is luscious. I mediate that the software can be summarized by working, but having quirks. You might want to wait for the firmware to become more stable.
A few more notes about the software:
1. The Add-Ons part is unprejudiced ADS for the optional add-ons. Yes, ADS. This is honest a minor annoyance, but please, a major company should not set aside ads for other products in their flagship product.
2. There is no plot to directly skip tracks from other areas of the plan (unlike, for example, the Touch, where you can tap the home button twice and control the music) .
3. The Archos takes about 20 secs. to boot, and, when the arrangement is "locked", the hide does not shut off for about 30 secs. (this can be changed)
4. The Opera web browser is swiftly and, renders pages as well as the Touch. The Mail app is not as kindly as Apple's, but if functions.
5. Games cost $20 for 4, but you can load your hold flash apps onto the diagram.
6. One tall addition to the Archos was internet radio and video. This is a feature I have seen in very few other devices, and the Archos implements it very well.
Lastly: Should you bewitch the Archos?
If you can sprint the Apple universe, and don't mind the beta firmware for a few months, then remove the Archos. If is truly a large fragment of hardware. if you can't stand betas, then wait a few months (the tag will probably plunge too) .
The Archos 5 blows the Touch lawful out of the water, but the software could exercise some work. By now the iPod had become so ubiquitous that it doesn't really fit into Apple's "Consider Different" philosophy, as many of its features have been matched and transcended by other devices. I don't mean to sound cliche, but if you truly want to believe different, take the Archos 5.
UPDATE: As of firmware update 1.0.87 the "file sharing" feature mentioned above has been completely removed from the settings menu. I don't know if this is because Archos has killed the feature or because they want to release it in a future release.
Also, as of 1.0.87, the Archos no longer lists its firmware as beta. However, the firmware is serene buggy. The Archos firmware is definitely a work in progress, but Archos seems to be updating the plan frequently, so most of the bugs will eventually be ironed out.
UPDATE 2: Windows users can sync their Archos with iTunes via "iTunes Agent". Available here: [...]. Obviously you can't sync DRM tracks, but everything else works exquisite well for me.
UPDATE 3: I have had the Archos for about 1 year now, and I have to day that the genuine obsolete point of the plot is the resistive touch cloak. This is where Apple (also Samsung and Cowon) really got it upright, and Archos has continued to bag it harmful. The firmware updates have made scrolling more kinetic and less jerky, but the updates cannot fix the fact that the camouflage feels mushy and misses a *lot* of presses. I was actually considering getting the novel "5 Internet Tablet", but after finding out Archos was again using a resistive touch camouflage, I will behold somewhere else. If I could change the star rating, I would downgrade this to a 3 or 2.5 star product. So powerful works really well on the 5, but until Archos puts a capacitive touch shroud on their players, I will not find another one of their products.
