Archos has just officially announced the their 6th generation of PMPs and even making a splash into the world of 3G connectivity. The interface if felt was a bit awkward on the last generation 605 {link}, mainly due to the fact that it couldn’t quite make up its mind to be touch screen or tactile with the side buttons. It’s not that these hybrid touch/tactile interfaces don’t work, it just didn’t work with the Archos UI. That said I’m glad to see that Archos picked a side and went all touch.

All around it looks like it’s a further refined version of the 5th generation PMPs. This is good news since I thought that the 605 was a fantastic jack of all trades PMP, but it just felt a bit rough.

As part of an entertainment upgrade on the railroads in Norway, NSB (Norwegian railroads) is said to be considering Archos players as part of the entertainment package.

The plan is to add power outlets and Internet to the trains on some routes in Norway to begin with. On top of providing Internet access there are talks of a media server on the train which will stream media (movies and so on) directly to the media players which will be possible to rent for each trip. The project is still in it's early stages and nothing is written in stone, but Archos is said to be the most likely choice for providing these devices. Archos have several WiFi capable devices and it's not clear which model will be used if Archos is chosen.

[Press Release via ITAvisen] (both links in Norwegian)

Archos is holding a press conference today in NYC (Andreas was supposed to be there but I was too cheap to pay for his $2,000 plane ticket from Norway) and Paris . Live from Paris GenerationMP3 is reporting these updates to the Archos line of PMPs. One of the more interesting updates is a GPS module for the Archos said to be selling for €100- hoping that that will translate to $100 when it hits the US shores.

There is one downside to this. The GPS unit is really only made for your car since the GPS receiver is built into a suction cup mount. So hopes of whipping out your PMP while navigating the city by foot is out of the question. Still at $100 (hopefully) it is not a bad option to your TomTom.

Video demo also showing new plugins at GenMP3 (in French).

[Archos | GenMP3]

The 605 is Archos’ new fifth generation flagship PMP that crams nearly every feature one could want into a PMP. They have even offered a few different capacities including a flash version with expandable SDHC memory that can add up to 32GB of flash memory when those capacities become available. The 800x480 pixel screen with a 24bit (16.7 million colors) screen looks fantastic at any viewing angle.

It sounds like the 605 is the ultimate PMP. Well… almost. While the 605 has a thorough feature set and performs very well, the interface needs to be completely overhauled. Archos, fire your interface designers and start over, then I may be able to call the 605 the ultimate PMP.

Read on for the details...

Further information is beginning to appear on the smallest of the Archos 5th generation of portable media players. Subsequent to its unveiling this June, the first pictures of the 105 have arrived at ArchosLounge, which exhibit red, silver, and black versions of the 2GB player. According to the latest information, WMV video playback has been increased from 15fps to 25fps.

The 105 will be available for purchase as early as the beginning of next month, as Amazon are already offering a release date for the 1st of September. Pleasing to hear, is that no change has been made to the projected $90 retail value.

[ArchosLounge | Amazon via I4U]

Archos is planning on releasing a set top DVR media player to compete directly with Apple TV and other TV media boxes. The box will come in either 80GB or 250GB sizes and be priced at $200 and $350, respectively. You'll get an assortment of all the inputs and outputs you need: component, composite, and S-video ins as well as outs. Additionally you get HDMI out, but don’t expect anything spectacular: the TV Plus will only record at standard TV resolutions (VGA) but will output 720p with downloaded and streamed content from your PC.

So I took a trip to NYC to get a firsthand look at what Archos has in store for their next generation of portable media players. Overall I was impressed with what I had a chance to play with, even though only the 605 and 405 pre-production models were available. There were many nice features and a plethora of ways to enjoy your media on each of the players, but what impressed me most were the accuracy and sharpness of the screens and the devices' price points. I am a bit worried about the lack of codec support for XviD and DivX files, though. It's something Creative has always supported and that consumers want. Yes, it supports these formats.

The 202 is getting a face lift to run with the Archos line-up of X04 portable media players. The player sports a 1.8” 262K-color screen along with a standard feature set including MP3, WAV, WMA, and WMA-DRM music files and JPEG support. Video junkies will be disappointed to find that there is no video support. The player only comes in a 20GB size but offers a slightly above average battery time of 20 hours.

This player seems a bit out of date compared to what else is on the market and the 262K-color screen seems like a waste sans video support. Regardless, we will probably see this hit the stores in the next few months. However, the US may not see it, as word on the street is that it's a European only release.

[Product Sheet (French PDF) | via generationMP3]

After about a month of all those unofficial photos and specs, the Archos 704 WiFi has finally gotten itself a product page on the company's website. The 80GB media player stretches the definition of "portable" with its 7-inch (800 x 480) touch screen and 7.05" x 4.96" x 0.78" footprint, but other than that, it's basically identical to its more traditional PMP sibling the 604 WiFi.

That means 802.11b/g and Opera browser, plus everything else found in the Generation 4 series: MPEG-4 and WMV video, MP3 and WMA audio, optional plug-ins for H.264 and AAC, PDF and photo viewer, and direct recording from various sources with the purchase of the DVR Station.

The Archos 704 WiFi can be preordered now for $550, with shipping beginning on March 22nd.

[Product Page via Gizmodo]

After months of sneak peeks, leaks, and speculation about their highly anticipated and newly christened Generation 4 series, Archos recently announced five new models of their PMPs, as well as an extensive list of new accessories.

The entire Generation 4 line features a new animated GUI that Archos believes makes the portable media players easier to use and more intuitive than ever before. In addition to the 30GB 404 and 604 we already knew would be available next month, we now have official word of the 404 Camcorder and 604 Wi-Fi, which should hit stores sometime later this year. Throw a 160GB (!) 504 and a new set of modular accessories into the mix, and it looks like Santa will be pulling a double-shift this Christmas.

The 404 is a mere 1.5 cm thick and will be priced at an exceptionally affordable $300; earlier models retailed for nearly double that. For an extra $50, you can spring for the 604 (check out CNET's review) and take in its gorgeous 4.3-inch widescreen display.

[Press Release via Engadget]

Last month we gave you a sneak peek at the new line of Archos portable media players rumored for imminent release. Archos is still being fairly tight-lipped about it, but the ever-resourceful GenerationMP3 has once again come through with all the details.

The main difference between the Archos 404 and 604 is the size of their gorgeous 16-million-color TFT displays. The 404 sports a 3.5" screen (320 x 240); big brother 604, a 4.3" screen (480 x 272). This of course impacts overall dimensions and weight (404: 3.94" x 3.03" x 0.59" @ 6.7 oz; 604: 5.12" x 3.07" x 0.63" @ 9.2 oz).

Otherwise you can't really tell the devices apart. Both feature a 30GB HDD, USB 2.0 interface, text viewer (PDF), voice recorder, and built-in speaker, as well as support for MP3/WAV/WMA, JPG/BMP/PNG, and XviD/DivX/MPEG4 ASP/WMV9 file formats. GMP3 also mentions the possibility of buying plug-ins to enable compatibility with AAC, AC3, MPEG-2, VOB, and H.264.

Unlike the Archos AV series, these new players will need an optional DVR module to record from external sources such as a DVD player or VCR (anyone still have one?). Recorded video is in MPEG4-SP (DivX 5) with a max resolution of 640 x 480—great for TV output. Audio is recorded in ADPCM, which will typically require MP3 transcoding for use in most DAPs.

[GenerationMP3]

This is a sneak peak at what’s to come in a few months from Archos. This page was leaked form a French catalogue 3Suisses, so there is not much information, just speculation. But just like their predecessors they will likely be full blown DVR media centers and possibly personal media assistants like the PMA 400. Some models are speculated to have wi-fi, email managers, internet browsers and VoIP.

Anyway… take that all with a grain of salt. I promise nothing.

[GenerationMP3 | ArchosFans]

Next time you jump on board of an airplane you may be graced with an Archos AV700 for your entertainment. IMS Inflight, a company that provides portable entertainment and content solutions for commercial flights, has teamed up with Archos to bring the AV700 onboard. Video content will be protected by WMV DRM. The AV700’s 16:9 7” screen will work well movies and games, which may also be available.

From personal experience, the AV700 is a slick device and does video very well. However the game demos I would describe as “sub-NES”.

[Press Release(PDF!) via GenerationMP3]

The AV700 TV is Archos’ update on the standard AV700 adding DVB-T reception to the mix. The unit actually has two tuners to allow for better reception inside buildings and on the move. The player features a large 7” screen and will play most of the popular media file types out there along with downloadable games if you feel inclined.

Current AV700 owners will be unhappy to know that this is a completely new update and there will not be an add-on tuner for older models. The AV700 TV will go on sale in May for 700 Euros.

Sorry American, this will be a European only item since we don’t get DVB-T reception in the states. In case you wanted to know, DVB-T stands for Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial. It is basically MPEG2 sent over the air.

[AV700 via GenerationMP3]

Archos will be releasing what looks to be a color version of their Gmini XS 100 with a 1.5” OLED screen. The player will be hard drive based with a capacity of 4GB. It will also support MP3 and WMA with PlaysForSure compatibility for download and subscription services. The 104 is the smallest player in Archos’ line up, measuring and weighing in at 3.6" x 1.7"x 0.5" and 2.8 ounces respectively. Archos will be selling the 104 direct from their website starting in May for $150.

More photos below via generationmp3

[Press Release]