The Archos 605 WiFi Portable Media Player is often compared to the iPod Touch. Sure, they both have touch screens, play music and video, and can browse the internet, but there the similarities end. The Touch comes in capacities of 8GB and 16GB. The Archos 605 WiFi comes in capacities of 4GB (flash memory with an SD expansion slot), and 30, 80 or 160GB hard drive sizes. Although the Archos has a touch screen, it also has tactile controls (buttons!) which can perform most of the functions. The Archos 605 has a Wi-Fi accessible content portal which allows you to buy music and rent or purchase movies and TV shows. These are then downloaded to the player wirelessly. To browse the internet though, you need to buy the Opera Web Browser plug-in for $30.

One of the greatest strengths of the Archos is that with the addition of a DVR Station (which costs $80 to $100 extra), the Archos 605 becomes a Digital Video Recorder. Once the 605 is docked in the DVR Station and connected to your television, you can watch any of the content on the device on your television. You can even surf the web on your television. Additionally you can record shows from your television and then take the very portable Archos 605 with you and watch the recorded shows on the go.

Posted on January 24th, 2008 by mervyn