Updated 14 Feb, 2012, 9:34 am IST

Archos 605 W-Fi PMP

22 Jul, 2009, 12:00 pm IST | Shayne Rana | PMPs PMPs

I’m tickled pink with the concept of a multimedia device that not only allows me to watch videos and listen to music but stay connected via the Internet and even check my emails as well. The Archos 605 is another Wi-Fi enabled PMP to make the scene along with its bigger brother the Archos 7 tablet and of course we can’t forget Apple’s iPod Touch. But we’re here to talk about the 605, 160GB edition so let’s get to it.

Form Factor
The 605 is in the same league as the Cowon A3 or Q5. It’s not slim or sleek, but that in no way implies it’s not well designed. It’s not light and thanks to its slightly bulky (at 22mm) form, it’s not easy to lug this around in your pocket. On the bottom it has two proprietary ports – the smaller one is for USB connectivity through which it also gets charged and the larger one is present to fit into the DVR Station dock accessory after it’s first fitted into a plastic dock called a saddle. This accessory is a key feature for connecting the device to your TV etc. as there don’t seem to be any specific cables for the same.
Sadly the 605 comes with just a USB cable, a reasonably comfortable set of earphones and a case with not much else. A stylus is also available but I couldn’t figure out where it fits on the device or how I was supposed to tether it to the player. Perhaps it’s just something you slip into your wallet and carry around to remove when needed.

The large 4.3-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels is perfect for watching videos especially with the slim, razor blade like kickstand to easily prop it up from behind. While you could use the touchscreen for navigation and activating functions, the 6056 also has a set of navigation and function keys including that for Volume located next to the display. It also has a built in speaker under the screen and a 3.5mm earphones/audio out feature on the side. The Power button and Screen Lock are located on the top.

It looks like a little table top TV sans an antenna.

Features and Performance
Interface
The UI is not up to par. It’s not always very responsive and not very finger friendly at all most of the time. The stylus has no place to go so you’ll have to find some way to carry that around with you so that is easily accessible when needed. Thankfully the button navigation system works well enough once you get used to it. There are quite a few sub menus available for accessing additional functions to each feature. There are some really interesting themes and backgrounds to choose from for customizing the 605, but when it comes to flow, the UI is nothing special. The transitions are a little jerky here and there and hearing the soft hum and feeling the vibrations of the HDD kicking in was a little unnerving for me personally. Sometimes it may require you to double tap in order to activate anything. I even tried downloading the update for the firmware which it seemingly did but failed to install.

One of the biggest issues you’ll have to contend with is the fact that it’s Wi-Fi capable out of the box but in order to actually surf the net or connect to anything period, you’ll have to purchase Plug-Ins. Plug-Ins range from $20 to $30 that’s about Rs. 1000-Rs. 1500 approximately. The same goes for Flash games and other features. Once you’ve paid and installed the Plug-In for the browser you’ll be able to access your email and even check out YouTube etc.

Tags: PMP , Touchscreen

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