Well, after months of waiting, I finally obtained an Archos AV420 to evaluate. For those who have been waiting for a great digital wallet, I think we've found the answer. I had the following requirements for a digital wallet:
1. Ability to see the images on a screen larger than the camera's. (Call me untrusting, but I am, well, untrusting. I want to SEE the images. Plus, this makes a nice way to show off your work - I keep my portfolio on there for those impromptu "oh, can I see your work" moments).
2. USB 2.0 connectivity. It's all about speed when you have 5-10gigs of images to move.
3. Integrated CF slot. No adapters.
4. Large HDD capacity
5. Ability to use external power.
The Archos has satisfied my requirements out of the box in all but the external power requirement. However, given that it has a power connector, an external power source either through Archos or Radio Shack should not prove to be too difficult to obtain.
As far as usability goes, it's pretty simple. Insert a CF card into the unit and it will sense it, and bring up a window that allows you to copy the images wherever desired. Flexible and not too complex.
Where this really shines though for me as a frequent traveller is in the other "sides" of this unit, mainly the MP3 and video playback functions. I dumped 3000 or so MP3s on the unit and have an experience not unlike the iPod that the Archos will soon replace. You can make playlists, play random tunes, etc. Audio quality is excellent, and you even have a halfway decent external speaker that you can use.
For video, you have a few options. The docking station has RCA in and out video/audio connectors. I connected the AV420 to my TiVo and recorded several shows to it that I watched on the plane on this trip to South Korea. Yes, I could watch movies on my DVD player, but having a few episodes of Law and Order to catch up on was a godsend. You can also schedule shows for the AV420 to record itself (using an IR remote connected to the docking station to change channels automatically), but the scheduling process is almost torture: Find the show you want to view on Yahoo's TV listings, copy it to your Yahoo Calendar (which, of course, all requires a free Yahoo account), then download the schedule to your AV420. I would much prefer the TiVo way of doing things - download Yahoo's listings, then record every Law & Order episode, keeping a maximum number handy. I guess what I want is a portable TiVo, and the Archos is not there yet. Of course, they could simply rectify this in software if they choose - I'm thinking an app on your PC that tells the Archos to change the channel and record.
So, to sum up this mini review:
PROS:
* Can view the pics you have dumped or just have saved for viewing. With the docking cradle, this can be done on a TV as well.
* Reasonably long battery life for MP3 playing and picture dumping (12h claimed for MP3s, seems accurate. No testing done yet on card dumping, but I transferred 1G and the battery indicator hadn't moved, and the unit required only a few minutes of charging to be back at 100%)
* Nice, vibrant screen - best I've seen on a digital wallet - much better than the FlashTrax.
* Ability to zoom/pan on images
* Built in CF (type 1 only) slot - no adapter required unless you have another memory card format.
* Controls are easy to learn
* Comes with a decent remote control - handy for starting/stopping recording of a TV show.
* Quick startup, unlikely to start up by itself in your bag and waste battery time. (Must hold the power button for 3-4 seconds).
* Provides for RCA composite or S-Video input.
* Can be used as a portable hard disk - just as easy as a USB flashdrive but with much, much more storage.
CONS:
* No Microdrive support as the CF slot is type 1.
* Battery life for video playing is a meager 3 hours.
* TV scheduling feature is painful and cumbersome.
* Expensive.
* External speaker does not shut off automatically when headphones are connected. While this might have it's uses, having to remember to turn the external speaker off is annoying. I listened to a few hours worth of MP3s on the plane before realizing that my seatmates were also being subjected to my musical choices, albiet in a very quiet fashion.
* No portable video out cable - you must use the cradle for video out.
CONCLUSION: The 20g model not satisfying me, the 80g version was ordered and should arrive tomorrow! Suggestion: Order this online as the prices are much, much lower vs. CompUSA and other retailers. You can get the 80g version online for $100 more than the 20g version at CompUSA.
- Joe
