|
Archos 704 WiFi
Introduction
Recently we've taken a look at smaller media players such as the iPod shuffle and the Creative Zen V Plus, but today we'll be visiting the other end of the portable media player spectrum and spend some time with one of the largest and most feature-rich players on the market, the Archos 704 WiFi - the current flagship product in Archos' lineup. The 704 WiFi is available with either 40GB or 80GB. While the 40GB version we tested doesn't offer the most storage space of players in its class, the 704 WiFi's 7" touch screen dwarfs the displays of most of its competition. Additionally, the "WiFi" portion of the full product title indicates what you'd expect, this device packs in some wireless features as well, including web browsing. While the screen size and feature list of the 704 WiFi are quite impressive, does the product deliver on all of its promises? Let's take a closer look and find out! First Impressions After unpacking the Archos 704 WiFi, the full size and weight of the device was what I took note of first. At about 5"x7" and just under 1" thick, the player isn't exactly what I'd consider "ultra-portable." Being hard drive-based also adds to the size and weight, but overall the device feels very solid and well-built. Another defining feature is the lack of a button-centric UI (user interface).         The 704 WiFi does away with the button-driven schemes of most media players in favor of a touch-screen UI. This turns out to be a bit of a dual-edged sword in terms of actual usability, but we'll touch on that a little later. In terms of visual appeal, the lack of buttons creates a very sleek minimalist look that I'm sure will appeal to many potential 704 WiFi owners. There are actually only three physical buttons on the entire device: the power button and a TV-LCD toggle on the left side, and the battery release on the right side. The connectors for the 704 WiFi reside on the left and bottom side. The headphone jack and power connector can be found on the left, and the proprietary docking connectors as well as two USB ports (one for connecting to a PC, and the other for connecting to a digital camera) are found on the bottom. Two mini speakers can be found on the lower left and right of the 704 WiFi, and the IR receiver for the included remote control is just above the left speaker. Archos also included a kickstand on the back of the 704 WiFi so it can rest at a slight angle on top of a desk or table.             As far as accessories are concerned, the 704 WiFi comes with a simple soft case that covers the entire device, which means that you can't really get much functionality out of the 704 WiFi when you put it in there. You could listen to music, but to skip a song, increase the volume, or do anything else, you'd have to physically remove the 704 WiFi from the case again in order to access the touch screen. The 704 WiFi also comes with two USB cables (one for connecting to your PC, and the other for connecting to a digital camera), an AC adaptor, an adaptor for the dock Archos offers (sold separately), two styluses, and the remote mentioned earlier. There are also supposed to be some earbud style headphones included, but the review unit I received didn't include any so they won't be covered in this review.
Related Reviews Portable Media Players July 16, 2009
Portable Media Players September 24, 2008
Portable Media Players July 13, 2008
Add Comment
0 User Comments Add Comment To add a comment without being a member, you may omit the password field, but you must enter your name (or nickname) along with your comment. * Denotes required fields. |
Recent Articles Editorials August 27, 2009
Editorials August 18, 2009
Editorials March 3, 2009
Editorials February 12, 2009
Recent News Tom's Hardware Nov. 6, 2009 - 4:45 pm
Boing Boing Nov. 3, 2009 - 8:22 pm
Destructoid Nov. 3, 2009 - 7:14 pm
Fidgit Nov. 3, 2009 - 6:57 pm
Gizmodo Nov. 2, 2009 - 11:58 pm
Rock Paper Shotgun Oct. 30, 2009 - 7:12 pm
Fidgit Oct. 27, 2009 - 11:10 pm
|
|||||||||||||||
