Archos 7 320 GB Internet Media Tablet
by Archos
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List Price: Our Price: $253.78 You Save: $296.21 (54%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Personal Computer See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Archos 7 320 GB Internet Media Tablet
Customer Review: SEVERELY DISAPPOINTED
Summary: 1 Stars
I usually only write reviews if I'm 200% disgusted with a product and want to warn other buyers. In this instance, I'm truly disappointed. My first Archos was the Jukebox - I LOVED IT! Then a friend told me about the Lyra- PURE HEAVENLY BLISS. A device that held all my Music, Vids, Pics and Records TV - too good to be true. My 504 ROCKS! With the exception of a few sporadic forced reboots over the years it has never failed to produce for me.
The 7. When I first heard about it, I could only imagine how they could improve on the previous series. Touch screen, High Def and Wi-Fi in addition to all of there previous outstanding abilities. This was too good to be true. ALAS IT WAS!
TOUCH SCREEN - Touchy at times and non responsive at others. When connected online, I had to constantly resize the screen to get it to stay in its current size so I could read it. Other times, it would not respond to my touch or respond seconds later making me double type letters and words.
WI-FI - Multiple times while playing music and surfing online the system simply rebooted without any commands from me or even indication that it was about to do so. Even after I stopped playing music while surfing it randomly rebooted.
HIGH DEFINITION - Never got to this feature.
PICTURES - This feature worked well and on a 7 inch screen showed good clarity.
VIDEOS - Videos and movies showed well, some of my older vids were blocky but I blame that on the resolution of my camcorder and not the device. I truly wanted to try out the Helmet Cam but never got to that point.
MUSIC - This was the primary selling point for me when it comes to Archos as I am a devote anti-ipod user. I unequivocally enjoy having the freedom of manipulating my MP3 files back and forth between a multitude of machines and being able to share my files with friends and family at the drop of a dime without having to worry about machine licensing or only allowing my friends access to my music for three days at a time - What is that?
The 7 FAILED MISERABLY in this department. My GOD! I did not believe how this feature could be messed up. Initially I copied my Playlists from my 504 to the 7 only to have the system warn me they may not work. Okay, I deleted them then went through the arduous task of recreating my playlists on the 7. With my lists created I set out to play my tracks in the gym. Three songs into it the system stops. I get a msg telling me the file is corrupted. I try to restart the playlist. Error file corrupted. At this point I can't start any other playlists and I can't even play any SONGS! WHAT THE F*&$! I reboot and all seems well. Again three songs into a playlist and the system craps out. WHAT THE F*&$! If the 7 can't even do the basics then what's the point?
I truly wanted to love this device but was meant with disdain and difficulty. Of course now I have read the reviews of the 7 and can only shake my head. I returned the 7 for a full refund. In spite of all this I'm considering the 5 and have read the reviews. They are a mixed bag. I'm praying I get a good one. If not I will stick with my 504 and purchase a full sized laptop to make up for all the other features it does not have.
Severely Disappointed.
C. Hoskins Jr.
PS - At the time of posting I now have a Archos 5. IT ROCKS! It performs every task I ask of it and no forced reboots. I can even surf the web and listen to music at the same time. My faith has been renewed.
Customer Review: Near perfect...but not perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
Bought the Archos 7/320gb as a gift and have used and updated it so that it is run-ready prior to Christmas morning.
Let me start by saying wireless routers and internet connectivity with personal computers have given me the fits over the years. Not so here. I'm not a tech geek (unfortunately), but I was wireless with a strong, portable signal in literally 3 minutes after the product was out of the box, happily surfing the internet. It detected my home network and the rest was automatic, as long as you remember your WPA password/security code. And within 15 minutes, of which 14 minutes was load time, the Archos 7 had detected all firmware updates and allowed me to install the free Archos plugins (warning, plugins require a PC/laptop...this is a PC supplement, not substitute).
So...super-fast, user-friendly, easy to navigate, great touchscreen action, internet quite literally at your fingertips. So far so good. Some people have complained it's too heavy(???). It's not. What do you want, a frisbee to throw around? If you want a 7-inch screen, it's going to be heavier than a cellphone or iPod touch, sorry. So all-in-all, a no-brainer purchase, right?
Well...a few minor things. First, the alarming potential for system freeze-up other website reviewers have talked about. The device completely froze once prior to installing the latest firmware, within the first 2 minutes of turning it on. Is there an "acceptable" amount of freeze-up on this $500 device? Not in my book. Hopefully the firmware updates continue to solve that.
Also, no case or cover included..which is a pain because the finish is 1) slippery and 2) leaves prints EVERYWHERE. My hands were clean and dry, and within 10 minutes of use, the Archos 7 looked like I had been eating a bucket of BBQ wings and using the Archos as a napkin. Cheapest cover with screen access I've seen is $35. And the display requires a (not included) stylus to avoid some serious backtracking.
Plus, to really get the most out of the 7, the DVR add-on is a must. Cha-ching, $90 more. (Plus side: it's well worth the $$$ to transform the Archos 7 from very cool to absolutely awesome).
And, the screen seems a little fuzzy to me despite all possible adjustments -- just slightly, but again for $500, the screen should be fuzz-less. Some reviewers have said they prefer the Archos 5 because the resolution is better. It's borderline to me whether I should give up the extra 2 screen inches and hope for better resolution from the Archos 5. I will let the gift recipient decide that one.
Finally: Does anyone know why this product is advertised as Flash Player 9 compatible? I installed all possible firmware updates and plug-ins. I still get a solitary "F9" icon when I try to watch video episodes of 30 Rock or NCIS. In other words, I can't watch my favorite shows on it! If anyone has an answer or can post assistance, I'd sure appreciate it. A UK reviewer also posted this exact same problem. Comments welcome, as this Flash 9 issue could be a deal-breaker.
I'm sure Archos' attitude is: don't like it? Fine, try another 7-inch internet media tablet that can do all this stuff. Oh what's that, there's not one? Exactly. All-in-all I'd recommend it for sure -- definitely for its uniqueness and "cool factor" -- but hopefully they keep the firmware coming, to iron out all the bugs.
Customer Review: I really wanted to like this device
Summary: 1 Stars
I have not been more excited to receive a digital toy for many years, and after reading up on the capabilities of the Archos 7 according to Archos, I was eagerly anticipating its arrival. However, after playing with the device for a few days I must say that I am terribly disappointed. Perhaps, given that I have been in the tech industry for over 30 years, I have high standards, but I must say, in that 30 years no device has ever come to me so premature as the new Archos PMP.
I can understand in today's economic environment that companies are cash-strapped, and the desire to have items on the market for the Christmas season. However, Archos has lost me as a customer - this device is in no way ready to have been released from their development cycle.
Flash support. Some youtube videos work, though newer formats do not. That said, youtube was the only website from which I was able to view videos. Hulu, Joost, network websites - none of their videos would work. Technical support tells me that its a combination of Adobe flash and the Opera web browser that prevents these videos from working. Since I purchased the device primarily for this purpose, it scores a 0 here.
Connectivity. Abysmal. I can detect my wireless network, go to a website and click on another link, and the device can no longer find a wireless network. So, back completely out, reconnect, go to the website. Sometimes wireless connection stays up, but most often the behavior is as above. Another 0.
Email - crashed the device every time, I never got it to work with any mail server. 0.
Transfer of movies. Why on earth don't companies that develop hardware devices also bundle software to transfer DVDs to their device? In order to do so, multiple other software packages are necessary, making a very cumbersome process.
How many separate docking stations does one device need? This is clearly a method of Archos making more money from the consumer. It is absolutely ridiculous to have multiple addons that "kind of" serve the same purpose. Massive fail here - release one docking station that does it all, charge us for it, and be done with it.
Additional $ for plugins. While I understand that licensing costs must be passed down to customers, Archos should quit nickel and diming consumers to death. Add it to the cost and be done with it. Given that we can purchase fully functioning laptops and netbooks for significantly less money, this device, as it is, is overpriced by a large margin.
Effectively, this device performs at an estimated 15% of its manufacturer's claims. Mine is going to be RMA'ed, and I will be looking at competitive devices. Initially I wanted an iPod Touch, but went with Archos for flash support (that doesn't exist). Maybe Archos will resolve most issues in a few months, and it is possible that I go back to the device once this milestone has reached. That said, at this point in time Archos is high on the list of companies to avoid. I hope they got their needed cash inflow, but in releasing a product altogether too soon, they forgot to understand that the consumer too is cash-strapped, and we are not happy purchasing expensive items that do not live up to company promises.
Customer Review: Will someone other than Archos develop a better product?
Summary: 1 Stars
Ok, here's the 10 reasons NOT to buy one of these Archos devices.
I bought an Archos 605 then a 705 in Utrecht Holland while on vacation with the girlfriend.
The problems begin.
1. I paid too much for it. 270 Euros or $367 USD. Shop around, you'll save money PLUS they're available used elsewhere or for lower prices.
2. I tried to connect it to my PC AND Macbook but the Archos locked up. Had to do a hard reset to make it respond. THEN, it took 5 minutes to restart.
3. I tried to go to Archos.com for support but couldn't register the product for support because someone had already registered the product serial number, couldn't get support.
4. Fine, I'll try to download the latest firmware operating system that will probably fix it. It did nothing and the anti-intuitive (I made that word up just for this review) options in the restore process is confusing at a time when you need clarity.
5. Tried to connect it to the internet and run its version of "live update". That will fix it. I downloaded a medium-sized file which appeared to update it yet the problems got worse.
6. Now, whenever I disconnect the device from a USB port even when just charging it, it locks up and I have to do a hard reset AND plug it in to start the thing.
7. Almost always, I can't just turn it on. I have to turn it on and hope it boots. After 5 full minutes of trying to boot itself (it locks up with the disk drive activity light illuminated) it fails and shuts itself off. I must plug it into external power to try to boot and hope it works.
8. Transferring files into the thing, despite USB2's 480 Mbps speed takes forever. Not sure why.
9. Movies ripped to the Archos format _might_ play or they might jitter every single second making you regret your purchase further.
10. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS MISSING IN ACTION! What is the problem?!??!?
How can such a beautiful, polished product which obviously represents a large amount of time and money in product development fail so miserably at customer support and product performance?
With massive amounts of storage, beautiful cosmetic engineering, crisp LCD and a nice looking operating system fall so completely flat with performance, usability and customer support? Who knows but I am certain that one day Archos will GET THE MESSAGE that they need to replace their quality assurance and customer service departments. Only then will I consider one of these devices.
FORTUNATELY! I kept my receipt and the place I bought it offers a one year return policy so I can at least return it for store credit. (I'm stuck in Afghanistan until December.)
I will return this Archos and use the money on something that actually works.
It's a shame too b/c I love devices like these but not when they're more trouble than they're worth.
Also, I'd bet that the glowing reviews you see on here are generated by Archos chronies trying to prop up their products.
Customer Review: Two Thumbs Up
Summary: 5 Stars
First let me say that I have been the proud owner of an Archos AV 700 for the last three years. Loaded with an assortment of movies and TV shows it has been my constant companion on vacations, while waiting for my car to be serviced, and any time I have had the misfortune of accompanying my wife when she shops for clothing. The screen resolution was never very good, but that was always quickly forgotten because of the enjoyment delivered. Recently I was pondering an the upgrade to the 705 for its larger hard drive and better screen resolution. However, these improvements did not seem to justify the expense so I decided to go all the way and purchased the Archos 7 320 GB, and I haven't been able to put the thing down.
Screen resolution is very good to excellent, and the device is capable of rendering most video formats, which is a huge improvement over my AV 700. It will be a very short time however, before a failed playback prompts you to spend $20 on the cinema plug-in (Play movies in MPEG-2/VOB format with AC3). The touchscreen took some getting used to until I realized it responded to a fine point rather than the pad of my finger. A stylus from your phone, your fingernail, or the plastic end of a pen with point withdrawn all work well. The image when Web browsing can be repositioned with a sweeping motion similar to the iPhone or iPod touch. When viewing images one can point at a particular spot and zoom will occur at this position. Unfortunately, unlike the Apple products there is no position sensor, so switching between upright and landscape images requires a vertical finger sweep instead of simply rotating the device.
WiFi response is good and makes most Web browsing respectable. As flash flv files can be played, the majority of popular video streaming sites are viewed without problems. The WiFi also unlocks what is perhaps the most powerful aspect of the "7", and that is its networking capability. In hind sight I might have elected to buy the smaller hard drive model because by setting up media sharing in Windows Media Player 11 I have access to every video, picture, or MP3 on my network, without having to transfer them to the Archos. Viewing response of a networked video is indistinguishable from one on the device itself.
Lastly, I purchased the TV Dock so I can play videos on a TV which is necessary for group viewing. It was not very expensive but should have been included with the Archos and does not come with a remote control. Like the days of my youth I need to get off my butt and walk across the room to skip ahead, pause or change the video. I did not purchase the DVR station as my old AV 700 came with that ability as an included feature.