I was recently going to join the cult and buy an iPod, but then I saw the Archos AV4320 and knew it was what I wanted. So what’s it packing?
- A very good LCD screen (clear and crisp).
- Miniscule start-up time (good for what is essentially a stripped down computer).
- Video recording stuff (including a cradle to hook it up to the TV).
- Fairly intuitive UI.
- It’s small.
- A day’s battery. The battery has only cut out once on me, and that was after a full day’s use and then hours loading stuff onto it.
- Video and audio playback and recording (it has it’s own mic and a selection of inputs and outputs that can be used with the correct wires).
- The easiest firmware update I’ve ever seen.
All the good stuff you’d want in a pocket video and MP3 player. Downsides?
- No AC3 support, making watching some videos impossible.
- Default headphones are shite. Really bad. Thankfully, I have a nice pair of Sony Fontopia. If you get one, bin the headphones immediately.
- The built-in speaker is a touch quiet. This probably won’t matter.
All in all, I’m happy. The commute to work and back has become a much more pleasant time.