Best Buy: Archos 5 Destroys iPod Touch
| by Rob Jackson on October 25th, 2009 |
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The iPod Touch probably has no problem selling units, but the lesser-known Archos 5 Internet MediaTablet Running Android isn’t a household name and – whether you like it or not – the average consumer doesn’t no squat about Android. We got our hands on an internal document that shows Best Buy employees are being trained to make one thing clear: the Archos 5 with Android absolutely destroys the iPod Touch in pretty much every aspect:
To be honest, the ARCHOS 5 matches up rather well and with a bigger screen and running Android, it is a formidable opponent indeed. Whether consumers will be willing to spend an extra hundy on a lesser-known brand I’m not sure, but its at least a deal worth looking at – especially for Android fans.
[Thanks Anonymous Tipster!]
1. David wrote on October 25, 2009
I’m thinking this needs a camera. 5M camera with an LED flash would make it pretty perfect as far as a handheld tablet and that’s the biggest complaint people have had about the touch, I think.
2. SK wrote on October 25, 2009
As a previous Archos owner, I have to say that the latest Archos specs almost always trump the iPod Touch of the same generation. But Archos has left me with a bitter after-taste in my mouth. It’s mostly a great device but they gave a few minor but annoying bugs that Archos never fixes. They also nickel and dime you with the plugins.
3. SK wrote on October 25, 2009
Having said all the above, given the choice of buying an Archos vs. an iPod, I will always go with the Archos. Was just trying to say that there is a third option of “not buying” since neither of the options are up to the mark.
4. DSC wrote on October 25, 2009
Does anyone proofread this nonsense?
5. mikel wrote on October 25, 2009
GPS: built-in (need map license)
???????????
does that means that archos has made a tomtom-like software?
afaik, there’s none.
maybe archos knows something we don’t?
6. Safi wrote on October 25, 2009
The only reason I’m planning on buying the ipod touch is for all the apps it comes with. There are a lot more fun apps on the ipod touch, unfortunately.
But I still plan on getting an Android for my next smartphone.
7. David wrote on October 25, 2009
SK I’d agree with you with the third option, but only because I don’t like carrying extra things around I’ll probably either break or lose. I’d rather just spend extra on a top of the line phone and do everything I need on there, whether its the X3/X10/New Codename or something else.
8. Pieter wrote on October 25, 2009
@dsc,
except for the few spelling mistakes (no instead of know), i don’t really see too much wrong with this post. what’s the problem?
9. johnkzin wrote on October 25, 2009
one inaccuracy. According to my gf, since the latest software update, the 2nd gen iPod Touch does, in fact, have Bluetooth. (so, the hardware was there, but the latest software updates provided the enabling software for it)
10. janis wrote on October 25, 2009
“Don’t no squat” or “ain’t noin’ squat” might’ve made it a bit more understandable. I thought it was deliberate. With critics as such, I’ll stick a post-it on my monitor to make sure my colloquialisms are crystal clear.
After having a(n) HTC Advantage (x7501) for 3 years now, I’m a little surprised the hardware that’s coming out now is still competing on these terms. Granted, it was a lot pricier, and it’s Windows Mobile, but I have a gadget that, with the right ROM, pretty much does all of this (not the Wifi g), has a camera (crappy one, though) and is a phone. If someone ported Hero ROM for it, though, I don’t know what I’d do. Probably explode, except I’d really miss the Tom Tom.
I’m still waiting for the 5-inch screen (next to zero bezel) with a slide out keyboard on a (BT) phone with an 8mp camera. Android, of course. (No, it wasn’t suposed to be a complete sentence.)
11. Hawk wrote on October 25, 2009
Johnkzin already pointed out the flaw about Bluetooth, here is another: According to BestBuy.com, the audio playback time is 22 hours. Of course it says that for all models.
I also want to know why the 32GB model is more expensive than the 60GB model.
And does the archos 5 have an accelerometer? That’s kind of one of the things that makes the touch so definitive.
Honestly, the comparative points that are made about what the archos has makes it a decent piece of hardware. comparing it to the touch is a bit one sided since each device excels in different areas.
12. Aaron wrote on October 26, 2009
Did you also notice that it costs nearly twice as much. That, alone, makes any comparison invalid to me. That’s like saying, “Survey says the BMW X5 is better than the Ford Explorer.”
13. Aaron wrote on October 26, 2009
Sorry, I thought I read the comparison for a 199.00 iPod. Still more expensive, nonetheless.
14. phonixor wrote on October 26, 2009
- there are some rumors that there will be tomtom for android…
- i really don’t understand why anyone would want,to buy this instead of a nice android phone…
- never buy apple products… just don’t…
15. Chengbin wrote on October 26, 2009
There are some very wrong information in there.
Capacity: it should say up to 500GB
Processor: it is a ARM Cortex A8 @ 800Mhz
Battery life: it is 22 hours music and 7 hours of video
TV output is 1280×720
HD content: Apple doesn’t support HD. It supports SD at baseline profile H.264. The 5 supports 720p (HD) at HIGH profile, not main.
Archos also supports DivX, XviD, WMV, all in 720p. MPEG 2 (aka DVD) is supported through a plugin.
I really hope Bestbuy would get its information right next time
16. Charbax wrote on October 26, 2009
@Aaron, Archos also has a MSRP $249 8GB version available next week or so.
@Hawk, the 60GB version is for last years version without Android OS. Yes the Archos Android has an accelerometer.
@johnkzin, on the Archos Android you can use the Bluetooth not only for Bluetooth stereo headphones, also a Bluetooth headset (for Android VOIP apps), Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I don’t think you can do all that with the Bluetooth of the iPod Touch.
@Safi, I believe the Android apps are getting to be seriously better than on the iPod Touch. For one, you can fully multi-task on Android and the Archos Android provides plenty of power to do that with its ARM Cortex A8 processor which makes it 3-4 more powerful than the existing Android phones on the market. Also Android developers are really free to do whatever they want, including VOIP apps, HD video streaming apps, video uploading like Ustream and Qik, high definition remote desktop streaming, soon enough full Google Chrome browser and plenty more really powerful stuff.
@mikel, yes Archos provides a Tomtom like software developed by Ndrive using the Tele Atlas mappings. It also includes very high resolution satellite imagery (they say 8 times more detailed than Google Maps) and also it provides advanced 3D maps for cities so you pass over the streets in 3D. You have to pre-load each city as a 2GB or so file onto your device so it loads all the advanced mapping easily. Though, Archos Android can also support any other GPS navigation software that is available for Android, such as Tomtom is rumored to come with some soon and others.
17. T. Jones wrote on October 26, 2009
Ha! To say it absolutely destroys the Touch is silly. It has a few pro’s, but some of the comparisons are just trivial, aside from a big price difference! As for memory size, the new Touch has 64GB, and last I checked my Touch has Bluetooth support and a USB connector… Someone needs to get the facts straight.
18. Marvin wrote on October 26, 2009
whatever happened to the zii egg. wasn’t that supposed to compete with the ipod touch and have android on it as well?
19. iPod Comparisons wrote on October 26, 2009
hmmmm.. pretty interesting unit. I guess it would be nice to have the Archos 5, just to break monotony, and to maybe gain some second glances from unfamiliar people. Then again, the latter reason is pretty shallow. I do think that the Archos 5 is the next “in” thing, and will surely give Apple a run for their money.
20. UMPCfan wrote on October 27, 2009
This is a training document for a product they don’t even stock yet. Oh my, Charbax trolls again! Warning, do not say anything negative about Archos or you will be punished! The world according to Charbax. There are so many errors that it’s laughable. Saying that the Archos will destroy the iTouch is like saying that China fears imports from Luxembourg. No offense to Luxembourgians! Archos is built on false rumors and wild speculation about what it will do, not what it can do. And exactly what would be the advantage to Best Buy to say anything negative about any prodcut from Apple? You don’t knock the cash cow if you have any business savvy.
21. omer wrote on October 29, 2009
Fuckyou archos fans………bloody shit….there is no way this shit can beat ipod touch.
22. 4DThinker wrote on October 30, 2009
I’ve got both. For 32gb version the Archos was more expensive, but it also supports microSD cards up to 32gb (if you can find one). Archos has updated the firmware twice in the week I’ve had mine. I’ve found an Android version of every Touch app I insist on having. Yes, there’s a G-sensor in both. GPS in the 5. Navigation is free to try for a short time, then a one-time fee to enable forever. There are other Android apps that put the GPS to work as well. Updates happen directly on the 5 via WiFi, and have been free so far. There doesn’t seem to be anything using multi-touch on the 5, but that may be an Android 1.5 limitation. Android 2.0 is supposed to support it. You can use just about any media app to drag and drop Music/Video/Photos to the 5. No iTunes limitation.
23. comaxon wrote on November 2, 2009
I agree with OMER:
Fuck you ARCHOS FANS !
PROPAGANDA!!
24. Michael wrote on November 26, 2009
Isn’t the Archos 5 Android only 800mhz, not 1ghz?
25. marta Lebron wrote on November 27, 2009
hey waz up i been texing on my twitter on my android all day long so funnnnn ya and hit me up sexi boys at marta3lebron@yahoo.com
26. Dustin South wrote on December 5, 2009
Funny how no one is knockin’ the Archos 5 IT now that it’s been released…
Go figure.
27. domax wrote on January 31, 2010
all you apple fanboys need to respect what is better.you cant just say the archos 5 android is bad.im not saying the archos is better its just that both have things they are best at like the archos 5 is mostly for internet browsing and watching hd videos and the i pod touch is for gaming and chatting.
28. domax wrote on January 31, 2010
the archos 5 is much better
29. AJ wrote on March 3, 2010
I have had the Archos 5 IT since october 2009 and sice having it there has been 4 updates to the software and nothing seems to go wrong i also would respectfully ask that the immature group of people who believe in profanity to prove a point need to have a lesson in making people listen to you. Further more on the archos subject There are Down falls the archos 5 doesnt have a biometric scanner which is one thing that i really was disappointed about what that means is that multitouch will be near impossibility for archos 5 IT and for those of you here who are apple\ipod users biometric is the cool piece of glass that covers your screen on the ipod touches that allows for smooth touch screen and not having to apply pressure (try using your touch with a glove on). Archos does allow for hands to be covered which is a good or bad thing depends on your use of the device. The other thing is yes the archos 5 IT has a accelerometer in it but it will only work for horizontal one way and vertical one way switching which is again another down fall. as far as apps go apple has beaten Archos but hey they have thousands of techies locked up in their basement working on those so hats off to them. But you can set up your archos to be able to not only connect to your network and surf the net but you can also browse the files on your computers and copy them directly to your device over wifi (and transfers are quite fast) so its really up to what you are looking for in a device so to each his own and goodnight