Archos does a cannonball into the Internet tablet pool with the release of three new devices: the Archos 5, the Archos 5g, and the Archos 7. These are the same devices that we wrote about late last week.

The company is boasting the “Internet Media Tablet” as a new concept even though these devices have a lot in common with gadgets like the Nokia Internet tablets. However, Archos has thrown the word “media” in between “Internet” and “tablet” so let’s see what all the fuss is about.

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Get ready for the next generation of Archos portable media players. A banner on the company’s Web site reads “Coming up soon…”

There’s zero info other than that, and why would there be? It’s not like Archos fans don’t like to know the company’s plans from A to Z, right?

via DAPreview.net

Archos sent out a fairly lengthy press release today updating us to a few new things its doing with its WiFi-equipped media players, including adding live TV and GPS capabilities.

With the new In-Car Holder (that’s its name), the Archos 605 WiFi media player becomes a full-fledged GPS for autos. The holder has GPS functionality, and works with maps stored on the player. It’s a cool idea that anyone with an Archos will like.

In addition, Archos is launching a new service for it’s TV+ devicee called TVPortation. It uses the set-top box and your TV’s content and broadcasts it via the Internet so you can watch it on your 605 or 705 video player, live. It’s meant to compete with Sling’s offerings and a few others, but Archos is making a full digital video ecosystem.

In addition, Archos would like you to know that its devices are the first offering a full version of Adobe’s Flash 9 as a way to watch any YouTube, Google Video, or other Flash-based video on the go.

The Archos TV+ is a set-top media extender plus (get it?) a whole lot more. And in true Archos fashion, this device demands a lot from its users. I mean that in a positive way, though, believe it or not. Archos users make up a proud community of tech-savvy enthusiasts hell-bent on getting the most out of their gadgets. I should know, I’ve been an owner of the Gmini 200, the Gmini 400, and even the ancient-but-awesome Jukebox 6000. So let’s take the Archos TV+ for a spin, shall we?

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It looks like the Archos TV+ came out in Europe before here, what with every British tech site having already given their first impression. The little device is a media server and comes with either an 80GB or 250GB hard drive. Wi-Fi takes care of the wireless streaming of music, movies, photos and the sort. If it sounds similar to the Apple TV, that’s because it is similar to the Apple TV. Only iTunes-DRM’d content won’t play on this.

It supports, with the help of plugins, MPEG4, WMV and H.264; no DivX support (yet?).

T3 has an unembeddable video of the interface, while Pocket-lint has all sorts of photos. Godspeed.

Video: Hands on with Archos TV+ [T3]

Archos TV+ in pictures [Pocket-lint.co.uk]

It may surprise some of you to read this, especially from me, but I must say it: Not everyone is going to need an iPhone. Sure, I’m stoked as anyone to get my hands on one, but I’m not sold that it’s the do-all some people are hyping it up to be (not Apple, btw). Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s an industry-changing device the likes of which we haven’t seen since the StarTAC, but is it right for everyone? And, more to the point, is it right for me? The jury’s still out. Until I’ve had the chance to play with one, to work it over, to caress it gently in my rough hands, I won’t know for sure. What I do know, though, is that despite the hype, the iPhone (no, I won’t be calling it “Jesus Phone”) isn’t the only game in town. And like it or not, you’re ready for a real smartphone.

That’s the focus of today’s Help-Key: How to get your smartphone on, the non-Apple way.

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Einstein said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Few companies in the MP3 player business grasp this important principle, and it continues to bite them in the assets.

iRiver and SanDisk are feverishly trying to keep up the pace of feature bloat, while Archos and Creative are increasingly focusing on video players. Meanwhile, Sony is getting ready to throw in the towel, and still others (okay, Microsoft) should probably start thinking along the same lines.

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The boys at CG just returned from an Archos event to bring you the latest PMP goodness. The line-up starts with the 105, but today we are giving you a brief hands on with the Archos 405, 605, and the new Apple TV competitor… TV plus.

The 605 comes standard with all the nifty features you’d expect in a next gen Archos device…
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At midnight, Archos pulled the curtain back on their feature-packed, but anything-but-pocket-friendly 704-Wifi PMP (although it’s closer in form to an UMPC than an iPod.) This 80GB, 7-inch-screener packs in WiFi Web browsing and DVR functionality with the usual music/photo/video business. We got our hands on perhaps the most feature-packed of players and took it for a spin.

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Can someone tell me why virtually nothing is happening with MP3 players in regards to actual audio quality? In fact, audio quality seems to be moving ass-backwards, giving way to non-audio features like video and wireless. Headphones have come such a long way in the last 15 years or so, and now we have dual- and triple-driver in-ear models designed specifically for use with portables. The problem is that most MP3 players’ headphone outputs flat-out suck.
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