Meet the Archos 605

FRANKLY, I have felt guilty over the past several years for not discussing personal media players like iPods and for not covering more WiFi topics in this column. Maybe it is as the ancients thought, bad ether. Or maybe it is my love for things like high-definition video, five-channel surround sound, and fast and capable computers. But all that is about to change, as I am finally making the move to WiFi, personal media players, and take-it-anywhere technology. It pains me because until very recently, I have been more than happy with the technology I already have. It is the Archos 605 WiFi personal media player that lured me out of my wired comfort zone. I have ranted and raved about technology in the past, but the Archos 605 makes me stretch to find enough superlatives--and expletives--to describe it. I first learned about the 605 while reading an editor's review by Donald Bell on CNET (dated 8/30/07). While I consult CNET reviews often, the opinions that follow are mine and not quite the same as those of Mr. Bell. The Archos 605 is 4.75 inches wide, 3.25 inches tall, and slightly over half an inch thick. Most of the front is taken up by a gorgeous 4.25-inch (diagonally) TFT (thin film transistor) LCD (liquid crystal display) screen with 800 x 480 pixels. This screen, by itself, sets the Archos apart from nearly every other similar device, including the iPod. Two other features put the Archos in a category by itself: a 30-GB hard drive and built-in WiFi for wireless networking. The 605 is available with as little as 4 GB and as much as 160 GB of memory, but I suspect the 30-GB model will be the most popular, and it is the one I recommend. Another feature I like is the small speaker on the front that lets you listen to music without using those annoying ear buds. Together, these and similar features drove me to the store. The screen of the 605 is a "multi-touch" screen that turns into a qwerty keyboard when you need it. A "multi-touch" screen allows you to scroll up and down or side to side with a finger or a stylus--two of the latter are provided. There are also six buttons on the right side of the device that are needed from time to time, but you can generally use the touch screen. As soon as I got home with the 605, I turned it on and checked to see if there was any wireless coverage in my neighborhood, but there was none. I guess the local Starbucks is just too far away. Oh well, I think my son has a spare wireless station that I can use with my Mac mini and DSL line to create my very own WiFi network. I plan on setting up my home wireless network soon, but I want to make it as secure as possible, which might take a little study. Expect more on this topic in a future column. If you don't have a WiFi network, you can simply connect the 605 directly to a computer. The 605 comes with a special cable that connects it to the USB 2 port on a computer. You must have a USB 2 port, since this is how you charge the 605's batteries, and a USB 1 port does not have adequate power. Once connected to a computer, the 605 shows up on the Mac desktop or in "My Computer" on a PC. There are two ways to configure this connection: one makes the 605 appear as an external device; the other makes the 605 act as a Windows Media Player. The first connection method is the one I use, since it allows me to simply drag files to the 605 hard drive. The first order of business for me was downloading some music files from eMusic.com--an Archos partner. I like eMusic for three main reasons. First, the music, which costs 99 cents a song, is not copy protected, so you own it. That means you can transfer it from computer to computer and make as many CDs as you like. Second, I like eMusic because it features a wide selection of old folk, pop, rock, and country music that is nearly impossible to find elsewhere. For example, it was easy to find nearly a dozen versions of Donovan's "Catch the Wind" and a copy of "Lonely Surfer" by the Ventures. …