Slashdot Mirror

Archos had pocket video players 3 years ago in 2001. The first one, the MMJB, had a form factor that sucked and a screen that was lambasted as too small. Then Apple brings out the photo ipod that basically copies the 3-year-old Archos design with a similar sucky tiny screen.

Archos learned from their mistake and abandoned their form factor to utilize most of the front surface. Unless it wants to repeat the shuffle debacle, Apple will have to innovate around the clickwheel to maximize the real estate on the device. Maybe put the wheel on the reverse side, or use an edge jogger? Or use a touch-sensitive software wheel?

Basically, Apple isn;t interested in giving peope cool toys - it's interested in selling product. So until it could get "proper" DRM'd video ready to sell, it saw no reason to give people video. And because it has little interest in providing people with tools to make their own content, I suspect that the Apple video ipod's recording facilities will be non-existent or incredibly crappy, just like the audio ipod.

I love it how the Apple fanbois have been repeating like a mantra for the past two years "audio only good, video output bad" in drone-like Pavlovian response to the Delphic utterances of their Cult Boss Steve. Despite the overwhelming evidence that there was a healthy market for portable digital video players they persisted in repeating over and throwaway mantras from Big Brother Jobs about how nobody needed video, or colour, or photo support. Even the existence of literally dozens of PVP handhelds in the marketplace failed to convince most of them.

Now, however, that it seems possible that Apple might bless the product category with its sacred magic beans, suddenly portable video is the *coolest* *thing* *ever*! And hey, you know? Apple invented it!

How about in the Archos AV-320? From a HD upgrade page for it "any 2.5" 9.5mm-height notebook/laptop style hard drive should work fine" so the drive would fit.
Archos's site says it can do Xvid and Divx and has a 3.8" 320x240 screen (with TV out ) and will handle files up to 640x386@25fps.
Oh and it has an optional recorder module .

I would love this setup...

The linux webpage has been .. edited. (they redirect you to the homepage now..grr..)

So here is a pic of the AV500:

http://www.shanebrinkmandavis.com/homepage/Archos/ Main/ArchosRumors.html

AND

http://www.jonescam.tv/lipstick_camera.html

Why do video camera manufacturer's insist that I need to carry around my video camera?? I don't want to!

Come on guys, can you hack one of these av300 or av500, and let me have my hands free video camera ?? I'll pay for it, really PLEASE?!?!?!

Thanks
Mabidex

(I am lazy, but so what)

I have a co-worker who is directing/producing film and video and uses his iPod ... as a presentation external hard drive.

You know you could get brownie points by letting your co-worker know about Personal Video Players (PVPs), systems from Archos and RCA and Creative and others that not only store video, but also play it back, either on-screen on using video outputs. The iPod seems a little limited in this respect - it's just a storage medium, with a mnonochrome display that does not, in fact, display video. Even the old Archos Recorder can now display 30fps video (mono!). PVPs were super-hot at CES... Apple better get a move on releasing that video iPod.

I work as a photojournalist at a local newspaper, just about to switch to digital photography. It would be great to have a small multipurpose device to backup a compact flash card but ~22 minutes for a 512MB card.

Audio-only players are so 90s. Personally, I'm saving my money for the Archos AV320, or something like it. Big screen, MP3 *&* MPEG video playback and record. The lack of wireless, though, is a sore point.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.04/play.html ?pg=12

http://shanebrinkmandavis.com/homepage/JBMM/Prerel easePicts/