Archos 5 review - Part 5: Archos 5 vs. the iPhone

[Charbax]

Archos 5 is much better then the iPhone. In this video, I am showing the differences in features and talking about them. The Archos 5 has a much bigger and better screen, browses the Internet faster and better and comes with much more storage for a cheaper price. Those are just some of the main differences.



http://archosfans.com/2008/09/19/archos ... he-iphone/

[sharp910sh]

I do like your videos, "they are the same size". what hd camera do you use? I want one.

[thedo666]

I do like your videos, "they are the same size". what hd camera do you use? I want one.

One where an Archos 250GB is the same size as an iPhone. Its not a great camera.........

[Charbax]

I am using the Sanyo HD1000, there is a new one though that has 1080p mode: http://techvideoblog.com/ifa/sanyo-hd1010-at-ifa-2008/

[Chengbin]

Yeah! That's the video I've been waiting for. Will be watching soon.

[Chengbin]

Just watched the video. I was kind of expecting an indoor review comparing the internet speed and screen difference while watching a video (and therefore Charbax can trash it even more!)

Oh no, please don't tell me Charbax didn't do that because the iPhone isn't as slow and the screen isn't as bad as we thought?

[Magic Man]

Why even bother comparing an Archos 5 to an iPhone, they are not the same thing.

Yes, the Archos has the better/bigger screen, more storage etc. but likewise, it lacks phone functionality, bluetooth, gps etc.

Comparing it with the iPod touch then, yes, fair enough - but an iPod touch is not an iPhone. At least keep the two product markets the same.

[Charbax]

The iPod touch doesn't have HSDPA.

Archos 5G does compete.. since it will be sold by iPhone competing HSDPA carriers.

It's just another strategy, another proposition for how people should consume multimedia on-the-go.

Nobody is going to have both the Archos 5G and the iPhone with them in their pocket. It's either one or the other.

So no point in denying that they are indeed competing and that Archos thinks it has something that is better.

[Charles]

iPhone = Phone

Archos = MIT

Why compare things that are not comparable ?

[Bainsyboy]

Part 6 is currently being filmed in a downtown ghetto, and as soon as charbax stops running from the muggers will be posted asap for sure.
Chapter 6 will be titled
Archos5 V A washing machine

[grubi]

Sorry, I really don't see the point in all those Archos 5 vs. iPhone comparisons. I have both, an Archos 5 250GB and an iPhone 3G, for good reason. One serves me as phone and organizer (with some really great third party apps installed) and on-the-go Internet (WWW and eMail) access, the other as media player (and sometimes as Internet Tablet when I'm at home so I have WiFi).

They are both specialized devices. The iPhone is a nice small device and a great companion to stay connected (making it a good phone). The Archos, on the other hand, has an excellent, bigger screen and much more storage capacity (making it a great media player), but is more than double the size of the iPhone overall. Yes, you can watch media on the iPhone, but the Archos does it so much better. Yes, you could use a UMTS USB stick (or the future 5G) and an external microfone along with the Archos 5 to make phone calls (IF it had the necessary phone software), but that would be the most awkward phone I've ever seen.

Talking about usability: The new Archos is a great step forward and I find it very usable, but it's still miles away from the iPhone. Archos tried to copy some elements of the iPhone user interface (flipping photos, scrolling without touching scroll bars, fast scrolling by dragging and then releasing, etc.) but this all is implemented so much better on the iPhone. Also the capacitive glas touch screen on the iPhone is much better to handle than the pressure sensitive plastic foil touch screen of the Archos, and it is more resistant to scratches.

So let's just take the Archos for what it is: The greatest portable media player so far, I really love it! But I won't sell my iPhone for sure!

Nobody is going to have both the Archos 5G and the iPhone with them in their pocket. It's either one or the other.

Well, I do. IF i can't travel with both devices, however, I'll leave the Archos at home.

So no point in denying that they are indeed competing and that Archos thinks it has something that is better.

I really don't see them competing, even if they have features in common. They're on different markets. And Archos might think they have something better, but in reality they have something different.

grubi

[Bainsyboy]

quote
" this is much better than an iphone......it doesnt work as a phone"

Charbax is it ok if i post your links to harry hill

[Charbax]

iPhone = Phone

Archos = MIT

Why compare things that are not comparable ?

The iPhone is much more then just a phone, at least that's what Apple is saying.

True that people will move from having simple phones to having real pocket Internet computers. Well that is what Archos is showing with this product.

People are going to spend less time phoning, and sms textingm and more time surfing the Internet, IM'ing, Skyping and watching videos on their pocket devices.

[Magic Man]

The iPod touch doesn't have HSDPA.

Archos 5G does compete.. since it will be sold by iPhone competing HSDPA carriers.

It's just another strategy, another proposition for how people should consume multimedia on-the-go.

Nobody is going to have both the Archos 5G and the iPhone with them in their pocket. It's either one or the other.

So no point in denying that they are indeed competing and that Archos thinks it has something that is better.

I does not compete at all, they are not the same thing. The iPhone is a mobile phone with limited media capabilities and internet access together with Bluetooth and GPS. The Archos is a media player with no phone capabilities (other than HSDPA connection for the 5G) and wifi connection, no BT, no GPS

Because the iPod Touch doesn't have HSDPA it's not a suitable comparison to the Archos whereas the fact that the Archos doesn't have phone functionality from that HSDPA connection (nor Bluetooth, nor GPS) doesn't matter?

And I could well imagine a person having both the iPhone and the Archos since they are not the same thing whereas I would see no point in having the iPod Touch and the Archos since their main functions are the same.

No, your argument is still flawed, the Archos is not competing with the iPhone - the fact that the 5G model would enable Internet access via HSDPA does not mean it competes with the iPhone - if it provided full voice and text messaging as well then yes, then you could compare them. The majority of sales are going to be the higher capacity non-g versions anyway rather than the 5G so the whole comparison issue is even less worthy.

[Charbax]

Yes, you could use a UMTS USB stick (or the future 5G) and an external microfone along with the Archos 5 to make phone calls (IF it had the necessary phone software), but that would be the most awkward phone I've ever seen.

You can simply keep your FM remote control and headphones so you can easilly pick it up to place Skype calls or to receive them when the Archos wakes itself up on incoming calls (considering the software might support something like that).

It's basically the same deal as those people that always use headsets to place calls.

But anyways, the Archos strategy is to tell people to use any $8 phone to place phone calls, the rest can be handled by the Archos 5G or the one with the dongle.

Archos tried to copy some elements of the iPhone user interface (flipping photos, scrolling without touching scroll bars, fast scrolling by dragging and then releasing, etc.)

Actually, Archos has had these features since 2004 with the PMA400 device.

I really don't see them competing, even if they have features in common. They're on different markets.

Actually, they are on the same market. The same type of carriers are going to be selling the Archos 5G at about the same price or cheaper then the iPhone 3G.

For example if O2 has the iPhone 3G, then it's going to be Vodaphone, Three or T-Mobile that is going to have the Archos 5G, if it's Orange that has the iPhone 3G, then it has to be SFR to have the Archos 5G, if it's AT&T that has the iPhone 3G, then Archos is going to have to partner with one of Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon. You can't be more competing then that.

Archos and its carrier partners are going to be saying stuff like "Don't buy the iPhone 3G, we think you will have a better choice in choosing the Archos 5G and this $8 mobile phone for calls". Basically that is what the salespeople are going to be saying in the stores.

[Charbax]

The majority of sales are going to be the higher capacity non-g versions anyway rather than the 5G so the whole comparison issue is even less worthy.

In the first few weeks yeah. But surely Archos strategy is to have their HSDPA device dominate. The HSDPA carrier market is much bigger then the PMP market, even WiFi connected PMP market is in decline. The iPhone is selling 10x more then the iPod Touch. Main point is cause the carriers are able to give the iPhone away if people pay for lucrative phone contracts.

The main part of Archos future revenue is going to come from more then just selling hardware, it's going to be by selling subscriptions. Those subscriptions are going to be for HSDPA service and for content. That is where the money is.

[Magic Man]

I think your view of mobile carriers suddenly leaping to stock the 5G is slightly rosey. I doubt very much it's going to happen, Archos hasn't the market share nor public prescence to do that on any sort of scale.

It is not a phone so is not going to compete against the iPhone, simple as that.

[Charbax]

Archos doesn't have phone functionality from that HSDPA connection (nor Bluetooth, nor GPS) doesn't matter?

Bluetooth is just to connect accessories. The Archos 5G could have the same type of positionning system using HSDPA antenna triangulation.

Again, isn't an $8 clamshell phone competing with the iPhone on the phone part? Can't you do exactly the same phone function on that?

Archos 5G is going to be bundled with an $8 cheap ass phone. That $8 cheap ass phone is not even required since any unlocked phone will work, most people already have a phone that works fine for them.

What people are missing are all the other features. People are missing full Internet access wherever they go, people want full instant messaging and VOIP wherever they go, people want full video playback and storage wherever they go.

People can care less about the phone function. That one people have already had that already for the last 15 years.

What's the point in just having an expensive large screen phone to do the phone function? Just use your $8 one that's in your usual pocket, and use your currently empty pocket to carry around the Archos 5G that revolutionnizes pocket Internet, pocket video and poteentially every other pocket multimedia feature you can think of.

[Charbax]

I think your view of mobile carriers suddenly leaping to stock the 5G is slightly rosey. I doubt very much it's going to happen, Archos hasn't the market share nor public prescence to do that on any sort of scale.

Well you may be a naysayer about the Archos 5G's potential to be sold by carriers. Anyways it is going to happen. All industry analytics are saying that in the next two three years, 400 million people worldwide are going to be using IMT devices. Google is saying that the pocket computer will overtake the desktop and laptop computer market share.

It is basically a pocket computer. Now you can argue if that pocket computer should have dumb ass old school voice function or if it should have new media type VOIP instead, and to which degree it's important that it should support third party applications and how. But basically, all those devices are pocket computers, the convergence is happening, it's not like you are going to be carrying 12 different products in your pockets at all times.

So now it's just a matter of who is making the best convergence device, who has the best proposition out there for how we should get access to Internet centric data centric features more then just the locked down voice and sms functions we have been used to until now.

[naryn]

Whilst Charbax's posts are usually good, this part 5 is a big disappointment. 2 minutes of iphone bashing with little scientific basis rather than a balanced comparison and unfortunately nothing learnt about features either.

I have my Archos 5 so i dont need to watch them any longer but for those who do it would be good to see something more objective.