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What could be used with one of these?


mtbikernate

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So I was poking around looking for an mp3 player with lots of storage (NOT an ipod) and I found this beauty.

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/archos_...=us〈=en

 

So, with a built-in GPS, Android OS, Wifi, Bluetooth, and a 500Gig HDD, I'm thinking this gizmo could be an ultimate paperless caching device that is poised to replace my old Dell PDA that won't sync with a 64bit OS.

 

I also read that the battery capacity is pretty huge for a portable device like this (customer reviews). there's some kind of GPS software for it, and I DO like that it says you can play music AND use the GPS at the same time (that would help cut down on the # of devices in my car). I'm not yet clear how it stores the basemaps for the GPS, however. It clearly can't download them live since it lacks its own cell connection (but it can tether to a phone with 3G), but I'm very curious about this thing.

 

And then, the thing is an AWESOME travel companion. Tunes, TV, movies, internet. Perfect for long plane rides (especially since some airlines offer Wifi these days). I imagine it would be a rockin PDA, too. Contacts & Calendar, and having a 500GB hard drive option, I could store plenty of papers and projects inside.

 

I just have to figure out how I'm gonna pay for it. $500 for the 500GB model. Still better than a lot of touchscreen Garmins, though.

 

I think this looks like an ipod killer if it ever catches on.

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Well I guess GeoBeagle or any other Android Geocaching software should work on that thing,, yep it does look pretty neat :antenna:

 

.. but fragile too!! I'd be scared to waunder the woods with such a delicate device..

 

The naviagation screenshots do show what appears to be aerial imagry,, it mush have some sort of a 3G connection to the outside world(?)

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Well I guess GeoBeagle or any other Android Geocaching software should work on that thing,, yep it does look pretty neat :antenna:

 

.. but fragile too!! I'd be scared to waunder the woods with such a delicate device..

 

The naviagation screenshots do show what appears to be aerial imagry,, it mush have some sort of a 3G connection to the outside world(?)

 

No....no 3G, unless you tether it to your cellphone via bluetooth. But I dug around on the description page and it does not look like that comes with the GPS navigation software package. That looks like it just comes with street maps/POI's. So this thing looks like it'd have the same trouble with finding software that shows offline aerials as all the folks with AGPS cell phones are having. The software doesn't appear to be there. But it has enough storage to hold a small area (like a city) at a time.

 

As for its fragility, I wouldn't take it anywhere without a protective case, but folks cache with PDA's all the time that are no more durable. A good screen protector, something to keep the rain off, and you'll be fine for light outdoor use. I certainly wouldn't strap it to the handlebars of my mountain bike. That'd be dumb.

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I linked to this one in a thread a few months ago:

 

http://www.zii.com/

 

On paper it looks great. Android, expandable memory, 32GB internal, GPS, two cameras (one looking at you for video conferencing, one for photos), 802.11 b/g (but no n).

 

I don't know how ready the Archos is, but the Zii is definitely not ready for prime time yet, from what a friend who's writing apps for it told me.

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How big/heavy is this thing? I don't see that in the specs. With a 4.8" display, it's got to be pretty sizable...

It's at the end of the page.

 

ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet Flash series: 143,2x78,8x10,4 mm - 182g

ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet Hard Drive series: 143,2x78,8x20 mm - 286g

 

Or is it metric that you're unhappy about? :antenna: 6.4 oz and 10 oz.

 

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/archos_...=us〈=en

Edited by Chrysalides
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I haven't heard much about folks developing 3rd party software for it, but Archos has quite a suite of its own software that you can choose from for most of the advertised functions. It's got a significant number of accessories that expand the hardware, turning it into a USB 2.0 host (meaning you can plug your digicam straight into it to offload pics or vids), a helmet video camera, FM receiver, all sorts of stuff. I think I might drop a line to XM to see if they plan on making a dock for it like they did with the iPod Touch. There's even a battery adapter that increases battery life by 1.5x. As far as the hardware goes, it looks awful solid.

 

I was browsing customer reviews on bestbuy.com (they sell it), and it seems most folks love it. There seem to be a few that have SW issues (several seem to be associated with the fact that you have to buy certain packages to use certain features of the gadget), but they don't give many details on exactly what they were doing to create them. several of the folks who loved it seemed to be very tech savvy and didn't have the trouble. One complaint I was reading is that it can heat up, but pretty much anything little heats up. all laptops get hot, so I'm not terribly concerned about that.

 

I'm going to figure out how I can acquire one of these. it might be a little while, since I wasn't planning on spending $500 on a GPS...but I think I'll have to sell some of my other toys to fund it.

 

It would be nice if I could figure out how to use it as an all-in-one geocaching device, since it has all the hardware you need for that.

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How big/heavy is this thing? I don't see that in the specs. With a 4.8" display, it's got to be pretty sizable...

It's at the end of the page.

 

ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet Flash series: 143,2x78,8x10,4 mm - 182g

ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet Hard Drive series: 143,2x78,8x20 mm - 286g

 

Or is it metric that you're unhappy about? :antenna: 6.4 oz and 10 oz.

 

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/archos_...=us〈=en

Metric is fine. I must have been brain-dead to have missed it. Weight's not bad. Dimensions are a little awkward for a hand-held though. And hard to imagine myself tromping through the woods coddling something with an internal HDD :antenna:

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It would be nice if I could figure out how to use it as an all-in-one geocaching device, since it has all the hardware you need for that.

The thing truly is a sweet looking gadget and probably quite capable, but (in my worlds definition) it can't be an all-in-one geocaching device if it doesn't have a built-in cell/data/3G connection.. how are you going to be able to post your logs while in the field and, (most importantly!) how can you survey nearby geocaches in real time without first loading the thing up with a bunch of pocket queries?

 

It also seems to follow the "Garmin" business pattern of having you $BUY maps in order to use the navigation feature.. as mentioned in the web ad:

 

The GPS navigation system now works independently. Of course you will have to purchase the license and the maps of the countries or continent you want...
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it will tether to a bluetooth phone, so you can get live, real-time cache logs if you have a data plan on your phone.

 

as for the maps part, I'm hoping that purchasing the maps only relates to using it for auto navigation. That's what those maps really seem to do. I would hope one could go onto Google Maps and it would show your position on imagery that way. Or that there would be other apps available that could use basemaps from a different source.

 

but the car maps that the car GPS kit includes have a lot of the typical car GPS functions to them, so I am neither surprised nor upset that they want you to pay for that. and IIRC, it was something like $130, so not an atrocious fee, since that includes the windshield mount, and the software compares to some of Garmin's higher-end GPS offerings.

https://store.archos.com/category_info.php

 

The thing doesn't follow a complete pay-for-maps model, because it's a whole computer on its own. It just needs the right software to handle the maps that happens to be compatible with Google Android.

 

I imagine you could make use of the GPS without paying for the car package if you found the right application.

 

It's like my TDS survey GPS I use for my thesis. It has an onboard GPS chip, but no real software to run it included. You have to get the software separately. Mine uses ArcPad, which works on win mobile and is compatible with the software we run on the desktop computers in the lab.

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IMHO....

 

In the past I've purchased both an Archos AV700 Mobile DVR (100GB) and an Archos Gmini XS 202s MP3 player (20GB). From a technology standpoint and in their respective market sectors, the Archos products are up there with the best from the competition, however their user interfaces were not always perceived as 'best of breed'. In the case of the more recently announced Archos 5 Internet Tablet, the GPS capability is reputed (at least by CNET) to be of questionable use (in all probability, due to shortcomings in the product firmware, which one would hope will soon be resolved if not addressed already).

 

Sadly, the disk died in my Gmini following an accidental drop from approx. 1 metre. As a result of this, I've recently contemplated the purchase of an Archos 5 Internet Tablet to replace both it and the AV700.

 

Based on my experience, I'd suggest anyone considering the purchase of an Archos 5 Internet Tablet for frequent outdoor use, should buy the more robust solid state 32Gb model (which is significantly thinner and lighter than the models containing hard drives and which is supplemented by a SDHC compatible Micro SD expansion slot, to compensate for the smaller on-board storage capacity). I'd also echo the fact these units are not weatherproof and since the product relies on touch-screen technology to operate it, it would seem logical that someone develops a clear polycarbonate flip face weatherproof box, similar in style to an old fashioned book style cigarette case.

 

The Android Operating System is still relatively new and consequently the spectrum of applications is not as broad as, say that for an Ipod Touch. Although even now, I see the Archos 5 Internet Tablet as a worthy competitor to it and unless Apple add GPS capability to the Touch, the Archos may eventually prove to be the superior product, simply due to its broader functionality (once Archos sort out the perceived GPS acquisition issue, expand their application portfolio and possibly increase the on-board storage to 64Gb or even to 128Gb).

 

As a newcomer to Geocaching, my opinion may not count for much here however I would suggest that the superiority of the 4.8" 800x480 resolution screen would make the Archos 5 Internet Tablet an attractive alternative to many of the mainstream GPS handhelds, but only once some suitable apps have been developed for Geocachers and the like. Any volunteers?

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Be careful with Archos. I bought a 605 WiFi on the strength of good reviews.

 

Every function is a chargeable extra :lol:

 

Want to play MPEGS? pay to download the extra :)

surf the 'net? pay to download the extra :anibad:

Play a podcast? AC3 sound? guess what :anibad:

 

Charge the battery? buy the extra :D the USB lead can't charge it whilst it is on, it takes too much current, so you can flatten the battery whilst connected to the PC and transferring files.

 

I know this is different kit, but once you burn your fingers, you don't pick up something that might be hot :lol:

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