The pocket media player decision was so much simpler a year ago. If you wanted a video player with a dash of geek credibility, you went for an Archos. If you fancied the best music player on the market. the iPod was it. But now, with the iPod Touch offering great video playback and Wi-Fi web browsing, the two legendary gadgets have finally squared up. Stuff's Mark Wilson asks: is there room your life for the 605 WiFi?

Web feat:- You'd expect a gadget with 'WiFi' tattooed on it to connect to the web out of the box. Not this one. First, you need to visit Archos's online portal and buy a plug-in for £20. Once you've sucked a boiled sweet to take away the bitter taste the experience is good - the Opera browser renders web pages in full and its predecessor's dislike of WEP security has been fixed.
Buttons undone:- Navigation isn't as laughably clunky as early Archos devices, but the 605's buttons still make your fingers feel about as dextrous as a pack of Cumberland sausages. The six rather flimsy rocker keys are no scroll wheel, and it's easy to press two accidentally. We found it simpler to use the stylus, which is easily lost as there's n9 home for it on the device. A toothpick it is, then.
Talkin' 'bout a resolution:- The biggest change from the 604 WiFi is the 4.3in screen's resolution - it's up from a below-par 480x272 to a Nokia N810-matching 800x480 pixels. Some minor motion-judder aside, we found video playback to be crisp and smooth. Web pages also benefit from the clarity and brightness, and it attracts fewer smears thanks to the stylus. The downside is that it's less responsive to finger prods than the iPod Touch.
Hungry drives:- There's a 605 capacity for every movie appetite¬from the snacker's 4GB flash version to a medium 30GB model to the gannet-pleasing 160GB flavour. The latter version makes it a much more serious video contender than the iPod Touch, which can only hold a maximum of ten movies - ten times less than the flagship 605 WiFi.
Makes you want to stream:- The 605 WiFi is a capable media player on its own, but add the DVR station and it becomes a uniquely versatile gadget. Setting it up is a little tricky, but once you're done you can surf the web on your TV via the QWERTY remote, schedule recordings on the EPG, transfer files from any USB source and, the coolest part, stream any files on your home network to your telly via Wi-Fi. Eat that, iPod Touch.



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