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(Credit: Archos)

Far be it for Archos to sit idly by and watch Apple, Microsoft, and Creative have all the fun. Today, the company announced its next-generation Archos 5 device, which is perhaps the most fully featured "portable media player" we've seen. In fact, the unit is being marketed as an Internet tablet rather than as a PMP, and that's entirely accurate. The new Archos 5 is running the Android platform, which the device uses for nearly every function besides media playback (that's still handled by Linux). And you know what that means: apps!

There is an interesting caveat here, however. Since the Archos 5 is running at the HD-friendly 720p resolution, which is not approved for Android Cupcake, the selection of apps at start-up will be limited to about 300 (with that number increasing to at least 1,000 by the end of the year), and they are only accessible via the Archos app store. Still, the chances are you'll have the full selection of Android apps by early next year, and we're willing to wait if it means high-res video on the device, something to be fully-appreciated when outputting to a TV (see the gallery for an example).

Archos 5 Internet Tablet--photos

If you're shopping for a high-end portable media player, but the iPod just isn't your cup of tea, the Sony X-Series Walkman and the Cowon S9 are two of the best options around.

But aside from the fact that both players include beautiful OLED touch screens, they couldn't be more different. The X-Series comes with a Web browser, noise-canceling headphones, and lacks Bluetooth, while the S9 includes Bluetooth, standard earbuds, and wants nothing to do with the Internet.

To see which iPod Touch alternative offers the most bang for your buck, we've handed the S9 and the Walkman over to our Prizefight team, who put each player through five rounds of scrutiny. To see which player came out on top, check out the full CNET Prizefight.

The Archos 3.

With about as much fanfare as a prison release, a new Archos touch-screen MP3 player made an appearance on the manufacturer's Web site this morning, along with a handful of product specs.

The product page shows off a new pocket-size MP3 player called the Archos 3, featuring a 3-inch, color, touch screen, 8GB of storage, photo playback, a voice recorder, a calendar, a stopwatch, and 14 hours of battery life.

Archos isn't saying when we'll see the Archos 3, how much it will cost, what kind of files it can play, or really giving any indication why anyone should care. Hey, at least it looks more interesting than the Archos 2 player the company silently released back in April.

Here's hoping this is all leading up to a revision of Archos' strongest product, the Archos 5.

The Iriver B30.

Iriver may not have the same brand recognition as iPod or Zune, but the Korea-based company has consistently cranked out portable media players with slick modern designs and impressive graphic interfaces.

The U.S. has been treated to a handful of Iriver products, including the Clix, Spinn, and P7, but some of the company's creations never make it to our shores. The Iriver B30 is one such product--a portable media player with a 2.8-inch screen, micro SD memory expansion, accelerometer control, and a suite of features that includes music, video, photo, games, and a text reader. Unfortunately, the B30 also sports a DMB television tuner, which is next to useless in the U.S., and makes the product impractical for export.

Still, thanks to this video of someone expertly maneuvering the Iriver B30 in pitch-black darkness, we can at least appreciate the finer nuances of the product's GUI. It looks pretty slick, bearing a resemblance to the magazine-style aesthetic we found on the Iriver P7.

iPod competitors take note--it is possible to make a refined, stylish GUI without cloning Apple or rehashing outdated motifs. Kudos to Iriver.

First look at the new Cowon 02. Click the image for the entire gallery.

(Credit: Crave UK)

Our favorite Brits over at Crave UK have an exclusive hands-on with the new Cowon 02.

They're pretty impressed with the new interface, screen quality, battery life during video playback, and the extensive list of supported file formats. Click the photo above to see the entire gallery of photos.

(Via Crave UK)

(Credit: Shiro)

With everything going green these days, Shiro is determined not to be left behind and has in the pipeline a solar-powered media player.

Yes, a portable media player that can be juiced up by leaving it in the sun. The Singapore-based company will be showcasing its Shiro SQ player at the upcoming Hong Kong Electronics Fair Autumn Edition.

Most of the SQ's specifications are nothing to shout about, including a 1.8-inch color display, FM tuner, and up to 16GB of memory. Its main selling point is the solar panel found on the back which fully charges the device in four hours when in the sun. If the day is overcast, you can still power up the SQ through more regular means using a USB cable. We currently do not have a price for this piece of gear, but certainly more information will be forthcoming after its official unveiling at the fair in Hong Kong.

(Via Crave Asia.)

(Credit: Crave Asia)

Personal media players suffer from one major issue--sharing movies on the small LCD is quite impossible. But this is not the case for the Suniview PMP Projector, which claims to be the first portable media player to incorporate a Pico Projector under the hood.

(Credit: Crave Asia)

Granted, the projector is not exactly a powerhouse at 5 lumens with only VGA resolution. But this is a step in the right direction for overcoming the compromise between portability and display size.

The PMP Projector is a Windows CE device with a 400MHz Samsung processor powering the built-in 3.5-inch QVGA screen. It comes with an SD/MMC slot to boost its miserable 64MB internal memory and can display images as well as Microsoft office documents, a major boon for on-the-go presentations.

This device has a price range of between $500 and $600 and is due for Taiwan shelves in the third quarter of this year. We were not given an answer on whether this device would make it overseas, though.

(Source: Crave Asia)

(Credit: Iogear)

Just what the world needs, another media player. We're not sure what would possess Iogear--or anyone else, for that matter--to enter this already-overcrowded arena but at least this one is trying something different.

There's good news and bad news about the cleverly named "Portable Media Player": The good news is that it has a 120GB storage capacity that can hold up to 50 hours of DVD-quality video, 34,000 digital photos, 30,000 MP3 files, and 3,000 uncompressed songs, according to the company, as well as upscale up to 720p resolution. The bad news is that it has no screen--instead, this PMP is meant to work with a TV. Which means that, while it may indeed be portable, don't count on using it on your subway commute.

And for the record, there was no mention of any "germ-free" claims in the press release.

The Archos 605 Wi-Fi, with the kickstand extended

(Credit: Archos)

Archos announced its 2007 lineup of media player/recorders today at press events in both Europe and New York, introducing four new portable models as well as the company's first set-top DVR.

The big news--as reported earlier--is that the new Wi-Fi-enabled portables include direct access to an online "Content Portal" and offer a Flash-supported Web browser option. The portal offers pay-per-download CinemaNow movies--just use the touchscreen to pick the movie you want to buy and download it to the internal hard drive, no PC required. The Opera browser--a $30 option on Wi-Fi models--includes a Flash plug-in. The pre-production model I was using smoothly delivered YouTube videos, even offering an option to toggle them to full screen. (By contrast, it's worth noting that the iPhone can't access the iTunes Store directly--content needs to be synced from a host computer--and Flash support is said to be absent from the included Safari browser.) With optional paid plug-ins, the higher-end Archos models will also offer customized widgets and even support for high-definition playback (24-frame, 720p video).

All the Archos portables are scheduled to ship in the first half of September. The line features four base models, some of which are available in multiple capacities and price points:

Archos 105: The entry-level, 2GB flash model is intended for very basic audio, photo, and video playback, but includes a 1.8-inch OLED screen and will sell for just $90.

Archos 405: In addition to the 2GB of built-in flash memory, the 405 includes an SD expansion slot and a larger, 3.5-inch LCD screen. It also offers wider file format support, including optional compatibility made available via downloadable (paid) plug-ins.

Archos 605 Wi-Fi: The sweet spot in the Archos line adds Wi-Fi and a PSP-sized 800x480-pixel, 4.3-inch LCD screen. The 605 can stream video files from networked PCs on a home network, as well as offer direct access to the CinemaNow online video store and (with an optional upgrade) Web surfing and Flash-based video via the Opera browser. The 605 will be available in three configurations: 4GB flash with an SD expansion slot for $200, a 30GB hard-disk model for $300, and a 160GB hard-disk model for $400.

Archos 705 Wi-Fi: The deluxe Archos portable offers the same features as the 605, but boasts a massive 7-inch screen. It will be available in 80GB and 160GB hard-disk models (pricing still to be determined).

While the 2007 models appear, at least on the surface, to be more affordable than last year's versions (Archos 104, Archos 404, Archos 604 Wi-Fi, and the Archos 704 Wi-Fi), there's a catch: to enable some of the more compelling features of the 405, 605, and 705, you need to purchase optional accessories and software plug-ins. Most notably, the DVR Station ($100) lets a docked Archos record TV shows (with cable/satellite box control and even a built-in electronic programming guide). Somewhat more onerous, however, is that the Web browser is a separate purchase ($30), and six separate A/V codecs and features are a la carte downloads at $20 a pop (MPEG-2/Dolby compatibility for ripped DVDs; H.264/AAC compatibility; widgets plug-in; HD video support; Real Video support; and Internet radio playback). That's $150 extra dollars for the full Archos experience--not including the DVR add-on.

Archos' nickel and diming notwithstanding, the Wi-Fi-enabled models look to deliver an impressive mixture of features and value, including some impressive media recording and playback options that even the vaunted iPhone won't be able to match--at least, not until its own string of firmware and accessory upgrades is announced. (Of course, none of the Archos players will replace your cell phone.) Look for full in-depth CNET reviews of all four Archos models when they hit the market in September.