Archos Reveals New TV & Radio Plug-in For its PMP Range [Archos 605 WiFi, 705 WiFi, and Archos TV+ Firmware Update)

Archos have just unveiled a new plug-in for its Archos 605 WiFi, 705 WiFi, and Archos TV+ range of PMPs which, according to Archos’s press release, results in ‘the first PMP to support the nearly ubiquitous Adobe Flash 9, Windows Media Video (WMV) 9 and ON2 video formats, letting consumers enjoy the millions of online video and Flash games available on the Web’.

According to the press release, the new TV and radio plug-in will allow users of the aforementioned PMP models to access more than 9,600 web radio stations, 600 web TV stations and a staggering 100,000 podcasts all of which will be directly streamed to their Archos PMP wirelessly via the net. Notably, however, where as download and pay-per-view services are rife (and by no means new) Archos claims that its customers will be able top access this content for free ‘just as they would on their laptop’.

The new TV and radio plug-in will be made available next month (May 08) for $19.99 in downloadable format from the Archos content portal.

Archos’s Press Release:

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire - April 22, 2008) - Today’s most popular TV shows are watched by millions online through their computers, laptops and mobile phones. For the first time, TV fans can catch up on full-length TV episodes, music videos, sporting events, news, Web TV shows, and even favorite radio stations on the Web for free, through ARCHOS Portable Media Players (PMPs). With wireless access and the highest quality 4.3- and 7-inch screens of any portable player on the market, ARCHOS brings true mobile entertainment to consumers wherever they go.

ARCHOS introduces the first PMP to support the nearly ubiquitous Adobe® Flash® 9, Windows Media Video® (WMV) 9 and ON2 video formats, letting consumers enjoy the millions of online video and Flash games available on the Web. Through a simple firmware update of the ARCHOS 605 or 705 WiFi devices, consumers will be streaming YouTube videos, watching TV shows and catching up on the latest news in no time.
ARCHOS also introduces unparalleled access to Web TV shows and radio stations through the availability of a Web TV and Radio plug-in for its award-winning wireless PMPs. The $19.99 plug-in will be available at www.archos.com.

“ARCHOS was founded on the principle of providing consumers the most compelling mobile entertainment experience possible, and our Web TV and Radio plug-in, along with Flash 9 support, is proof that we continue to deliver on this,” said Henri Crohas, founder and CEO of ARCHOS. “With more than four in five U.S. adults viewing an online video last year, the time is right to give consumers access to the content they want wherever they are, without requiring downloads, subscriptions or separate players to view the video they want.”

Only Portable Media Player to Fully Support Adobe® Flash® 9

Unlike competitive players, ARCHOS does not require consumers to purchase TV episodes for download or through a subscription service, but rather allows them to watch their favorite online videos and TV shows directly from the Web for free — just as they would on their laptop. By combining Adobe® Flash® Player 9 quality and compression — a two-fold improvement over Flash® Player 7 — with the 800×480 resolution of ARCHOS touch-screen displays, the viewing experience is crystal clear and incredibly fast.

Adobe® Flash® Player can be used to view both live and on-demand media and entertainment on sites such as CBS, NBC, FoxNews Digital, PBS, MTV Networks, BBC and more. The technology also powers the video capabilities of popular social networking sites including YouTube and MySpace.

Hometown TV and Radio from Anywhere in the World

With the new ARCHOS Web TV and Radio plug-in, consumers can access more than 9,600 Web radio stations, 600 Web TV stations and 110,000 podcasts streamed live over the Internet to their ARCHOS devices. TV and radio fans can also search for radio or TV stations by city, country, station genre, etc., ensuring they’re always in touch with their hometown stations, news or events wherever they are in the world.

Different from online video streamed primarily in Flash, Web TV consists of TV channels that exist only on the Web, traditional stations that simulcast live online, traditional stations that make selected content (such as news) available on demand at their Website, and traditional TV stations offering extra content exclusively for their Website. Web Radio listeners will experience traditional radio stations simulcast online, independent Web radio stations, and extra content on-demand from traditional stations.

Pricing and Specifications

The ARCHOS Web TV and Radio plug-in will be available next month for $19.99 and can be downloaded from www.archos.com or directly from the ARCHOS Content Portal on the device. The plug-in works with the ARCHOS 605 WiFi, 705 WiFi, and ARCHOS TV+ models. Support for Flash 9 and WMV9 will also be available next month through a firmware update for the Web browser plug-in at no additional cost.

Archos