In the world of media players there are a few big names, companies like Apple, Creative and Sony known for delivering good products. Archos brand media players are, for some unknown reason, not among this list of great products. Perhaps it is the fact that the Archos range have always had a high-tech gadget look, with their large screens and brushed metal cases, rather than the smooth plastic exteriors usually boasted by popular consumer electronics. The Archos 705 WIFI is the latest model from Archos, and sports a large 7” touch-enabled widescreen.

Any nerd will be glad of this multi-purpose toy, but there is a lot here for someone just looking for a great portable media player. Obviously, from the size of the screen, the Archos 705 WIFI is focused on video playback, so those looking for a simple music player as a gift should probably look elsewhere. That’s not to say music playback doesn’t work well, the 705 boasts support for more formats than any other player, but with its size it could prove too cumbersome for mobile audio. The 705 has expanded on the excellent audio/visual playback and recording present in earlier versions with a host of new features, including the ability to make slideshows with soundtracks and browse the Internet using the Opera browser, which supports Flash movies. It comes in two models, an 80GB and 120GB to help video-lovers fit as much of their media as possible.

The ability to connect to a television is a real boon, enabling the 705 to act as a portable digital video recorder, and wireless access to Archos’ Content Portal keeps users in touch with the latest content. This powerful portable media player s versatile and useful, and any gadget-lover will value its presence on long bus rides.