Archos just revealed what that curtain tease was all about: the 6th Gen Archos 5, 5G and 7 series PMPs. The 4.8" flagship 5G ditches the tired interface and buttons of the Gen-5 device for a slick UI and touchscreen-only operation. It's got Wi-Fi, HD video support, web browsing, email, a huge HDD (up to 250GB), and built-in HSPDA 3G connectivity. It's also got dock connectors, GPS, DVR, video/audio recording and more. In short, it's everything that the iPod touch isn't, and I got to touch it.

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Archos used to (and to some extent still does) represent the biggest, baddest personal media players on the block. I mean, they weren't just PMPs. They were DVRs, too, and featured massive screens. In a way, Archos never let us down. We just realised that if we were carrying around that much extra gear, it needed to do more than be another device to watch a movie on (even with add-ons like GPS). In any case, we're pretty intrigued over this new banner on Archos' site with the simple tease "Coming up soon..." If we're reading the hint correctly, we can expect a new product any day now. And we're looking forward to it. [archos via DAPreview]

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If you wanted a sure sign that the Orwell-isation of Great Britain is underway, then look no further than this. Lollipop ladies, those kindly old women who man the main roads next to school, similar to the US crossing guard, have been issued with video cameras to record lollipop rage—as school-side road rage is known.

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We had a little peek of Archos' new Sling-like TVportation service for their TV+ box and 605/705 media players when we messed around with their 605 GPS add-on, but didn't get to really dive in cause they were having some network issues before we had to split. Anyways, here's a video walk-through, completely with heavy French accents.

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The car-mount GPS add-on for the Archos 605 turns it into a pretty basic GPS device. It's not meant to outclass offerings from Garmin or TomTom—hence they're downplaying the issue that it's not portable at all—but add some value to the 605. Maps are pre-loaded, but updates will cost you when they're offered. Response was a bit sluggish for my taste, but for a US$140 GPS setup (if you've already got an Archos), it's not bad at all. One problem: If the cable comes out, GPS goes down, since the function is activated by the mount.

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The 605 WiFi PMP was cool and all, but it has been given new life thanks to an add-on that delivers driving directions and free or paid traffic notification in addition to its normal media functions. The system is even sophisticated enough to simulate position changes in the event that a signal is lost. There is also a new Web TV and Radio plugin that will give users access more than 9,600 Web radio stations, 600 Web TV stations and 110,000 podcasts streamed live over the Internet. It will also feature full support for Adobe Flash 9 and WMV9.Update: Some new info about streaming TV and a movie deal with Paramount.

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This seems to be a France-only deal, but Archos's upcoming 606 looks like their first 3G data-equipped player to be available anywhere in the world. The player looks around the same size as the already-released 605, but is completely black, has a 30GB hard drive, and certain pricing details that are only relevant for France. In any case, if Archos can get a deal like this going in France, it bodes well for PMP fans who are looking forward to a cell-connected player to download audio and video with elsewhere in the world as well. Especially if it has support for movie/music rentals. [Archos Lounge]

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Those charming froggies from Archos are coming to CES2008 with the new Archos TV Plus, their personal-video-recorder-streaming-box-Internet box we showed you in 2007. We still don't have prices for this 250GB Wi-Fi high definition box, but at least now we have nice clear product pictures.

The Archos 605 Wi-Fi is a fine player when you want to watch movies on the go, but have you noticed that it's not quite Harry Pottery enough? Archos hears your cries, and is introducing a special edition loaded with the first four Potter movies (with the fifth being downloadable from the Archos Content Portal). This may or may not be a UK-only deal, but we'll keep you scarf-wearing superfans updated. [Shiny Shiny]

Very unconfirmed now, but Archos Lounge is saying the Archos 105 will be coming in September for a tiny $US90 each. The 105 will be a small iPod-sized player (unlike the back-breaking Archos units we're used to) and will have 2GB of memory, a 1.8-inch OLD screen, WMV/MP3 playback and measure 3.3x1.8x0.3 inches. No official word on this, but we'll update if there is. [Archos Lounge - Thanks Marien!]