Faster scrolling in the browser, smoother zooming, new overlay layers to some of the Interfaces to speed up the browsing experience, faster browsing, better widgets support. All this is coming up on Archos devices soon with the new Opera 9.5 SDK for devices which Archos has said they want be the first to implement. This could be in the form of a firmware update for the 605 and 705 WiFi. Hopes for new or better features that this will bring among others in the firmware features wishlist is that this new Opera SDK also hopefully brings Google Gears support so Widgets, the Archos Content Portal and certain Web 2.0 sites could run faster and work also while offline.

At least some faster browsing experience will be very much welcomed, faster rendering of sites that have a lot of javascripts and images. We are looking forward to more details from Archos as to when they plan to implement this improved Opera browser support, if it will be as a firmware update to the 605 and 705 WiFi, exactly which kinds of improvements it will bring and when we can expect it.

Press release:

Opera Software has released Opera 9.5 SDK for Devices which Archos is going to be one of the first to use. The release will include a new beta visual effects layer that will give users an emotionally heightened Web experience with fluid transitions, panning, zooming and interactivity.

With Opera 10 already underway, the next edition of Opera’s SDK will include upgrades to features available with today’s release as well as the final version of the visual effects layer and Opera Zoom.

Source: http://www.linuxelectrons.com/news/embedded/15653/opera-introduces-opera-9-5-sdk-devices

In the latest investors update, Archos is confirming that their next development will be to release a HSDPA powered Archos device in collaboration with HSDPA service providers. They are also planing to phase out Mp3 players and players that are not connected to the Internet, such as the 105, 204 and 405.

These are the features which I expect from the HSDPA device, which Archos could perhaps announce at CES on January 5-11th in Las Vegas, to fit the announcement nicely just before the MacWorld, but I guess that Archos might prefer to not show it yet since it might also still be in development to integrate advanced features such as:

- VOIP if not able to convince Skype to work with them, then SIP for sure,
- GPS or somekind of mobile antenna triangulation for providing positionning services
- A more compact form factor (smaller buttons on each side of the touch-screen)
- Google Android integration for access to Android apps on HSDPA,
- WiFi should also still stay (deals can thus only be with HSDPA providers that allow WiFi and VOIP),
- Device for 1€ with a 6-12-24 month 20€ per month subscription to the Archos Content Portal and to services such as VOIP-out,
- More VOD content providers including services that provide film and music subscriptions for unlimited access to all content, possible content providers for the Content Portal in the EU, in Asia and in the USA such as Circuit City, Best Buy, WalMart, Amazon and Vongo.
- Better VOD integration, easier than through current HTML and Javascript navigation to get access to the whole web’s video content,
- Powerful Social Networking integration layers in more than just Widgets such as “Party Finder”, “Sports Meetup”, “Politics Meetup”, “Dating”, Facebook apps, Instant Messaging, Chat, Twitter/Jaiku, Open Social with GPS and more..
- Archos needs a deal with Nintendo for legal pay-per-game access to all NES and SNES games through emulation, requires buttons are on each side of the screen to provide a usable interface for gaming.

Hopefully that all current 605 WiFi owners will also have access to all these HSDPA features through firmware updates and the possible availabillity of a new HSDPA Dock that would look a bit like the Battery Dock, and comes to add HSDPA connectivity to the 5th generation. Although the next generation Archos device with built-in HSDPA will be the more compact and better optimized solution.

How soon will this device be officially unveiled and be launched around the world? I wouldn’t be able to know exactly, it may be unveiled as soon as CES, and it may not be released for many months, but I think Archos has been working on 3G integration for more than a year already, so perhaps the technology is about to be ready for them by now.

Perhaps the only barrier to launching would be interesting bandwidth deals with the established HSDPA providers that exist today in most countries. I think Archos may do it a little bit like Amazon does it with the Kindle on EV-DO. Provide the machine for an attractive price with a 20€ content subscription and the HSDPA bandwidth being included since the money to pay for that bandwidth is included in the price of the VOD content. That does require that HSDPA bandwidth will be sufficient to support video streaming, so perhaps there will be lower bitrate versions of some videos optimized for HSDPA delivery from certain VOD stores, while I guess streaming Flash video bitrates at around 300kbit/s should be ok for using on HSDPA today. Thus for access to free content, there would be a prepaid per-100mb bandwidth fee, 1€ or less per 100mb, perhaps even 1€ per GB, if that can cover HSDPA bandwidth costs, then that would make this business model very attractive.

Perhaps Echostar’s vision includes using Archos as the portable terminal to use the 700mhz wireless broadband. Echostar definitely needs a broadband infrastructure to distribute video-on-demand to not be dependant on the established broadband Internet providers.

I’d like to see Echostar and Google team up to make sure they can outbid AT&T and Verizon.

Then they can also get the same spectrum in Europe to guarantee an open and free wireless broadband access to everyone in the world.

He says Archos is better than the iPod and the Zune, at least that’s what I understood of what he says in the latest Cranky Geeks episode 92 at http://www.crankygeeks.com/2007/11/episode_92_amazons_kindleyay_o.php

The Google Open Source Program Manager mentions Archos at about 19 minutes into the episode.

We should say though that he is not “into the loop” at Google, it’s not like anything he says has got to do with what Google is going to do. He isn’t saying that Google is going to buy Archos or anything like that. Although it would be awesome to see Google Gears implemented on the Archos 605 WiFi, to support faster Google Widgets, such as being able to use an optimized offline-enabled version of Gmail, Google Reader and Google Docs. Chris DiBona is just talking as an open source Linux fan, not representing Google, also he reviewed the Irex Iliad as an e-ink reader.

Not also is this in any way an indication that Archos might be interested to use Google Android on future HSDPA enabled Archos players.

Following is speculation on my part:

Normally both Best Buy and Circuit City will carry the 605 WiFi this Christmas season in the USA:

http://acp.archos.com/portal/hpc/circuitcity/hpc.html

http://acp.archos.com/portal/hpc/bestbuy/hpc.html

Those Archos Content Portal pages don’t mean the deals are signed yet, but they most probably imply that Archos USA must be trying to get the shelve space necessary before Christmas in all those big stores in the USA, also counting on being able to ship satisfactory stock cause big stores like best Buy and Circuit City probably hate it if there isn’t enough stock delivered on time to meet demand if the demand will grow quickly. Hopefully also that Wal-Mart will provide shelve space as well as the content on the Archos Content Portal.

It’s all up to the big retailer to be convinced by Archos USA to sign interesting deals. Getting low margins and maybe even selling the hardware at a loss, while earning margins on accessories, plugins and especially on signing customers up for 12-month or 24-month subscriptions on their online content portals. For example, any of Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart could basically give out the 605 WiFi 4GB for less then 99 dollars when the customer signs a 24-month contract at 9 dollars per month subscription for unlimited films and music access through the Archos Content Portal. But since this would be a kind of a large commitment, it might take a bit of convincing of the representatives of those big retailers and content providers. Since some might or might not be stocking the new iPods, they may want to push an alternative to the iPod/iTunes this Christmas, and if Archos can satisfy the demand with sufficient deliveries, then some of those big retailers might want to try that strategy out this Christmas.

It’s all up to the content providers to have attractive subscription deals for music and movies in the USA. If any content provider in the USA wants to market this kind of unlimited access to movies and music for a fixed monthly fee, then the Archos Content Portal will support it today. So combine a monthly subscription with a 12-month or 24-month contract, and you’ve got margins that lets the partner sell the 605 WiFi hardware subsidized to make it even more attractive then the 199 dollar 4GB price.

This is how I see (remember, I have absolutely no official information about this pricing model actually being in consideration by any of Archos or it’s retailer/content partners) the 605 WiFi becoming the americans favourite christmas present:

605 WiFi 4GB + 12-month $10 unlimited music/movies subscription contract = $100
605 WiFi 4GB + 24-month $10 unlimited music/movies subscription contract = $1

605 WiFi 30GB + 12-month $10 unlimited music/movies subscription contract = $150
605 WiFi 30GB + 24-month $10 unlimited music/movies subscription contract = $50

605 WiFi 160GB + 12-month $10 unlimited music/movies subscription contract = $250
605 WiFi 160GB + 24-month $10 unlimited music/movies subscription contract = $150

and so on.. I think though that the unlimited could have a little exception saying that if the movie or music in question has been released less than 3 months prior, then it might cost an additionnal for example $2 per movie or $2 per album to get access to. So the unlimited access could be limited to all content that is older then 3 months. In the contract, there could be a $100 or $200 cancellation fee depending if the user still has less then 12-month or less then 24-month left in the contract.

This was discovered by Plissken007 in the ArchosLounge forums. He simply opened up the provider.xml file in the /system/ folder on his 605 WiFi 30GB which has been available since the 15th of July in French Fnac stores and in the European Union from Archos official website. This has been verified by other users and following are proven by actual test-sites hosted on an archos.com subdomain which you can see on clicking on the proof links beneath.

These are the very probable partners of Archos to provide video-on-demand and music download services for the USA in the Archos Content Portal:

- Best Buy proof

That’s only like one of the biggest consumer electronics retail store in the USA isn’t it, or is it the biggest? And it’s got video-on-demand and music services also. Probably has deals with all the major movie and music producers so they have on-demand distributing rights to virtualy all majors movie and music content.

- Cirtuit City proof

It’s like Best Buy isn’t it. They got everything and they plan to sell everything online in terms of video-on-demand and music. The deal here, just as with Best Buy, and if Wal-Mart goes with it also, is for those retailers to agree to take a smaller margin on the actual hardware, thus being able to mass market the 605 WiFi starting at $199 this Christmas season, and in return, those retailers get to register people on their video-on-demand an music download service. So one way they can compete, is by providing bundled credit and subscriptions for their online content services.

- Amazon

We’re probably talking Amazon Unbox video-on-demand, and does Amazon also have a music service coming up? Also this could be combined with ordering of anything on Amazon in a user-friendly interface compatible with touch-screen and on-TV viewing.

- MovieLink

Recently bought by Blockbuster. So imagine not only the Movielink now in the Archos Content Portal. Imagine also Moovyplay could be licenced by Blockbuster as a trial. Thus you could connect your Gen5 Archos or a Moovyplay to a MovieLink 24h/24 distributor on which you would load from a collection of thousands of films at full USB2 speeds, with renting, owning and subscription models available.

- Vongo

“Members pay a flat fee of US$9.99 per month, and have access to unlimited downloads during the 30 day period.”

Wouldn’t you find it awesome to get access to thousands of films for a flat $10 fee per month? I would certainly like to have that kind of service, one that really gives access to all the films of the world for a flat fee. I don’t think Vongo yet has the rights for all the films of the world, but I guess Vongo is working towards that, and possibly that all major movie producers will sign up for this model seing that it does provide an interesting business model for them with income that can only grow the more users subscribe to it.

- AOL

AOL isn’t just AOL is it, that’s like the same company as Time Warner, CNN, it owns a lot of stuff doesn’t it. AOL has like all sorts of things including video and music on-demand. Just look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL under “Company purchases” there are like 3 dozen companies owned by AOL, most of them providing content on-demand like Engadget for example is owned by AOL, so imagine a special touch-screen and TV compatible interface for Engadget videos and reviews.

- Youtube

Would be awesome to have it just as Dailymotion in a nice touch-screen and TV friendly interface in the Archos Content Portal. With the advantage over iPhone’s Youtube integration, that here you’ve got access to the absolute complete Youtube in instant nice full screen quality. Maybe they can even integrate the Comments, Ratings, Save to Favorites, Add to Playlist and more features. Maybe even integrate the upcomming advertising model as nice overlay targetted ads. A business model for independant video producers and a huge if not the hugest source of video content on the Internet.

- Alcatel Media Motion

I think Alcatel knows everything about IPTV, so I guess this could include having access to like thousands of TV channels through streaming. This could perfectly happen now, imagine a system that gives you access to every single channel from the whole world, in nice 1mbit/s or more quality. This can be done using Alcatel networks and their IPTV technology. And Alcatel also leads in terms of digital terrestrial DVB-SH television (combines satellite and terrestrial for more portable coverage then DVB-T), though this would require a module or a Gen6 hardware.

Following additionnal partners are specific for France:

- VirginMega.fr proof

Competitor of Fnac in terms of providing video-on-demand and music download services.

- Orange proof

Which is France Telecom. Orange is preparing an unlimited music and movies service for early next year. And already now they have completes catalogues of movies and music for on-demand access in France. All the 5 million Livebox ADSL2+ connections in France may receive a firmware update which would provide free Wi-Fi hotspot access in such 5 million hotspots around France, also Orange does HSDPA and thus a HSDPA version of the 605 or of a Gen6 hardware, I think, probably is in development.

Following is my speculation: A HSDPA Archos could be sold for a very cheap subsidised 99€ price, including a 12 month 10€ per month minimum Archos Content Portal usage on a personal account, which automatically is billed. Orange’s content would be unlimited while other Archos Content Portal content and any other VOIP, IM and normal browsing would cost a certain per GB fee, if Orange can do it at around 1€ per GB including taking a cut from the other content in the Archos Content Portal, I think that would be very reasonable.

Partner for the UK:

- Arts Alliance Media’s Vizumi video-on-demand network.

“AAM’s Vizumi Network currently carries content from 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and independents such as Momentum, Tartan, Icon, Artificial Eye and Revolver.”

You can discuss all these new partners in the forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=6123

According to videobusiness.com, CPFK is investing $40 million in this Moovyplay system, which is a revolutionary movie rental system in which Archos is delivering the hardware.

The 14GB storage that is menchionned sounds like a strange storage amount, I don’t know which type of hard disk would provide that specific amount of storage. I wonder if they mixed it up with 20GB or 30GB. Cause 14GB for 30-40 movies would mean each “DVD quality” movie would be at a minimum of 350-460MB per movie, that might be a bit low. Although, it’s maybe counting on shorter length movies, and they may be encoded using the more efficient h264 codec.

It’s interesting that it includes the HDMI cable for the 139€ launch price. That should make it future proof for HD 720p content, thus a nice competitor to HDDVD and Blueray renting. I guess that 14GB could store at least 4-5 high definition movies in very nice 1280×720 quality, that would at least look great as long as Archos can upscale to the HDMI connector.

In the article, it is said, CPFK plans to expand this offer to Spain, Italy, Germany, the U.K., and ultimately to the U.S. In the U.S. it would be looking towards partnering preferably with an established franchise like Blockbuster. At least it will depend on the success of the initial tests that will be launched in France starting in October.

Archos is developing a special player to support some kind of on-location movie rentals solution that the leading french movie rental company is implementing. The solution will let users load one or several movies instantly from the actual movie rental stores, and to then watch them on their TV. There is not many official details about the form, shape or price of the Moovyplay service and hardware yet, but here are my speculations:

I guess that this could be an ultra cheap sub-100€ player with hard drive or flash memory but without the battery, that only works in a dock to be connected to the TV and through a charger to the electricity. And it would also work when physically connecting it to a usb plug on one of the video rental machines at CPFK, which is Vidéo Futur, Cinebank and Vidéo Pilote. Now I also guess that the complete 5th generation will also perfectly be compatible with this service. So one could have a choice to either get a ultra cheap little storage and playback product that is only useful for physically actually going to the video rental vending machine on location at a video renting store or possibly it could be installed at any store and public place.

Does this service sound strange? Well it is simply Archos partnering also with the established video rental market, which is currently the second largest income for the film industry after the Cinema market and infront of TV broadcasts. This video rental market knows that with the video-on-demand technologies being invented by companies like Archos, that their old business model is threatened, so to stay competitive that video rental industry needs to follow with the latest digital video trends. And what other better way is there for the video rental industry to guarantee their long term survival, then to parner up with Archos which is one of the technology leaders with the 5G in terms of hardware and software for digital video distribution solutions.

Since not everyone in the mass market might have fast broadband yet at home, might not yet know how to setup or connect to a WiFi network, and might not be totally confident giving their credit card details online in the Archos Content Portal to rent, buy or subscribe tp video content, then this partnership probably is to be combined with a digital video renting vending machine technology. You could simply put in a few coins in that video vending machine and connect your Archos or specially designed and super cheap Moovyplay to that vending machine, and I guess not instantly but over a few seconds per movie, you could do your selection of films on the touch-screen and then immediately go back home with a few rented videos ready to play on your TV at home as soon as you connect the Moovyplay to the dock for it.

My guess is the Moovyplay might be available for less than 100 euros, thus maybe even distributed for free by CPFK to customers who sign a contract that they are not owning the Moovyplay but only renting it which could be for free as long as they rent a movie for example at least once a month. And if the user doesn’t rent any movie during the month, that user might have to pay some kind of 5€ fee or something.

The Moovyplay might look a bit like an over-sized usb thumbdrive, thus maybe a bit like the 104 but without an LCD screen, and I guess that it could replace the need to authenticate with a video rental membership card. There could be this offer: for 100€ the customer gets the Moovyplay with 100€ worth of video rentals. Thus it would be as easy as just renting a bunch of videos drawing from that membership credit. The whole thing hopefully also will perfectly work with the whole 5G series.

This Moovyplay solution will effectively replace the need to handle DVD discs, which cost money to manage, exhibit and which get scratched, and it also effectively replaces the DVD and VHS player. I really expect the Moovyplay package to include a cheaply made dock with only the tv-outputs and the power connector. I guess that the complete video collection can also be accessed online from the video rental’s homepage video-on-demand system connecting the Moovyplay to a computer, but it’s thus mostly for customers who don’t mind going to the physical store and connect their Moovyplay to the vending machine to get their dose of video content. I also guess the vending machine will broadcast a WiFi signal giving access to the whole video contents on the 605 WiFi and 705 WiFi with the fastest possible WiFi local network download speeds.

You can read the press release here in french: lerevenu.com

You can discuss this product in the forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewforum.php?f=30

This is just some speculation thus far.

Google has partnered with Echostar which is the top American satellite TV provider that controls 19% of Archos shares. Google will sell commercials over DISH Networks 125 satellite channels.

Echostar has plans for IPTV and Video-On-Demand, and it is to be expected that Archos 5th generation series will be marketed by Echostar on the American market, and be made compatible with Echostar’s satellite TV content, as well as IPTV and Video-On-Demand.

Will Google provide targeted advertising in some parts of the Archos Content Portal? Would you like to have the choice to watch video content in the Archos Content Portal either by paying the normal fee or to watch it for free interrupted by some targeted Google Video advertisements? I think that there is a huge potential for the Archos Content Portal getting more free content, as well as providing a whole personalized access to all content, all based around your identity, since you have to register with Archos before being able to access the Archos Content Portal. Personalized Archos Content not only means it will be able to generate personal recommendations to you for more free or pay content to watch or download, but it could also provide you with Google content in the form of advertisements that can provide you with more content of higher value, providing a business model for independent video producers allowing them to improve the value of their productions.

According to Google’s IPTV representative, being able to skip advertisements is a god-send since it let’s Google know which kind of advertisements you wouldn’t mind watching that can pay for the IPTV or Video-On-Demand content that you will want to watch.. And skipping advertisements is possible using the Archos 5G remote control.

How much will Archos be part of Echostar’s IPTV and Video-On-Demand strategy? I think that there is plenty of potential, although Echostar’s DVR 622 set-top-box model, which has been out for a year and a half, does have an Ethernet port and Mpeg4 support already, it is just waiting for Echostar to activate all the IPTV and Video-On-Demand features. But I expect that Internet video access to potentially be compatible with the kind that comes with the Archos 5G series.
 

The Register is reporting that the Plymouth headmounted camera trials using Archos to record from headmounted cameras was successfull.

An evaluation of the pilot run by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary showed that, compared with incidents when the cameras were not used, the body worn video devices led to an increase in the number of convictions of offenders. Their footage provided clear evidence that made it difficult for offenders to deny their involvement, leading to less paperwork for the police, earlier guilty pleas, less time spent in court and an increase in convictions.

For the year long pilot 300 Plymouth police officers were trained to use any of the 50 cameras available during day and night patrols. The evaluation found that violent crime was reduced by 8 per cent in the pilot sectors, compared to a 1 per cent reduction across other sectors. The number of incidents in which people were wounded were reduced by 18 per cent in pilot areas of the city, compared to no change in other areas.

Plymouth police using the new technology increased their detection of violent crime by 40 per cent and arrests for violent crime went up by 85 per cent.

Alongside the Plymouth report, the Home Office has published guidance to standardise police procedures for body worn video devices. The document says that police should tell people they are being recorded and that recordings should not be made of general patrolling duties, unless this is part of a specific operation such as a football match.

Thanks to Archos, and the british love for having security cameras everywhere, crime is going down in the UK.

So now the UK is going to use 3 million pounds to equipe the police nationwide with this system. Is the new 605 WiFi 160GB with battery docks going to be the new pocket video recorder of choice for the UK police? It is 55 grams lighter, 3 millimeters thinner, offers a better screen, and an instant-on OS. I guess that there must be some clever video storage and organisation software that the police might be using with the Archos docked using USB2 to their computer systems, unless they just store all recordings on some hard drives, since basically it is only to be used if the police officer or the judge needs some evidence material from a certain event.