October 27, 2005 09:00 AM Eastern Time 

ARCHOS Introduces the Gmini 402 Pocket Multimedia Center for Video, Photos and Music Enjoyment on the Go

ARCHOS(R), Inc., the global consumer electronics manufacturer and leader in portable digital entertainment solutions, introduced today the new Gmini(TM) 402 Pocket Multimedia Center. The slim and sleek 20 gigabyte(a) hard-drive-based video, audio and photo device is now Microsoft(R) PlaysForSure(TM) compatible, supporting both protected download and subscription music services, and features a 2.2" color LCD screen and sleek metallic casing. The Gmini 402 is an upgrade from the Gmini 400 released last year and is the perfect summer companion to take up to 80 hours of video, 200,000 photos or 10,000 songs in your pocket wherever you go.

The ARCHOS Gmini 402 is designed for media enthusiasts who want to take their video, photos and music with them on a stylish pocket-sized device. With its sleek metallic design, the Gmini 402 measures only 4.17" x 2.37" x 0.69" and is 5.64 ounces, yet offers the largest hard drive capacity and color LCD screen for a product of its size. The latest in the ARCHOS Gmini line of music players offers an extensive list of features, including:

-- Storage for up to 80 hours of video, 200,000 photos or 10,000 songs.

-- Autosync with Windows Media(R) Player 10 allows for easy transfer of media from the PC.

-- Transfer photos directly from digital cameras(b)using the USB host port.

-- Allow DVD-quality movie playback and photo viewing on the screen or on the TV.

-- Play MPEG-4(c) and Windows Media Video(d) files.

-- Play MP3, WMA, protected WMA audio files.

-- Support Microsoft PlaysForSure download and subscription services to allow easy transfer and playback of music or videos acquired from PlaysForSure-compatible online stores.

-- Synchronize or download files from either the PC or Macintosh.

"The Gmini 402 improves our PC-centric line of Pocket Multimedia Centers, offering integration with Microsoft PlaysForSure and Windows Media(R) Audio and Video protected files," said Henri Crohas, ARCHOS chief executive officer. "The Gmini 402 is a perfect summer holiday companion to take all your favorite digital entertainment on the go."

Access to Secure Music through Microsoft PlaysForSure

The Gmini 402 allows protected video and music content to be purchased, downloaded, subscribed to or rented from PlaysForSure-compatible online stores, which include music services MSN Music, Musicmatch, MusicNow, Napster and Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and video store CinemaNow. Using the high-speed USB 2.0 interface, the Gmini 402 will easily auto-synchronize music and video with Windows Media Player 10 each time the device is connected to the PC. The Gmini 402 supports the widest array of music and video formats, including MP3, WMA, protected WMA and WAV audio files, and MPEG-4, and Windows Media Video files.

Pricing and Availability

The ARCHOS Gmini 402 is available now at select retailers and online, and is priced at $299.95 in the United States. The Gmini 402 comes with earphones, USB cable, USB Host adaptor, AC power charger, Quick Start Guide and a protective pouch. Optional accessories include a car adaptor, protective case, additional power charger, sound case, FM remote control and double headphone kit. Additional product information and add-on accessories are available on the ARCHOS web site at www.archos.com.

About ARCHOS

ARCHOS is a global consumer electronics hardware manufacturer and is the technology leader in the field of digital portable entertainment solutions. Committed to the most innovative technology, ARCHOS offers award-winning digital pocket-sized products that feature audio and video recording, photo viewing, gaming, as well as other multimedia and productivity applications, for the enjoyment of the most exciting entertainment anywhere, anytime. ARCHOS has offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. More information is available online at www.archos.com.

(a) 1GB= 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity is less. Hard drive capacity is an average based on a 20GB hard drive, 3.5 minutes/song and 64 kbits/second WMA (for better quality 128 Kbit/second or more recommended); 500 kbits/second MPEG-4 audio/video encoding and 1h30/movie (for near DVD Quality 1500 Kbits/s encoding or more recommended); JPEG, VGA.

(b) Only cameras compatible with Mass Storage Class USB.

(c) Read files compatible with MPEG-4 SP with B-Frames AVI (MPEG-4: ISO standard by Moving Picture Experts Group; AVI: audio/video file container by Microsoft. MPEG-4 SP with B-frames AVI up to 720x480@30f/s NTSC or 720x576@25f/s PAL.

(d) Microsoft WMV9 SP up to 352x288@30f/s and 800 KBit/s; supports WM DRM.

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