ARCHOS Introduces 4GB Color-Screen MP3 Player for $159.99

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June 28, 2006 – ARCHOS today announced that its ARCHOS 104 MP3 player will be available online at select retail shops beginning July 1, and preorders are being accepted now at www.archos.com. Thanks to its small form factor and best-value pricing, the new ARCHOS 104 is the perfect device for people seeking a compact and affordable music player and is a great gift for new graduates this summer.

The ARCHOS 104 is the company’s latest hard drive-based audio player, replacing the widely successful Gmini XS 100. The smallest player in the ARCHOS line-up, the device measures 3.6 x 1.7x 0.5 inches and weighs only 2.8 ounces.

The ARCHOS 104 features a host of benefits, including:

4GB Hard Drive: Store up to 2,000 songs or 40,000 photos;
New OLED 1.5” Color Screen;
New Photo Viewer: Store, share and view JPEG photos;
Newly Designed Icon-Based Navigation: Easily guide through functions and menus with newly designed interface;
Multiple File Formats: Play MP3, WAV, WMA and protected WMA music and audio podcast files;
Up to 14 hours of battery life;
Microsoft PlaysForSure™ Support: Purchase, download, or rent protected music content from PlaysForSure™-compatible digital music stores;
Windows Media® Player 10 Support: Enjoy automatic synchronization with Windows Media® Player 9 and 10 for fast music transfer;
Easy Music Management: Use the ARCHOS ARCLibrary to sort music by artist, genre, title and year, and rename, move, copy or delete files and make playlists directly on the device;
USB 2.0 Connection: Download content using a High-Speed USB 2.0 connection;
Choice of Color: Choose among metallic grey, black or pink to match your lifestyle;
Shuffle Playlists: Shuffle your entire library or select a folder or playlist for random playback;
Stereo Connection: Connect the ARCHOS 104 to a stereo and play music around the house;
Wide Choice of Optional Accessories: Choose from an extensive list of optional accessories, including a carrying case that can be worn on a belt or around the neck, car chargers, sound cases, and more.

“The ARCHOS 104 builds on our successful line of portable music and video devices, offering the best price and value today for a 4GB music player,” said Larry Smith, ARCHOS chief operating officer. “The ARCHOS 104 offers the same capacity and size as other ultra slim portable music players, yet holds twice as many songs and is far more affordable. ARCHOS is the perfect MP3 player for teens and active people who want to take their favorite music wherever they go.”

Access to Music Downloads and Services through Microsoft PlaysForSure™

In addition to storing and playing music from their own CD collections, consumers can fill their ARCHOS 104 with songs purchased and downloaded from the Internet. The new ARCHOS 104 is included in the Windows Media® PlaysForSure™ program, so consumers can purchase tracks from some of today’s most popular digital music stores, including MSN Music, Musicmatch, MusicNow, Napster, eMusic and Wal-Mart Music Downloads.

Pricing and Availability

The ARCHOS 104 will be available July 1st at retail stores, including Shaper Image, Fry’s, major e-tailers and at www.archos.com, with a suggested retail price of $159.99. The ARCHOS 104 comes standard with stereo headphones, neck strap and USB 2.0 cable. Optional accessories include an audio cable for connecting to home stereo systems, a car adapter, a variety of protective carrying cases, a sound case, and a multi-standard power adapter.

SOURCE ARCHOS