Detailed Archos Gmini 120 MP3 Player Description & Review

Archos: Gmini 120 £234.00inc. VAT  &  Delivery

Gmini: how is that pronounced? Jiminy? Gemini? We're going for G-Mini.

This model has been superceded by the Archos GMini 402 20GB MP3 player.

Gmini 120 or Gmini 220? Archos have a history of crazy naming conventions that they do not stick to themselves and poor communication about changes they make to those conventions. In this case the Gmini 120 was at one point supposed to be the US version, the 220 the European version, but Archos are advertising the Gmini120 on their own European site. Added to that the fact that the 220 is supposed to be able to display pictures, but as yet we haven't seen one ...

Regardless of how you pronounce its name, or its ordinal number, the Gmini range is the next big thing. Archos seem to specialise in quantum leaps with their new products. The leap in this case is as much sideways as it is forwards - if you see what we mean - in that it's a consolidation of the developments so far into one machine. They don't take the old jukebox and put a new hard drive in it, they come up with new concepts and flexibility so that each user can put together the jukebox package that suits them best.

GMini's main features - please read carefully

Play MP3 or Record MP3s on the 20GB hard drive. This means that you can carry over 300 hours of MP3s around with you and you can make MP3s 'on the fly' without having to use your PC. I.e. you can record direct to MP3 on your Gmini - Record anything from a live band to your old tapes via stereo connections (included, of course).

This capability was available years ago in the popular 20GB Recorder model, the difference this time is that the Gmini is far smaller and lighter. The second, more fundamental, difference is that if you want this capability to be enabled you have to pay extra for it - in some parts of the world BUT NOT THE UK.

On the Gmini 120, as it comes, the Record feature and the connect to CompactFlash/ photo cards feature, are disabled. You need to download a Plugin (piece of software) from the Archos site once you have the jukebox in your hands, but it won't cost you any extra.

The unit can also play (although not record directly to) WMA and WAV (PCM).

Before we get into the good, we need to point out the bad. Something that is not obvious from reading most of the material about the Gmini 120. The 120 version of the Gmini cannot display photos on its screen. If you want a jukebox that will swap photos and display them on a colour screen then the Archos AV300 series with its 3.8 inch colour screen is the one you're looking for.

There are 2 main significant developments in the Gmini - first of all the screen, which is 2 and a half inches, has a new GUI (Graphical User Interface - pronounced 'gooy') which makes the unit easier to use than previous Jukebox incarnations. Instead of a few lines of text (like a 90's mobile phone) to guide you around, there is now a monochromatic screen with graphics. Hooray.

You can browse your jukebox's contents using 2 different methods: Music is controlled through the Music Library that allows you to sort and sift through your tunes arranged by Artist, Genre, Album, Playlists and the like so that you can easily find and select which tracks to listen to, or group together in Playlists, or that sort of thing. Without having to return to your computer first.

Data files, or the entire Jukebox's contents can be controlled using what is called the Disk Browser Interface. It looks and feels very similar to Windows Explorer - so using it is not only intuitive, its also highly familiar to most people. It will allow you to move, delete, rename or copy stuff on the Gmini jukebox without having to connect to your computer first.

The second significant development for the Gmini is the use of Plug-ins. Archos have released other jukeboxes that have additional accessories available that extend the range of tasks the jukebox can perform. In the past these have generally been called modules, but in the case of the Gmini Archos have chosen to call them Plug-Ins instead as they can be either software or hardware. As mentioned above you do not need to pay extra to have the Record/ card reader features enabled if you buy your jukebox from us.

There is a hardware plug in too - it's an FM tuner and wired remote. It does have to be purchased separately.

See the accessories section below for more specific information on how each of the plug-ins work and what they can do for you.

A rose by any other name .... We don't care how you pronounce the name of this jukebox. It's still sweeet.

Archos hold our 2001 Best Seller title with the Recorder 20 and the 2002 title with the FM20 (no longer available) and the Gmini may yet steal the 2003 title despite its release so late in the year 2003. It's got the right features at the right price and if you want one just click.