Archos Gmini is the brand name of a series of portable audio and video players launched by the French company, Archos, in 2004 and 2005. The four versions of the Gmini audio player are the Gmini 120, the Gmini XS 100, the Gmini XS 200, and the Gmini XS 202. The four versions of video player are the Gmini 400, the Gmini 402, the Gmini 402 Camcorder and the Gmini 500.
The Gmini 120 was released in 2003. It supports MP3, WMA and WAV files, but not WMA files. Its 20GB hard drive and built-in browser allow you to manage media files with ease. You can connect the Gmini 120 to a digital camera and can upload your images to store them like a memory card. However, the device does not support image viewing.
The Gmini XS 100 was introduced in 2004. This model includes a 1.5-inch screen and supports MP3, WMA, protected WMA, and WAV files. Its ARCLibrary feature helps you manage your media playlists. Archos soon released an updated model, the Gmini XS 200, with a monochrome screen and a 20GB hard drive. The Gmini XS 202 audio player appeared in 2005. This model retained all the same file compatibility and ARCLibrary features as the Gmini XS 200. All the Gmini players have USB connections and are compatible with PC and Mac.
The Gmini 400 was introduced in 2004 and was the first audio device to have an LCD screen giving photo, audio and video capability. You can watch MPEG-4 coded video files and images with PNG, BMP and JPEG formats. You can also play games available on the Archos website. An additional CompactFlash reader enables you to increase the Gmini 400’s capacity for storing and playing songs.
Next in the video player category is the Gmini 402, which was introduced in 2005. It allows you to download and play music using PlayForSure. The model supports MP3, WMA, AVI, JPG, PNG and BMP files. You can connect to external audio and video sources and play 3D games on your Gmini 402. Its battery lasts for four hours if you play video and 10 hours if you play music. The Gmini 402 also acts as a USB storage device, allowing you to store data from your PC. Using a firmware modification, it is possible to enhance the product capability to make the Gmini 400 series compete with games systems like the Sega Master System, the Sega Game Gear, Nintendo’s Game Boy and the Game Boy Colour, and even the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Another device with the Gmini brand name is the Gmini 402 Camcorder released in 2005. The camera has a 2x zoom and you can record good quality video. The Camcorder is again compatible with both PC and Mac. This device also supports WMV, MP3, WMA, DRM, AVI, JPG, PNG, and BMP files.
The latest Gmini 500 was launched in late 2005. This model supports PlayForSure, which allows you to connect to a Hi-Fi system, listen to music aloud through its built-in speaker, and view images and videos on its 4-inch colour screen.
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