Archos AV500 Mobile DVR (100GB)

The good: The Archos AV500 has a nice wide-screen LCD with great viewing angles yet is compact enough to fit in a pocket. It supports PlaysForSure audio and video and has superb audio quality, and with it, you can record audio and video from external sources, including TV at scheduled times. The AV500 also has excellent battery life and a good printed manual, and with the included plug-in, it will work within iTunes.

The bad: The Archos AV500 is one pricey beast, and the controls can take a little getting used to. We don't like the fact that you can't multitask and that it lacks a kickstand or carrying case. Although audio quality is top-notch, there is no equalizer, and the earbuds are uncomfortable. Also, it doesn't have an iTunes-like source for video downloads, though it does record video.

The bottom line: The well-appointed Archos AV500 puts wide-screen video in your pocket, but we're still waiting for a point-and-click way to get video into the device.