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83%
PROS
Nice sized 3.8" screen, can support a camera, and easy to use interface.
LOWS
Runs for $600, does not come with a firewire cable, an inch thick. Doesn't have any office programs. THICK.
OVERALL
If you have the $600 to chuck up, this little device will serve you well. For those who don't get $600 to spend every week, consider investing in a refurbished PC or laptop instead.
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The exterior of the AV320 is relatively simple. There are only 5 silver buttons on the front of the device, all which accommodate for the on, off, select, escape, joystick, and three option buttons. The joystick feels cheap and plasticy. It feels really flimsy when used, and is very small. The three option buttons are a smart interface: at the bottom of the screen, there are three boxes that indicate three different options. When the first option button is pressed, it will perform the first given command, the second button controls the second option, and so on. In my testing, the unit didn't seem to turn on and off quickly. An average power on was about 10 seconds, and a shutoff was about 3. This might not seem like a lot, but when you are in a hurry to turn the device on, it is really annoying.
Another thing I didn't like about the exterior of the device was the fact that it didn't have any button labels. None of the ports have any labels to indicate what connection type they are. I had to constantly refer back to the manual to figure out which audio plug-in was which.
The AV320 is about 4in long by 3in wide. There are large rubber grips on each corner to protect the unit from falls and scratches. Even though the pads at the corners are big and semi-ugly, they do a good job at keeping the unit out of harm's way. Another form factor issue: it's about an inch thick. Try stuffing that into a pocket.
But then again, is the AV320 trying to be a PDA? I can't quite figure it out. The thing is made for multimedia: video, audio, and photo. But it doesn't have any word processing utilities. No basic office programs. It is also heavier then any PDA on the market, weighing in at 12.5 ounces. This is a big disadvantage to the AV320, making it not nearly as portable as the leading handheld devices today. Then the question rises, is it worth the $600 retail price? For $600, you are moving into refurbished desktop and laptop territory, and you start to wonder if the AV320 is just a middle device that doesn't really have a big use.
In my opinion, the AV320 is great, it's just way overpriced. If it was around a $200 price tag, it would be a killer. But for $600, you might want to consider a computer.
