3G-enabled Archos 5 and Eee PC 901 announced by French wireless carrier SFR

You don't see a lot of PMPs or netbooks out there with carrier branding, but both the Archos 5 and the Eee PC have gotten themselves 3G-enabled recently, and French wireless company SFR isn't wasting any time with the silkscreen machine -- it's just announced subsidized versions of both. The Archos 5 3G+ comes dressed in sharp new black suit and features a smaller 30GB drive to go with its integrated 3G modem and custom SFR menu items -- you're looking at €249 ($320) with a monthly data fee of €19 ($24) for existing SFR customers or €24 ($30) for new subs. More or less the same deal with the Eee 901: you're getting the familiar 1.6GHz Atom with 1GB of RAM, a 16GB SSD, and an integrated 3G modem for €279 ($358) with €29 ($37) / €34 ($43) monthly contract fees. Hopefully we'll see some Stateside carriers pick up on this trend soon, eh?

Read - Archos 5 3G+
Read - Eee PC 901

[Jimmy Jones @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:00PM]

How easy is it to hack into these Archos next gen devices? I'm seriously considering buying 1 of these... any reviews out from engadget yet?

[Bobs @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:57PM]

These devices have yet to be hacked, as far as ive been able to tell. The last device that ive been able to hack was the AV500, but does anyone still have those anymore?

[Chris @ Oct 23rd 2008 2:59PM]

If by "pick up this trend" you mean cheaper data plans, then I hope so too

[schtum @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:37PM]

That's exactly why I got a G1. I'm paying $25 for data and $40 for voice. The closest iPhone plan in terms of minutes/messages/data would cost me $95/month. It's hard to do a direct comparison because the services are bundled differently, and AT&T has rollover minutes which I would love, but $30 off the bat is hard to argue with.

[hal @ Oct 23rd 2008 4:35PM]

schtum, did you happen to find anyone who offers just data for a reasonable price without having to bundle voice?

[JohnTitor @ Oct 23rd 2008 5:32PM]

the bundle really doesn't take much off the price of the PMP or netbook, hope its not a 2 year contract

[Alexandre Emond @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:03PM]

Over 1Gb/m, they lower the speed to 128 Kbps.
http://www.cnetfrance.fr/news/mobilite/l-eee-pc-chez-sfr-l-internet-illimite-pour-un-usage-limite-39377557.htm (in French).

[nd @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:06PM]

I just want at&t to offer me a data only plan on an iphone. I just don't want to carry one of those fragile things around as my phone!

[happy_penguin @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:14PM]

I use a phone condom for protection. I've dropped it many times and I've had no problems with dents or breakage whatsoever.

[nd @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:18PM]

One drop on the driveway and the screen shatters. My gf's first gen iphone did just this. And she had a case on it too. It landed face down on a little rock- too much pressure in one place! Point being, I probably drop my treo 5+ times/day. I will not carry an iphone around all day, because I know I'm a klutz.

[happy_penguin @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:31PM]

Well yeah if you drop glass directly on a rock you probably will break it. I'm just telling you that I have a silicone case around my phone, I have dropped it many times in the course of the year I've owned it, on concrete, and so far not one dent or crack. At some point you have a) take responsibility for your own clumsiness (which you seem to have done, admitting that you are a klutz) and b) do something to protect your investment, which so far my case has done.

Don't you *ever* ask to borrow my phone. :p

[Overgauss @ Oct 24th 2008 12:28AM]

I think it's reasonable to expect that if you drop something that it is not always going to land on a uniform surface, and so the original poster has a valid concern.

You don't have to be a klutz to drop a phone, only human. I'm pretty fastidious, and I've dropped a thing or two that I wish I hadn't once or twice in my lifetime.

Like that log when I thought no one was looking.

[rento @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:08PM]

Mine!!!!!!!!!!

[Robert Scott Huettig @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:18PM]

Yeah, sounds pretty interesting. Certainly would like to hear more.

[everunman @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:27PM]

Looks great just way too expensive

Waiting for Charbax spam....................

[transws6am @ Oct 23rd 2008 5:25PM]

The 5's that are already released are STILL in the BETA stage!!! They removed the label BETA of the latest firmware just to get the consumers screaming lawsuit, off of their back. Trust me.... avoid this crap like the plague. This unit is going to be just as buggy, and you will most likely see ZERO help, as that is the way this company has worked for years now. Shove it out the door, and never look back. Real classy company. And you can shut it before you even start, Charbax. You are nothing more than a clown.

[DigitAl56K @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:55PM]

I just bought an Archos 5 and it is awesome. I'm using Firmware 1.0.87, the firmware that you are referring to.

Here are some of the great features:

* Wireless G
* WebTV
* Internet radio
* DivX/Xvid/VOB playback, H264 via plugin
* MP3/Ogg/Flac playback, AAC via plugin
* Really nice browser with Flash video support
* Gorgeous display (best I've seen)
* I bought mine with 250GB internal HD

I also bought the DVR dock, and there are expansions for FM tuner, DVB, and more.

Yes, there *are* some quirks right now. However, this is one of the best purchases I've made in a long time and I'll continue to be a happy customer as long as Archos makes good on addressing some of the quirks in a reasonable timeframe.

Moving up from a disconnected MP3 player with limited video playback capabilities, this has already changed the types of media I consume and the touch UI is very nice, it's something that I immediately got used to and saw the benefits of.

Don't be such a downer. This thing kicks the iPod firmly in the nuts and if like me you don't want to support the Apple empire I'd argue it's probably the best "alternative" choice out there.

[JaXX @ Oct 23rd 2008 5:46PM]

the 29€/month goes up to 59€/month after march, which makes this much less sexy!

In France, they keep using the word "unlimited" (in duration) all the time while you can still read 200/500/1GB cappings in the small lines... Engadget's homepage is already over 2Megs

In France, there are 3 mobile operators lobbying all day long to prevent the entry of the 4th one on the 3G/UMTS/HSDPA market despite the Telecom-Regulator recommendations ... eased by the fact that one of the operators CEO is the presidents best and intimate friend!! That president promised to fight for consumer power of the citizens, not just his friends'

The 3 operators are totally scared of the 4th candidate, because it's actually the company (Iliad Group, ISP called 'Free') who brought cheap and multi-service unbundled ADSL in france, where you get best-as-it-can speed (I sync at 24Mbs) including Web+HDTV+Unmetered Phone to the planet, for a bargain fee of 30€/month, and before they arrived, we paid twice the amount for plain internet at 2 or 4Mbs.

If we (among some other places) have a great internet now, we are nearly 3rd world concerning mobile. (I exaggerate a bit, those from southern France would understand :-) )

[engadget @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:36PM]

@DigitAl56K

Totally agree with your assessment of the Archos 5. I have 1.0.87 on the Archos 5. It is stable, reliable, and absolutely the best PMP device I have used. I have enjoyed several previous generation Archos devices as well, 605WiFI, AV500, and all have been great devices. After watching videos on the Arhcos 5, my iPod Touch's screen seems puny. I regularly record TV shows directly to the Archos 5, and frequently stream video directly from my NAS devices to the Arhcos 5. The performance is fantastic. If you purchase a plug-in (yeah, I know PIA), then the Archos can play back most video codecs at full 720 x 480 natively without the timely conversion needed with other devices. The Opera browser with Flash 9 support is real nice as well. I like the way your expressed the Archos 5 vs. iPod - the Archos kicks the iPod in the nuts. Not only is your statement humerous, it is totally accurate.

If the Archos 3G is released with a US carrier, I would wait in-line at the carrier's store for one of the first devices.

[Cray @ Oct 25th 2008 3:53AM]

I'm doing exactly that, waiting for a US carrier to support the Archos 5