We're guessing we'll hear more about this at MWC, but TI just let loose a press release crowing about Archos's use of the OMAP3 processor in an upcoming "Internet Media Tablet" that runs on Android and also doubles as a phone. No pictures yet, but the spec sheet makes it sound like a hotrodded Archos 5: five-inch screen, up to a 500GB hard drive, a battery capable of 7 seven hours of video playback, and Flash support, all in a package just 10mm (.39 inches) thick. The underlying OS will be Android, but Archos plans to really beef up the media features -- there's even mention of HD video playback. That sounds seriously sweet -- if Archos ditches the current mushy resistive screen in the 5 for a capacitive unit, this could be a knockout Android device when it launches in the third quarter.
[Via
Archos Lounge; thanks, Daphné]
posted Feb 9th 2009 1:04PM
yes!!!
yesss. engadget shopped the wrong time in the clock.
no!!!
.. just wait till you have to phone their technical support line for assistance.. if that doesn't make you want to pull your eyes out - nothing will. Typical French, they might have nice smelling perfumes, but their customer support stinks!
no!!!
.. just wait till you have to phone their technical support line for assistance.. if that doesn't make you want to pull your eyes out - nothing will. Typical French, they might have nice smelling perfumes, but their customer support stinks!
A 500 GB harddrive. That's fantastic. With the specs I'm reading on this device, you'll need to take steroids just to lift it. They're packing in an awful lot of goodness that would seem to make it bulky and heavy. I don't have a problem with that, but it would likely be a handful. Good luck with that device as a handset.
Sounds delicious. Like cherry cheesecake.
dude, I kill for cheesecake. ironically though i hate it with fruit on top :\
maybe it reminds you too much of the blood you've spilled to get the cheesecake.
@skyblaze
That's not ironic. If cheese or cake were a fruit, it would have a chance at irony.
@ryan: mind = b l o w n. (no, seriously)
@mile: meh, we all make mistakes :)
9:11? are you serious?
the time would be correct if the long hand was for hours and short hand was for minutes, maybe this is a soviet russian version
if it has all those features, it must be a LANDLINE phone...
or a VoIP one
Doubles as a phone? That would be a pretty beefy handset. Perhaps it will come with a blue tooth headset.
Perhaps it is a version of the Archos 5g with Android loaded instead of their proprietary OS. The Archos Internet Media Tablets already have ARM processors, so it would not be all too difficult to load Android onto them. If Archos doesn't, I'm sure some hackers will...
Android doesn't support hi-res screens. It doesn't officially have flash, and still has no support for OpenGL ES 2.0.
As a matter of fact it's suffering for full OpenGL ES 1.1 support. That OMAP3 processor supports the beauty that is OpenGL ES 2.0
So unless it's a new ultra-capable version of Android, the processor is an overkill.
I like resistive screens.
What's sarcasm?
Both resistive and capacitive touchscreens have their advantages.
By the way, this phonblet is pure sex.
Talking about screens, I HATE THAT DAMN ANDROID WALLPAPER!!! Why would any company make the standard wallpaper so ugly?
all i can say is "do me"
Who need an iphone when a phone has that many feature?
Try to visualize a 5" tablet with a HDD - you certainly won't use that to call anybody.
Who need school when spell like that?
Hey left of an "s", he didn't piss in your soup.
He*
Sounds all good right now,but i wonder what bs plugins and propriety hardware Archos is going to make you pay for with this device.
If it is android they can't lock it down Google wouldn't let them. The thing I don't get is they said 500GB hard drive now that would have to be a spinner or it would make the price way to ridiculous for anyone to afford if it was SSD. Also 10mm O.o the 60GB version is already 12mm and the 250 is 19mm. A HDD at 500GB is almost 10mm on its own with a screen, circuits, and battery it would be larger than that, so maybe a flash player version and an HDD version?
Only one problem the only network in the states to show love to the Android is T-Mobile although that isn't horrible it ain't no AT&T or Verizon.
I am not gonna get my hopes up on this. If it is real OMG the iPhone can just suck it.
Engadget don't do this to me I just can't take it.
tarnation, archos actually can lock it down because google does let people make proprietary versions of android--look at the g1.
@coleman
you just broke my heart with the idea that archos will lock down the OS like they have before. that is one of my biggest problems with the archos 5.
oh you and your comments that make sense.
Tasty.
Nice !
I bought every Archos device right up to the latest 5 series. They are sweet machines, no doubt. But they have become so feature packed, they are literally just small tablet PC's - while still lacking a great many of the features and flexibility that small PC's of this kind have.
If Archos want to compete in the new netbook space - which is probably a good target market during hard times like these, open the devices up fully to third party apps like Apple did and let users use them in whatever way they see fit. They are too small to be full blown PC's perhaps (although users should be able to decide on this also) and too large and heavy to be convenient to carry media players.
So leave it up to the customer to work out the best uses for themselves.
the best uses are: tv companion, pmp for around the house, at the coffee shop, or in a car. the only times you wouldn't use it would be when you're walking a long way.
Looks good. Basically it's their Archos 5 unit made thinner by taking out the hard disk, which is what I wished they had done in the first place.
My Archos 6 60 gig is 11-12 mm thick. So they are squeezing a couple of mm that way.
No way in hell you'll get a new type of screen with this.
If it's stable, and mechanically sound, then it will be a kickass device, and I will be sorry I got the Archos 5.
As for it actually playing HD video.... bwahahahaha... look at the Archos track record on promises about future capabilities of their product. Yeah right.
Maybe there's some sort of communication error and it's really supposed to be a 50 gig...seriously just guesstimating. I'm wondering how heavy this thing will be. You'll have to use bluetooth to talk on it.
i like that it can't tell time. :-)
This will be pure garbage just like all of their products.
Pete,
You obviously never use archos product before, they are the very first one to had make portable make to play video, the sound is excellent not as good as cowon but it still better than ipod. They are france company not china just a reminder. Archos is like the biggest brand mp3 in europe.
Damn, it is 10mm thin? Aren't standard laptop hard drives 9mm? So.... how does that work?
Archos's devices always do sound very nice on paper, but take a look around at some Archos forums and you'll see that it's a whole different story. All types of problems and bugs plague Archos. It'd be nice to finally see them deliver a product that really lives up to expectations by performing its basic functions without problems and by having all of its promised features released and working...
Archos doesn't really have basic features. Everything about Archos features are unique and very advanced. You can't expect a pocket device to replace all of your vhs/tivo/ipod/dvdplayer/gps/mediastreamer/xbox/ pda/smartphone/laptop/kindle/ camcorder/dvb-T tuner/harddrive and plenty other features, have it combine all of these features in a way really no other product does and then expect all features to work without a bug.
Even iphones and HTC G1s which have fewer and arguably simpler features and are managed by 1000x larger companies with 1000x more money for R&D, even those also have bugs.
If you want a basic feature pocket device that doesn't bug, then buy a 1984 Sony cassette walkman.
Please, if they can't even get video to play fine and audio to play without skipping or crashing, then I'd say that the basics of a media player have been accomplished. Sadly, this is not the case. If Archos were to step up and have a fully working device, actually deliver on their promises, and actually have decent customer support then they would get much more respect than they do now.
Until then, all of those other "crappy" companies are doing much better than your beloved Archos.
Ivan do you even own or have ever owned an Archos?
I have a 605 and I use it daily for mp3 and xvid video. Works flawlessly apart from the very occasional hard lock (but what device doesn't these days? - even my phone locks-up every now and then).
But stuttering and no playing of video? Never once, experienced it in well over a year and a half of daily usage.
My brother owns a 604. He just recently bought a 2nd generation iPod Touch because he was tired of the problems he had with his 604. Stutters, random errors, files missing in the browser, freezes, and crashes. I played around with it a couple of months ago. I transferred a 700MB avi movie to it. It played with the occasional stutter (not caused by the avi because it played flawlessly on my computer and laptop), and towards the end of the movie, it froze on me and i had to do a hard reboot.
But in my previous comments, I was talking particularly about the Archos 5. I've read through a couple of forums, Charbax's included, and the magnitude of problems is incredible. Plus from what I've read, their customer service is a joke. I'm just glad that I never personally got involved with Archos because when I spend more than $250 on a product, I expect it to work as advertised.
i think using android will help them with stability.
Will now await fanboy reponse from Charbax, telling us that this device is the best every released in human history, 1 zillion percent more powerful than any handheld, with 1000 times better screen, and able to cure carpal tunnel syndrome, brain cancers, and hangnails.
Especially given that they're probably going to drop Archos 5 support in a snap. So much for the poor bastards who wanted GPS to actually work one day.
You got it.. This is the definite UMPC killer concept and makes all smartphones at Mobile World Congress look weak in comparison.
Sure Archos could do some few hardware things like use an OLED screen with an E-Ink screen behind it, Bluetooth and DVB-SH options built-in. And some type of clip-on fold-on keyboard that doubles as a screen protector and gamepad for a whole bunch of emulated consoles. But until then, even with Archos current generation of hardware, this would make the worlds best product just even better.
Charbax. You rock!
7 hours of video playback? Don't they have to make the shit play video first?
It does...
Archos devices have been playing video since like 2001 dude .. wake up^!
(I remember the jukebox video 20 : it was like 4 cm thick and had a 1,8inch screen... -__-)
I buy a 250gb archos 5 and a G1... then this happens. life just loves to screw with trevor :)
OH...MY...GOD
are they kidding me, my jaw just dropped, this is ridiculous, I was thinking about buyin a Archos, then I moved along, then I like the G1 and Android, but now this, if I could double my phone and mp3's, o my, and with 500gigs, id be so happy, this is great, i will indeed wait and see how this falls through, im so happy and excited right now, damn.
hey trevor, about that 5, how does that sound, I was seriously about to buy one a few weeks ago but then I searched online a bit about sound quality and found out it doesnt get to high in volume and the SQ isnt as great compared to the Zune and especially the cowon, but couldnt get a straight answer,
the sound's great. speaker could use some help but with headphones its really good. ironically i ditched the ones it came with for the premium zune phones (yea, i had a zune before this...)
cool, I was either tossed up between a 5 or a zune, but now it might just be worth it to wait. microsoft is actually coming out with a new zune this fall, then this now, but archos always releases something each year, that and were in a recession, and i shouldnt spend the very little money i do have
I was going to buy a Archos 5 today, I guess I will wait for this iPhone killer !!! Sweet
Don't waste your money on this piece of junk.,..please. If you insist, I can sell you my 250GB for about same price with a case worth $50 with free priority shipping...
I so dislike this device and the company behind it.
Shmexy.......
Will this have GPS/ A-GPS?
Yes.. but it will be sold to you as a $20 add-on!
sadly, with a price higher than a netbook
Archos fits in the pocket. It has features even netbooks don't have like HDMI output, video recording, instant-on, touchscreen navigation, longer battery life, can even have more disc space and HSDPA hich you don't get on the cheapest netbooks.
just when I was going to get an Archos 5...
What would the carrier subsidized price be?
Iphonekiller???
Will it have right formula to dethrone???pricing?carrier subsidy ?advertising?keys to success , is measures in sales ,,.
Now that looks like a great tablet right there, love the Android!
I own G1 my self and can't wait for the CupCake :)
~CEO Livecrunch
http://www.livecrunch.com
I hope...
... it looks sexy.
... has a high-resolution screen (no less than 600X480)
... has a prettier UI that uses that OMAP
Archos has been doing 4.3" and 4.8" 800x480 screens since June 2007, so I doubt they ill downgrade the resolution here..
4.8" is about twice the surface area of the iphone screen. And check http://archoslounge.net/local/cache-vignettes/L500xH400/jpg_IMG_0202_light-384b7.jpg there is not much difference in size of the products. Cause Archos does a good job removing most of the unecessary screen bezel border on each side of the 16:9 aspect ratio screen.
Surreptitiously, Google beats up on Microsoft once again.
I wasted my $400 on Archos 5 250GB. In two months, I fell down 8 stairs while leaving to work at 6:45am (and with Archos in my work bag with 2 notebooks) due to freeze rain overnight and previous day. Those Archos Tech Support bastards charged me $140 (roughly) and replaced the lcd screen with some used screen which is ok with me. On top of that, it took them almost 4 weeks to replace the darn LCD screen. This is after I've had to stay on hold for about 2 hours overall trying to get RMA and etc. JUST PURE TECH SUPPORT EXPERIENCE!!!
Finally, they decided to charge me for shipping and then ship the item with UPS ground which took another whopping week and some days to arrive.
Two days later, I discovered the BACK button on the newly replaced LCD screen doesn't work, tried everything possible and no luck. Each time I call these tech support bastards, I had to be on hold for (on average) 30-40mins just waiting endlessly. At times, some pricks will pick up and ask me if I wanted RMA or Tech Support (while I already chose option 1 for Archos product and Option 2 for Tech Support and waiting in that queue - at least that's my informed impression). And then the pricks puts me back on hold again for another 10-20mins then finally some incompetent support guy tries to tell me to perform a 'full initialization' of a device that I just received 2 days prior from them.
Now, they sent me the same stupid cheap prepaid ground shipping label which takes donkey years to get there....I'm going to sell the damn thing when I get it back this time....Should have gone with my first instinct O2 Cowon which is much stable and does what it does good (I have nothing but issues with this thing - from 'File corrupt errors during normal playback of AVI or mp3 files to random locks up even with firmware 1.3.05 (which causes more new errors than fixes anything they claimed)
The thing just sucks period. This is my 1st Archos device and it is definitely my last....what a waste of my $400+ and I didn't even get to enjoy the damn device.
BEWARE: This thing is no where near FLASH complete and not even call it IMT. In fact, it is so incomplete that it crashes the device periodically. Browser sucks big time and so is the usability of the device itself. One will think a device that expensive will do basic PMP functionality great (play videos and music files) but NO this thing is the worst device of the year.
And They kept releasing new firmwares that breaks things that already working while STILL not delivering on prior promises.
I was thinking about recommending it to my friends and families but I can't do that now as my experience with it is so bad that I will sell it in a heart bit if I can find a buyer. I don't care if it has Android or not, so long as it has ARCHOS on it, it's a no no for me.
...damn.
you must work for Archos
actually I work for lockheed martin.
but I have an archos 5. its been pretty good to me. real eye-catcher when I'm in public too. so far no problems other than a few videos not working. screen has a few scratches and i never really liked resistive touch but i got used to it.
I feel for jimmy, though. probably just got a real defective device... if I really worked for archos and read this I'd do what I could to get him a refund.
I feel your pain. People like me and a bunch of others, tried to warn everyone about this company, but idiots like Charbax (who has his life savings in their stock) try to cover up everything we are trying to get out there. THIS COMPANY IS HORRIBLE AND A MAJOR RIP OFF. I am completely anti Apple, but if you want to throw $300+ dollars out there, get a itouch or iphone before this thing. EVERYTHING they have made for the past 8 years has been one giant glitch. As far as the HD playback... they have told us that the 605 would have it ... then the 5 would have it..... Guess which two units NEVER GOT IT. This thing will never have HD playback.
@ transw6am -- What's even worse is that they're beginning to make simliar FALSE advertisements and promises in an attempt to rack up more sales of the fake "IMT" device with the exception of Android on it.
I call this kind of a company a THIEF and GREEDY in the sense that, they made false advertisements in an attempt to lure consumers to buy their products knowingly from the get go that they couldn't meet those promises and features. Now they've turn to open source avenues to rescue them so they can RACK up more sales. They're not even a member of the Open Handset Alliance (prolly just joined recently).
Whoever talks this false advertising company into venturing into that stupid ugly and soon to be a disaster Archos 10 netbook should be fired. I can almost assume same person talked them into this Android business model.
Most people here are reading HD video playback, 5 inch, and Android ..but are not really reading about a prior device that has been a complete failure. Next time, I'd venture my excess $400 elsewhere. I wish I had knew this before buying the dummy box .
Why would they even try to sell same device with Android on it and a phone function w/o first delivering what they've promised long before product was announced? Archos is bloody greedy...in that they just want a piece of the booming technology market but they care less if they're #1. Just give us a share of the market and we care less about the customers or their opinions.
This is precisely why they locked down the device...which defeats the purpose as it would have been much better if the user community could build-on where they were incapable.
That would be sweet, and use my 605 on a daily basis, a a 504 before that. Archos is very good at multimedia, and I would love to replace my 605 and my shit dumbphone at the same time.
that should be 'poor'
I don't see myself putting a giant 5' inch screen-er to my ear to talk. 4" would be ideal and it maxes out at that, like the recent toshiba.
i meant a 5" screen.
yeah 5" is way too much. Kills the portability aspect of it. 4" was perfect and even with that it'd better have a really slim rim.
Also with Android not supporting high resolutions it could look really bad.
I normally use a headset, for long calls (less brain radiation). For short calls, it should be fine.
The great thing about this device is you have a large screen for videos, photos, web, etc. AND you can make phone calls.
It would not fit any of today's trousers or shirts. Do they expect me to lug around a bag to carry such a huge mobile phone ?
Big screens are good, but not when they defeat the fundamental cause of mobility.
A 4.8" screen is not too big. In fact it's perfect to stay portable and provide a confortable PC like browsing experience at a high resolution. It's 25% larger than a 4.3" screen, it's twice the size of an iphone 3.5" screen. But really trust me it remains very pocketable. I have my Archos 5 250GB in my pocket with me every single day to watch Colbert and Daily Show on the bus and to browse on the web across the city, it is perfect.
Here is a picture of it compared to the iphone: http://archoslounge.net/local/cache-vignettes/L500xH400/jpg_IMG_0202_light-384b7.jpg
Also, Android does work for 800x480 and higher resolution screens.
If it has Bluetooth, or using a cable remote with a small LCD screen, you could use a headset and keep the Archos in your pocket most of the time when doing phone calls. Only take the Archos out when you need video, Internet and multimedia features.
I have a 604 and my wife has a 605 and both of us love the devices. I use the 604 solely to play movies but my wife uses her 605 as a web browser.
Both work flawlessly and we will gladly be Archos customers again.
Dude, I would totally call people with this thing. What an awesome sounding device. If it gets a capacitive screen.
No I'm a dissatisfied customer who regretted buying an Archos 5 based after several mixed reviews. I just can't imagine that fiasco fake IMT with a phone. I can't get the idea of carrying a device that randomly and frequently reboots while you're trying to do basic tasks
AND
combine all of that failures of a basic PMP ("IMT") with a basic phone functions? Think this way, put that thing on a sleep mode, then wake it back up, let me know if your opened incomplete Opera and your paired and connected wifi connection is still persistent....
From the sounds of things, they are replacing the entire operating system (with one they themselves haven't created). The new device COULD also end up being buggy, but I don't think one can use their past as indicator in this case. Still, I'd hold off for some reviews before taking the plunge.
Crap, I have an Archos 5. I hope they simply ditch the crappy Archos interface they have currently and just allow all of us to upgrade to Android.
Never gonna happen, though.
I will never buy Archos again. My 605Wifi took a dump within a week. The user interface is a royal PITA . It's too delicate and flimsy and the battery life is dismal.
Well It has my faves on the screen there so unless that was photoshopped then I would say the carrier looks to be T-mobile. Man would that be awesome...I would...for once in my life...have the carrier that is associated with the "hottest" phone lol. That looks like one amazing device. I'll predict it now. Archos 5 was $600 at initial launch. This will be $900 - $100, and come down to $500 with 2-yr contract. It will be crazy high pricing like iPhone once was, and then they realize how dumb it is, and drop the price.
Archos 5 was $349 at launch. You can sometimes find it below $300 on froogle..
@ Charboax -- get a f'in life -- hypocrite!
Charbax.. shut the hell up. We were promised HD playback on the 605 and the 5. If you think we are going to fall for this all over again -- eat it.
There is something wrong with that picture that engadget used.... the metallic paint hasn't started falling off of it yet....
There is no way I'm holding up a 5"screen to my ear to talk. I sure hope they mean VOIP instead...
BEWARE!!!! 90% OFF WHAT WE WERE PROMISED ON THE 605 AND 5 NEVER CAME TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY! Look at the 5 .... where is the HD plug-in? You still can't record on the DVR with video and audio synch problems. The GPS still doesn't work with the 5? Full flash support? Yeah right..... The only thing you can count on, is this thing crashing every five minutes..
Charbax: Get a life. This will suck just like the Archos 5 - 7. Paint peeling, buggy, crashy, heavy junk. Oh and we can go buy archos(dot)com and buy plugins, screws, buttons, cables, adapters, fingers to use, etc.
I'll be selling mine soon as I get it back ---hopefully will find a buyer on craiglist or ebay...and will go get me what my mind originally wanted S9 or O2.
I won't even dare think twice or regret it. This piece of junk doesn't deserve my $$. I'm guessing 'charbax' is being paid to advertise here in addition to his stock options.........with the FALSE ADs.