Video: Archos 9 pctablet resistive touchscreen impresses

Archos attempt to resurrect the UMPC category of devices got off to a good start yesterday in Paris with the launch of its 16-mm thick Archos 9 pctablet -- a 8.9-inch 1024x600 pixel tablet riding an 800MHz or 1.2GHz Atom Z515 processor, 1GB of memory, up to 120GB disk, webcam, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11b/g WiFi, and SIM card slot for WWAN connectivity. Archosfans just posted a video of the Archos 9 prototype in action and honestly, that resistive touch-screen looks pretty damn impressive to finger taps. However, since it's running Windows 7, a full-blown desktop OS, you'll still need to pull out the included stylus on occasion to interactive with the Windows 7 UI or applications designed for a mouse and keyboard. Fortunately, the Archos 9 offers an optical mouse on the right-side bezel and left and right mouse keys along the left. Other notable highlights include a removable battery of undetermined capacity, a docking port for added expansion (Ethernet, 2x USB, VGA output), stereo speakers, and an adjustable kickstand for viewing video or working on the Archos 9 with attached USB keyboard and mouse. The Archos rep says it'll be priced between €450 and €500 when it ships around the time Windows 7 launches at the end of October. What we're wondering is how much finger-friendly UI customization will be included by Archos and how they plan to market the device to consumers who already own smartphones, laptops, and even netbooks. Video after the break.

P.S. While Archosfans claims the Archos 9 is multi-touch, nothing that we've found supports that claim on the Archos site or in the video demonstrations. Nevertheless, multi-touch resistive touchscreen technology does exist as demonstrated to us by Stantum back in February. In fact, the ASUS Eee PC T91 also features an 8.9-inch resistive display that does support mult-touch.

[omegaslast @ Jun 12th 2009 4:28AM]

why does he keep saying "AHKUS"

its ar-kose

[NickNick @ Jun 12th 2009 4:30AM]

ARKK-HUS NEIN

[ImPulsE @ Jun 12th 2009 4:33AM]

Yea, that was pretty annoying. Was thinking even about muting the sound. Otherwise looks like a good gadget. Before i could say if i wanted it or not, i better had a try with it first... heh

[ZSX @ Jun 12th 2009 5:09AM]

Archos is French, and while Charbax (narrating the video) is Danish, he speaks fluent French, so I'm willing to defer to him on the pronunciation.

[SoulinEther @ Jun 12th 2009 5:35AM]

"r" in french is not really the same as "r" in English. it's more like a "gh" throat sound that doesn't exist in english... .and from listening to the different dialects around the world, i'd say some countries/speakers seem to place more of an english "r" (as in "right") into its pronunciation than others.

So in short he is saying "archos" and it does sound like "ahkos" and it's not really that big of a deal, he only said it like 5 times in the whole video.

[OneLove @ Jun 12th 2009 10:39AM]

Why the fuck should he speak like you?

[pocketfulloftoys @ Jun 12th 2009 10:40AM]

@SoulinEther

gh? Man, I don't know if/where you learned to speak French but that is so not the way it sounds when it's spoken. True, it is a guttural sound which has no English equivalent. It's more akin to hocking up phlegm, as in faire, regarder, cravat, travaille, grand. Look up some pronunciations online.

[waiownsyou @ Jun 12th 2009 4:33AM]

I called Asus ASS-UH instead of AY-ZOOS for the longest time.

[Invisiblemoose @ Jun 12th 2009 4:58AM]

I always pronounced it A-sus...A like Eh... Like Canadians...

[ZSX @ Jun 12th 2009 5:13AM]

Asus is Chinese, and I've heard it is pronounced AR-soos by the Taiwanese.

Just like Suse is German and it is pronounced SOO-zer.

And Linux is pronounced lee-NOOKS.

[Garst @ Jun 12th 2009 6:39AM]

The cow goes Sha'ZOO!

[Mike P. @ Jun 12th 2009 11:09AM]

Biggest pet peeve: how they pronounce "Puma" in HK. "Pyuuu-ma," anyone?

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2009 4:35AM]

Oh my God I love it!!!!!!!
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I also love the "resistive screen with multitouch".... it's great Archos pulled that off....

Windows 7 really, FTW.

[Dexter. @ Jun 12th 2009 5:29AM]

What do you think to the price though?
It's exciting to see a desktop OS scale so well though!

[Dexter. @ Jun 12th 2009 5:31AM]

Sentence structure fail, though.
Oh well, no one will have to notice, as the engadget comment system is so fully featured that I'll just sneak into my previous post and edit it.

Oh, wait...

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2009 5:32AM]

Oh yeah. This is literally a desktop PC that could fit in your coat.

[NickNick @ Jun 12th 2009 4:36AM]

scrolling on it is ridiculous.

However resistive multitouch > capacitive multitouch.

Discuss.

[Mark Anderson @ Jun 12th 2009 4:52AM]

Resistive touchscreens = capacitive touchscreens.

Basically: cap screens more sensitive, res screens more accurate.

[MMaster23 @ Jun 12th 2009 5:26AM]

Please note: Windows 7 has guestures for navigation on touch screen. The PR people in this video clearly don't know them or use them.

You can flick to scroll etc

[Huy @ Jun 13th 2009 12:27AM]

I really want to see this thing function as a note-taking tablet - a full-fledged PC with tablet capabilities all in a netbook form factor. This could easily be the hottest thing on college campuses by the upcoming fall.

[ed. @ Jun 12th 2009 4:38AM]

omg thats awesome!

and what happened to all those people who said resistive can't do multi touch...

[Joe @ Jun 12th 2009 3:34PM]

Umm gee wiz, they probably saw the earlier story on here where they finally made it happen through some hackery?!??

Resistive touchscreens suck.

[SiLo @ Jun 12th 2009 4:47AM]

Wow, I have to hand it to Archos for really bringing a device I normally wouldn't bother with due to a physical keyboard to something I'd really consider for ultra-portable needs.

I'm used to the iPhone's keyboard, while not perfect it's good enough where I can type on it pretty quickly and accurately for the most part.

I'll definitely be following this device on the road to October.

[dos @ Jun 12th 2009 4:52AM]

if its like any other Archos product the battery life will suck, it will break down after a few weeks and customer service will set new bench marks in hopelessness.......


(yes i have been burnt by Archos before......badly)

[GMoney @ Jun 14th 2009 10:13PM]

Bravo. Apparently, nobody else here has owned an Archos product!

[andrew @ Jul 6th 2009 3:41AM]

I own the 705 Wi-Fi; besides a battery replacement, the machine works great.

6 hours of video life, 30 hours audio.

I will definitely consider replacing my 705 with this new one, I just want Archos to go with larger HDD space. 160 GB doesn't cut it. Give me 320 and 500.

[Boards of Canada @ Jun 12th 2009 5:01AM]

This is brilliant! Make another, 1 inch thick, no multi-touch, with the standard netbook hardware (1.6ghz+gma 950) for 450$ and I will take it. Would be lovely for play some RPG or Adventure game. a few customizable buttons on the sides would be nice.

[dr_jewish @ Jun 12th 2009 5:13AM]

no matter how good this is, i will never put money into the pockets of archos again after that piece of utter shit the archos 5. Biggest waste of money, ever. One of the most unreliable products I have ever owned.

Perhaps it won't suck because Archos is not designing the OS this time around.

In short:

Blow me, Archos.

[Boards of Canada @ Jun 12th 2009 6:27AM]

Did you read the reviews before buy?

[Ameen @ Jun 13th 2009 10:50AM]

I'm surprised that you even brought one of their products at all. Cause, from your name, I thought you were more likely to buy Chinese rip-off products. :P

[Syliss @ Jun 12th 2009 5:28AM]

Oh look, new possible Hackintosh tablet. Sweet.

[Boards of Canada @ Jun 12th 2009 6:28AM]

I admit that would be cool just for the kick of it. I would try win7 for myself though...

[Lundmark @ Jun 12th 2009 5:30AM]

Looks really easy to use. Not.

[SoulinEther @ Jun 12th 2009 5:38AM]

I'm sorta with you on this one. It's a bit too wide to thumbtype on, and a bit too flat and maybe narrow to touchtype on...

But it sure makes up for that cumbersomeness by looking pretty modern/sharp and being narrow. And, at least from that low-fi youtube video, the screen looks gorgeous.

[richb93 @ Jun 12th 2009 5:43AM]

Looks good! What about an attachable keyboard to turn it into a netbook when needed? That would be pretty cool. Of course wireless methods could be used but I think that an attachable kb would be most effective.

[Spencer @ Jun 13th 2009 12:57AM]

It has a USB port, you can plug in any USB keyboard you want.

[Orinjz @ Jun 12th 2009 5:46AM]

"you'll still need to pull out the included stylus on occasion to interactive with the Windows 7 UI or applications"

I am written article?

[TareX @ Jun 12th 2009 6:01AM]

I would probably want the exact same thing (with a multitouch screen) but with a physical keyboard for retro gaming...

[Kitsune @ Jun 12th 2009 6:17AM]

It seems very reactive, and seing windows 7 run on something this small is sweet.

[Félix @ Jun 12th 2009 6:19AM]

Hey Engadget ?
Did you actually watch the video ?

It say VERY clearly : Sim card slot ..HSDPA ready.

What's wrong with you ? you think it's a detail maybe ?
Nice one..

[Thomas Ricker @ Jun 12th 2009 7:20AM]

Hey Felix, read the article "SIM card slot for WWAN connectivity" -- Thomas

[3rdsun @ Jun 12th 2009 6:27AM]

put Tegra, Snapdragon or Ion and Andriod in there and watch it fly. Looks really awesome rather this than a low powered small screen MID

[AnnoyingPoster @ Jun 12th 2009 9:18AM]

fool, snapdragon and tegra are for phones dude. theyre much much slower than a core 2 duo, and ion is simply a combo of atom and the 9400, which also runs about as fast as dirty filth water in comparison to a core 2.

i love these noobs who just throw out terms and think it is fast cuz it has a cool name or is new.

[3rdsun @ Jun 12th 2009 6:41PM]

Dear Annoying poster get a fricking life you tard and dont talk shit you dont know bout

[Richard Lai @ Jun 12th 2009 6:38AM]

Hey Thomas,

"In fact, the ASUS Eee PC T91 also features an 8.9-inch resistive display that does support mult-touch."

The guy in the video didn't specify that the T91 he played with had a resistive screen, and also he was told that the final T91 won't be shipping with the multitouch screen, so chances are the that was a special prototype fitted with a capacitive touchscreen. Just my guess.

[Thomas Ricker @ Jun 12th 2009 7:31AM]

Richard, you might be right. The T91 definitely has a resistive display at initial launch though.

http://www.asus.com/News.aspx?N_ID=Qoky5bTcRplYluPj

[Richard Lai @ Jun 12th 2009 7:51AM]

Indeed, Thomas. I do remember the T91 having a spongy screen back at the CES (although they only had ExpressGate on), and now looking back at the video, the screen does seem to warp a bit when the guy presses on it, so maybe it was a resistive one after all.

Ah well, exciting times. Let's just hope that ASUS will enable this feature when Win 7 launches (assuming it really isn't restricted by hardware, like Stantum's).

[Annie McCardell @ Jun 12th 2009 7:17AM]

He said 3 hours to the battery question.

[tikiwk @ Jun 12th 2009 7:36AM]

It looks interesting, but I'm very concerned that so many people are willing to come out to complain about support / hardware / software from prior products. I'm looking for a slate like the Viliv X70 or something like it. This is nice because it's a bit bigger, but the complaints definitely give me pause.

[l0ud @ Jun 12th 2009 8:42AM]

can someone please tell me what a resistive touchscreen actually is?