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Archos GamePad 2 tablet gets official, ships to the US in Q4 for $200
That was fast -- just days after a retailer's leak, Archos has announced the GamePad 2. As hinted earlier, the second-generation gaming tablet is a big improvement over the original. The 7-inch slate is now better-suited to modern games through its sharper 1,280 x 800 IPS display, a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 chip and 2GB of RAM. Archos has also improved the control responsiveness, upgraded to Android 4.2 and stuffed in a bigger battery for extended play sessions. The GamePad 2 reaches Europe by the end of October for €180 ($243), and will be available in the US sometime during the fourth quarter for $200.
Archos Platinum tablets tote quad-core CPUs and IPS displays, start at $200
While Archos gave a sneak peek at its Platinum lineup a month ago at IFA, it's finally ready to spill the beans now. The company has released not just one, but three new tablets in three different sizes -- 8-inch, 9.7-inch and 10.1-inch. All of them come equipped with 1.6GHz quad-core processors, high-resolution IPS displays, dual-band WiFi, 8GB built-in storage, Bluetooth and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The 8-inch model has a 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, the 9.7-inch has 2048 x 1536 and the 10.1 model has 1280 x 800. The smallest of the lot also only has 1GB of DDR3 RAM while the other two have 2GB each. As a bonus incentive, the 10.1 model is the only one with GPS and a 2-megapixel camera on the front; the rest have a 0.3-megapixel front-facing cam. Other specs that are the same across the three are a microUSB port, a 3.5mm headset jack, a microSD card slot, a mini HDMI output and a 2-megapixel rear camera. As is often the case with Archos, the prices are very competitive: the 8-inch model will retail for $199.99, the 9.7-inch for $269.99 and the 10.1-inch model for $299.99. We're not sure if that's enough to sway consumers away from more well-known tablets, but it's a start.
Archos GamePad 2 outed with quad-core CPU, higher-res display
Even in the age of the NVIDIA Shield, dedicated Android gaming handsets are still a bit of a rarity, which is all more of a reason to take a gander at the leaked GamePad 2 from Archos. The device first reared its head at the FCC, and thanks to an online retailer -- which has since scrubbed all references to the product -- we're now treated to a press shot and a smattering of technical specs for the successor to the original GamePad. This time around, it's purported to sport a slightly more dense 1,280 x 800, 7-inch IPS display, along with a 1.6GHz quad-core CPU and 2GB of RAM. In addition to the previously available 8GB model, a new 16GB version is said to be in the works, and in both cases, the GamePad 2 will retain a microSD expansion slot. There's no word yet on pricing or availability, but you can bet that we'll hear more from Archos soon enough.
Archos 101 XS 2, ChefPad and ChildPad tablets hands-on (video)
With Archos, when it rains, it pours. We popped by the company's booth at IFA this morning to take a peek at its customary deluge of devices. In addition to a number of handsets, Archos was showcasing a whole pile of tablets -- though we've opted to focus on some of the more interesting ones, namely the 101 XS, ChefPad and ChildPad. And we have to say, while the company hasn't always been known for sexy devices, all of the tablets we looked at had surprisingly nice builds. The company also gets some credit for seeking out some interesting niches within the tablet space. The 101 XS 2 is certainly the most mainstream of the three. The Gen11 device is probably most notable for its included keyboard dock, which magnetically attaches to the front of the slate, protecting its screen when not in use. When you're ready to go, pull off the thin cover, unfold the stand on the dock and stick the tablet into its port, propping it up in landscape mode. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Archos outs a phone and several Android tablets ahead of IFA
The rest of us haven't even started packing for IFA and yet here's Archos, spilling the beans about what it'll be showing off in Berlin next week. As ever, the company's got lots to talk about. Lots. The lineup includes a bunch of tablets and a handset, all running Android. At the top of the tablet heap is the company's Platinum range, which includes aluminum-clad slates running quad-core processors, Android 4.2 and displays with up to 2,048 x 1,536 resolution. The 101xs2, not part of the Platinum line, also has a quad-core processor inside, along with front-facing stereo speakers and a magnetic keyboard. Then there's the Xenon tablet series -- three devices that the company is positioning as "cheaper than Apple or Samsung Wi-Fi tablets." For gamers, the company will be trotting out a currently spec-less GamePad 2, and for kids, Archos is going to show off the skinned and parent-friendly ChildPad. There are a few more details available for the Archos 50 Oxygen, a flagship handset that features vanilla Android 4.2, a quad-core CPU, 16GB of storage and a 13MP rear-facing camera. The company also used the opportunity to tease a "unique Smart Watch concept." How is it unique? We can't really tell you. More information on that and the rest of the above coming soon, we're sure. Hey, the company has to save something for IFA, right?
Archos 101 XS 2 tablet appears at the FCC, adds a rear camera
Archos said in its fiscal results that it would launch five devices at the IFA expo next month. Well, there's a chance you're looking at one of them right now. An Archos 101 XS 2 tablet has surfaced at the FCC, with a lone photo showing many design elements lifted from the original 101 XS. It's not just more of the same, though: we spot a microphone alongside the familiar keyboard connector, along with a rear camera (the first edition didn't have one). The filing doesn't provide clues regarding any upgrades to the performance or Android software, but we may learn about those in just a few weeks.
Archos intros Xenon 80 8-inch tablet, delivers Jelly Bean and 3G for $200
Just in case that recently announced ChefPad wasn't suited to your tastes, Archos is now introducing a smaller, not-so-kitchen-friendly Android tablet, the Xenon 80. Naturally, the main highlight of this 8-inch slate is that it boasts 3G capabilities, and the company's quick to point out it's SIM-unlocked. Archos also endowed the Xenon 80 with some decent specs, including a vanilla flavor of Google's Jelly Bean, an unnamed Qualcomm quad-core CPU, a 1,024 x 768 IPS display and 4GB of internal storage (expandable to 64GB by way of a microSD slot). And as with other recent Archos tablets, the Xenon 80 carries the proper Google Play credentials, making it easy for you to have access to all your favorite apps. It'll cost a mere $200 when it hits shelves in June, which is on par with competing offerings. Now, whether it's worth taking the plunge, well, you'll have to make that call for yourself.%Gallery-188606%
Archos launches ChefPad, a 9.7-inch Android tablet for your kitchen
Does your kitchen need a 9.7-inch Jelly Bean tablet to call its own? No, it certainly does not. But if your budget can accommodate such a device, it might look just like the Archos ChefPad, "the perfect tablet for the cooking enthusiast." Under the splash-resistant case, you'll find a standard suite of tablet specs. There's a 1.6GHz dual-core CPU, 1 gig of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and front- and rear-facing 2-megapixel cameras, along with a pair of speakers and a built-in mic, making the device suitable for both playing back cooking lessons and recording your own. In addition to that red silicone case, you'll receive a dedicated stand to match -- both will ship in the box, along with the tablet, for just $210 this June.
Archos dips into smartphones with the 35 Carbon, 50 Platinum and 53 Platinum
While Archos has long held dreams of expanding into smartphones, we've seen it run into its fair share of roadblocks along the way. Thanks in part to a sharpened corporate focus, that vision is at last becoming real with the company's first, honest-to-goodness smartphone range. The 35 Carbon, 50 Platinum and 53 Platinum all cater to the budget, carrier-independent crowd with common foundations of unlocked 7.2Mbps HSPA 3G, dual SIM slots (only one being 3G) and stock Android. We also see a rather skimpy 4GB of storage, although a microSD slot on each phone helps make up for the difference. What you're mostly paying for is performance and screen size. The 35 Carbon ships with an HVGA 3.5-inch screen, a single-core 1GHz Snapdragon S1, 512MB of RAM, VGA cameras and Ice Cream Sandwich; move up to the 50 or 53 Platinum and you'll get their respective 5- and 5.3-inch qHD screens, a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Play, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera and Jelly Bean. No, we're not bowled over by the performance any more than you are -- but the respective contract-free prices of $100, $220 and $250 may have at least some trying Archos' first effort, even if the company's late May launch will only include Europe at first.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 1st, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
GAME UK expands tablet sales to include iPads, more entry-level Android tablets
UK retailer GAME has been hunting for ways to stay relevant during a shift to downloadable games -- and now, that includes cribbing some style (just a little!) from Americans. Much like GameStop across the pond, GAME will soon sell a full range of tablets at 150 of its stores. The existing Nexus 7 offering will be joined by the seemingly obligatory 16GB iPad and iPad mini, although the rest of the lineup will be decidedly more frugal: options like the £100 Acer Iconia B1-A71 and £130 Archos GamePad will be bracketed by a raft of mostly DGM-built slates that dip as low as £60. It's difficult to know how the expanded sales will help GAME's bottom line, although the Nexus 7 reportedly fared well enough that it's likely tablets are here to stay.
Archos picks a new CEO, ships 80 and 97 Titanium tablets to the US
Archos has been going through some tough times lately, having to reorganize and lay off a quarter of its staff toward the end of last year. You could say that the company is using the spring as a chance for renewal: company Chairman Henri Crohas has picked Deputy CEO Loïc Poirier to replace him in the full CEO position as of May 1st. Poirier's main focus will be on finishing the work that started in 2012, which should concentrate Archos' efforts on its signature tablet business as well as ventures into home automation and smartphones. As if to mark its potential comeback, the company is catering to Americans by shipping its 80 Titanium and 97 Titanium tablets their way alongside the already mentioned GamePad. The 8- and 9.7-inch slates are selling for $169 and $249, with screen size the real differentiatior -- both run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on top of a dual-core 1.6GHz processor and an IPS-based LCD. They won't give a Nexus 10 owner second thoughts, but they include a fair amount of bang for our US bucks.
Archos GamePad arrives in the States for $179
Tired of waiting for the WikiPad? Needing some immediate gratification for your thumbs? Willing to consider Archos to fill that void? If your answer to all three was a mighty, "Aye!" then you'll be glad to know that the Archos GamePad is now for sale in the US at various online retailers. The portable gaming system combines Android 4.1, a 7-inch 1,024 x 600 screen and honest-to-goodness physical buttons, all within a 0.3-inch thick enclosure that's priced between $179 and $189. The GamePad sports a 1.6GHz dual-core CPU and a Mali-400 MP GPU, and while it may lack the cachet of the WikiPad, it has the distinct advantage of being available now. And you know what? Sometimes, that's all that matters. [Thanks, Duncan]
Archos 116 Platinum tablet joins CES lineup with 11.6-inch IPS screen for $349
How do you build a powerful, attractive 11.6-inch tablet that retails for $349? Well, you cut some corners when it comes to build quality, as we discovered when handling Archos' 8 and 9.7-inch Platinum models last month at CES. The company's latest slab features an identical quad-core 1.2GHz processor, eight-core GPU, 2 gigs of RAM, Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), front and rear cameras, along with microSD and HDMI connectivity. The 116 Platinum, however, packs a larger 11.6-inch, 1920x1080-pixel widescreen IPS display, boosting the price tag to $349, compared to $299 for the 9.7-inch model and $199 for the 8 incher. Archos has promised some hands-on time at CeBIT next month in Germany, but you can get a fairly solid idea of how it'll look and feel by checking out the smaller Platinums in our CES vid after the break.
Archos releases free version of Android Video Player, placates penny-pinching cinephiles
While there's no dearth of video playing apps available on Android, French outfit Archos' $5 offering stands out as an especially feature-rich option. For those that shied away from the Archos Video Player just because of the outlay involved however, there's now a free version up for grabs. Supported by ads, it provides all the functionality of its premium cousin, including hardware-accelerated encoding, ability to play network content and online retrieval of movie information like posters and subtitles. Entertainment aficionados can snag the goods at the source link for the unarguable cost of zero, and likely spend the saved scratch on some high-definition bird-slinging action instead.
Archos offers Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad
Tablet maker Archos is stepping outside its Android-based product lineup to offer a new Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad. This is one of the first products from a new division within Archos that'll share the company's technologies with other platforms. The new Archos Design Bluetooth Keyboard mirrors the design of the the Archos Gen10 XS coverboard. Similar to its Android counterpart, the iPad version includes a magnet that attaches the keyboard case to your iPad and also serves to turn the iPad on and off. With a 5mm-thick, aluminum-back casing, the keyboard is ultrathin and stylish. The Archos Design Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad is compatible with the second-, third- and fourth-generation iPad. It will go on sale in March with a US$79 MSRP. [Via Engadget] Show full PR text Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad Unveiled by ARCHOS Design Based on the popular ARCHOS Gen10 tablet coverboard, this is the thinnest iPad Keyboard available Denver, CO – January 24, 2013 - ARCHOS, a pioneer in multimedia portable devices, is pleased to announce the ARCHOS Design Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad, a magnetic Bluetooth full QWERTY keyboard for 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations. The Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad was created by a new division in ARCHOS that will be dedicated to sharing ARCHOS innovations with other brands. With a very similar look and feel to the ARCHOS Gen10 XS coverboard, the Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad is ultra-thin at only 5 mm (0.2'') and features an adjustable kickstand along with an aluminum back casing. Combining the best of both worlds, iPad users can expect this to be available in March for $79 MSRP. "The needs and wants of today's consumer have changed drastically over the past few years. Consumers expect everything to be smaller, faster, thinner, lighter and aesthetically pleasing," says Henri Crohas, Founder and CEO of ARCHOS. "In order to meet this demand we feel that we should share our innovation and design across a number of different platforms." Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad features include: Ultra-thin Design – At only 5 mm (0.2'') this is the thinnest iPad Keyboard available; it's almost as thin as a Smart Cover Adjustable kickstand – Allows one to adjust their iPad for the best viewing experience possible Magnetic bonding to the iPad – The keyboard is magnetically held to your iPad Automatic screen switch on/off Function – The iPad will turn on or off when the keyboard is removed or placed in the cover position Long battery life – Enjoy with your iPad for months thanks to a long battery life via a Bluetooth connection Aluminum Back casing - Stylish aluminum back casing to match your iPad Full QWERTY keyboard - Type easily with a full keyboard and work quickly with iOS shortcuts This product is the first to be released from the new ARCHOS Design accessory line. For more information about ARCHOS Design or ARCHOS products visit www.ARCHOS.com.
Archos offers Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad, apparently holds no grudges
Archos must be in a benevolent mood: it first posted a version of its Video Player app for competing Android devices, and now it's selling the keyboard technology of its Gen10 XS tablets to those using an entirely different platform. Its Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad offers a familiar 0.2-inch thick, Smart Cover-like peripheral for full-size Apple tablets from the iPad 2 through to the latest generation. The design naturally switches over to iOS-native keyboard shortcuts, and there's even an iPad-only advantage in the adjustable kickstand. Americans can buy the keyboard in March for $79; believing that Archos would downplay its core business will remain optional.
Archos 101 Titanium pops up in FCC docs, confirms what we already know
You'd think bigger (screen size) would mean better (resolution). But not for Archos' recently announced 10.1-inch Titanium tablet. No, this particular tab, which just surfaced at the FCC, actually sports a comparatively middling 1,280 x 800 IPS display -- when contrasted with the Retina-like screen on the 9.7-inch model, anyway. We've already gotten hands-on with the Android 4.1 slate back at CES last week, so there's no real surprise where specs are concerned: dual-core 1.6GHz Rockchip CPU, quad-core GPU, WiFi b/g/n and a 3.7V Li-ion battery. The main takeaway here? Well, you could be seeing it hit US shores sometime soon, just don't expect any carrier affiliation.
CES 2013: Tablet roundup
The tablet landscape has changed greatly in a year's time, at least if you gauge what we've seen on the CES show floor. The 2012 expo was led mostly by high-end Android tablets. This year, Windows 8 understandably garnered much more of the spotlight now that it's available, while Google's platform mostly surfaced in the budget category, where it was much more prevalent than before. Whatever the platform, we saw our fair share of experimentation -- some companies weren't happy with just a spec bump in a familiar form factor. Check past the break for some of the more daring (or at least well-executed) examples from CES 2013.
Hands-on with Archos' Titanium tablet line (video)
Archos' Platinum line of tablets already got the hands-on treatment from us earlier this week, but today we stopped by Archos' CES 2013 booth one more time to take a look at the similarly named Titanium line. Sadly, the smallest of the quartet wasn't available on the show floor, but we did get a look at the other three tablets on hand, ranging from 8 inches to 10.1. All three feature the same set of internal hardware: a dual-core 1.6GHz Rockchip CPU and an unnamed quad-core GPU. The pre-production units we handled were running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and all feature high-res IPS screens. The 9.7-incher has the highest-res of all, at 2,048 x 1,536 resolution -- and it really shows. Images on that "super high-res" screen looked dramatically nicer than the other two, though the build quality on the 8-inch and 10.1-inch models is noticeably more solid. To be extra clear, the rear on the latter two is a solid metal, while the 9.7-inch is a cheap-feeling plastic. The ports on all three devices looked a bit on the rough side as well -- the mini-HDMI out looked cocked in its port, even. This could of course just be a measure of its display use at CES, but the fact that the port traveled in its slot worried us for sure. In terms of software, the tablets were able to quickly transition from app to app, and games loaded quickly -- we couldn't check its internet capabilities, as WiFi in the Las Vegas Convention Center is less than ideal at the moment. While the hardware wasn't what we'd call top quality, the low price point and performance of the Titanium line more than makes up for it. Take a tour of all three with us in video form, just below the break.
