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Archos 35 home connect hands-on
Though we didn't have the Archos 35 home connect to wake us up personally during CES, we had a chance to get hands-on with the Android-based alarm clock on the floor and it did not disappoint. The Archos 35 home connect is the company's entrance into the world of feature-filled alarm clocks, joining the already established Sony Dash and Chumby. In terms of functionality, it's a morning talk show all rolled up into one, providing weather, real time traffic, news, sports, movies, music, TuneIn radio, social networking and much more through the built-in WiFi. You'll also find a webcam on the front, supporting apps like Tango for video calling, a rechargeable battery to take the party with you, and a 3.5 headphone jack for more personal use. The overall device is solid and has a very curvy and nightstand-friendly footprint -- which is important for folks like us who sleep with other bedside gadgets. The volume controls are touch sensitive and the unit itself has a decent enough range. Archos is not only pushing this as a fully-featured Alarm Clock, but also a portable Android 2.2 media device -- supporting over 30,000-or-so apps in Archos' non-Android-Market, Appslib. While the 35 home connect's features make it compelling enough to make it a viable option, we feel there's nothing to push it past its aforementioned competition, especially with the $149 price tag. Check out all the angles and interface of the 35 home connect in the gallery below.
Archos G9 tablets getting Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade next month
Sure we haven't heard a lot from Archos at CES thus far, but the company subtly dropped some good news for customers. According to Android Police, the company narrowed its estimates, letting it be known that its G9 tablet will be receiving a hearty helping of Ice Cream Sandwich, come the first week of February. The Android update will start rolling out to devices around that time, with preloaded ICS units hitting shelves in the following weeks.
FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray
It's amazing, it's mysterious and it's hard to say exactly what it does. On Friday, the FCC passed a device described as "a handset of internet tablet with DECT," suggesting that the mystery gadget may be some sort of bizarre marriage between a DECT cordless phone and a tablet. Given the "Smart Home Phone" name on the back of the product, the tablet functionality could be used to view contacts and caller data. We'll report additional details as they become available, but until then, the person with the best guess as to what this thing actually does gets the peace of mind of a job well done.
Archos launches 70b Honeycomb tablet, expected to ship next month for $199
There's something good waiting in the desert at CES -- and you won't need an interesting vision quest to find it. Archos has announced its 70b Internet Tablet, the company's first Honeycomb-based slate for less than two hundred bucks ($199, to be exact). The 70b IT will be lightweight (though we're not sure exactly how lightweight), and ship with a 1.2 GHz processor, 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, 8 gigs of flash storage, 512MB of RAM and WiFi connectivity. There's also Android Market access, unlike with some tablets, along with HDMI output and a microSD slot. Are you sold? You'll need wait only a few more weeks to take one home -- the 70b is expected to hit stores in January, and those of you lucky enough to be trekking out to Vegas next month can check it out at the company's booth at CES. Jump past the break for the full PR.
Archos 35 home connect now shipping for $149, still looks pretty unsightly
Sony's Dash let you down? Can't fall for Chumby? Archos has yet another option in the blossoming world of sophisticated alarm clocks, as the previously announced 35 home connect is now shipping to the US of A. Put simply, it's an Android-based web radio that touts built-in WiFi, a pre-loaded TuneIn Radio Pro application and the ability to showcase weather, real time traffic, sports, social networking, movies, music, games and more. If your looking for a more private experience, there's even a 3.5mm headphone jack, but we aren't entirely convinced it's worth the $149 asking price. Call us crazy, but there's a bit too much 1994 in that casing.
Archos G9 tablets to receive Ice Cream Sandwich by 'first trimester' of 2012
Archos' duo of G9 tablets have been on the market for a few months now, but the French manufacturer has already made plans for the slates' next major update, announcing today that the devices will receive an update to Android 4.0 by the "first trimester" of 2012. Archos didn't offer anything more specific than that, but it's certainly an encouraging sign for those looking to take a bite of Ice Cream Sandwich on a budget. Read the full press release at the source link below, but be warned that it's in French. [Thanks, Wewewi]
Archos CEO wants to create a child-sized robot for less than 300 euros, apparently
Forget all of Archos' tablet and e-reader nonsense. They're just stepping stones on the way to a grander vision -- one rife with home automation and, apparently, bite-sized, budget-friendly robots. That's what CEO Henri Crohas revealed in a recent interview with French daily La Libération, while describing his company's aspirations to create thinner tablets, as well as a "child-sized robot, sold for less than €300." Crohas didn't elaborate upon this remark, transcribed as an "oh by the way" aside, though he did go on to describe Archos as a "genetic anomaly" among European manufacturers, and cited Charles Darwin as one of his most admired thinkers. Infer at your own discretion. [Thanks, Thocan]
Introducing Memo Touch, a tablet designed for elders with short-term memory loss
Here's a product you don't see every day: a tablet designed specifically for senior citizens -- albeit with rather limited functionality. The Memo Touch is designed as a reminder tool for those who struggle with short-term memory loss, and can be used to deliver gentle cues when its time to take a medication, go to the doctor and the like. It's collaborative, too, as family members may add calendar events, phone numbers and to-do items, or even share photos and personalized messages, all from the product's companion website. Based on the Archos 101, the Memo Touch sells for $299 and requires a six-month ($174) or 12-month ($300) subscription. For those who don't take to the new-fangled gadget, the tablet carries a three month return policy, where purchasers may opt to receive a refund or have the tablet restored to its Android roots. Hey, it's one more way of keeping that rascally parent under your thumb, anyway. Overbearing children will find a full press release after the break. Now, where'd we put that damn tablet?
Speedier Archos 101 G9 Turbo tablet hits the autobahn
Archos has tweaked its 101 G9 tablet with a new "Turbo" version for European users. The Turbo gets a 1.2GHz dual core processor, up from 1.0GHz, and increases storage capacity from 8GB to 16GB. Otherwise it looks the same: Android 3.2 Honeycomb, 10.1-inch display, and 802.11n WiFi support for faster porn downloads (it supports H.264 video, too). All this will set you back £299.99 or €349.99, though there's no sign of it in the US store at present. Leave it to the continent that gave us the Koenigsegg Agera and the Bugatti Veyron to get a turbocharged Android tablet, too. [Thanks, Chris]
Archos debuts Arnova 9 G2 Android tablet, offers Gingerbread on a 9.7-inch IPS display
Archos' new Arnova 9 G2 tablet looks to be the very definition of a mixed bag. It's part of the company's budget-minded Arnova line, so it will likely be relatively inexpensive (there's still no official word on a price), and it packs some specs that range from decent to high-end, including a 1GHz ARM A8 processor and a 9.7-inch IPS display with a 1,024 x 768 resolution (the same as the iPad). But it also runs the smartphone-minded Android 2.3 OS on that decidedly tablet-sized display and, as with other inexpensive Android tablets, you'll have to make do without official access to the Android Market (Archos offers the Appslib application store instead). Still curious? Details on everything but a price and release date can be found at the source link below. Update: Matias emailed to let us know that he spotted an official listing for this device on Amazon.de, carrying a price of 250 Euro. If you're interested, that's about 340 of our American dollars.
Archos 80 G9 review
Archos debuts Arnova 9 G2 Android tablet, offers Gingerbread on a 9.7-inch IPS display Nokia to release Windows 8 tablets this June, top drawer Lumia in the works? Velocity Micro Cruz T410 Gingerbread tablet will run you a penny under $300 As far as tablets go, a couple of interesting things are going to happen between now and the holiday season. One, we're going to see a glut of smaller 7- and 8-inch tablets running Honeycomb (like this, this and this) hit the market. And if the Kindle Fire and Acer Iconia Tab A100 are any indication, they're going to be cheaper, making slates palatable to folks who previously couldn't bring themselves to spend $500 on a plaything. The Archos 80 G9, then, is the perfect specimen on both counts. Here you have an 8-inch tablet running Android 3.2 with a kickstand and full-sized USB port -- costing just $300 for the base model ($270, even, on sites like Amazon). So how does it stack up against other diminutive, aggressively priced tablets? Let's see. %Gallery-134564%
Archos 101 G9 tablet goes on sale, 8GB version now $370
After popping up at IFA, and teasing us with the whole 'pre-sale' thing, the Archos 101 G9 is finally ready to empty your wallet. We've only seen it on the company's store so far, where the base model's available now bearing a $370 price tag, with no sign of the 250GB variant yet. For your cash you get Android 3.2, a 1.0GHz dual core processor, and even HDMI out for those times when the 10.1 inch screen just isn't big enough. Still not sure if the Archos slab's for you? Try checking out our hands-on to see if this slate with the French flair is worth your hard earned cash, and head on down to the source link if the answer is oui. [Thanks to OneLove]
Firmware update brings Google Talk integration, bug fixes to Archos G9 tablets
Listen up, Archos G9 owners, because there's a hefty firmware update headed your way. The new upgrade, which only recently began rolling out, integrates Google Talk directly within the firmware and introduces a number of bug fixes to the freshly released Honeycomb slates. More specifically, version 3.2.46 brings enhanced volume controls, sharpened camera quality and Flash acceleration support to the eight- and ten-inch tablets, along with a host of other tweaks. For the full list of added features, check out the source link, below.
Eee Pad Slider shipping now, Archos 80 G9 hits pre-order status
It's practically raining tablets these days, and two more just hit the market. Of course, the Asus Eee Pad Slider and Archos 80 G9 were announced some time ago, but now you can finally handover your hard-earned paper for one of these Android 3.2-sporting devices. The Slider is already available from a variety of outlets, including New Egg and Amazon, starting at $479, while the G9 is up for pre-order direct from Archos starting at just $299. If you need a reminder of what to expect from the latest Honeycomb slates you should check out our hands-on coverage before hitting those source links and loading up your shopping cart. [Thanks, BH] Update: Well, looks like a few of those Archos 80 G9s are shipping earlier than expected. A reader wrote in to let us know he "pre-ordered" a trio of them yesterday and they actually arrived today. He sent in the receipt (which we won't be sharing) along with a pile of photos and even a video as evidence. Check it out below. %Gallery-134567% [Thanks, Andrew]
Archos G9 tablets doing the pre-sale thing September 20th
We got our paws on the two upcoming Archos Android 3.2 tablets the other week at IFA -- and now it seems that you'll be able to follow suit in the near future, with pre-sale beginning September 20th. The Archos eight-inch G9 starts at $299 for the 1GHz 8GB version, going all the way up to $369 for a 1.5GHz processor and a whopping 250GB of storage. The 10-incher has a 1.5GHz processor and 16GB of storage for $399 or you can plunk down $469 for the 250GB version. The 1GHz 80 G9 starts pre-sale on September 20th through Archos and goes on sale at select retailers on the 30th. Its 1.5GHz counterpart will be hitting in October. Press info is after the break.
Philly newsies to offer Archos Arnova 10 G2 tablet for $99 with subscription bundle
Taking a cue from other publications pushing tablet content, two major Philadelphia newspapers are offering discounted subscriptions bundled with a discounted device to read it on -- the Android-based Arnova 10 G2. The Philadelphia Media Network and Arnova will offer the tablet for $99 when purchased with a two-year digital subscription to The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News for $9.99 a month, or $129 for the year. That tally is substantially lower than the HK $1,680 (around $250) mark that the slate alone hit when it launched last month, but it's not apt to attract too much attention outside of Brotherly Love's favorite locale. So... which paper's lined up to play copycat? Check out the more coverage link after the break for some hands-on video with the tablet.
Archos 80 G9 and 101 G9 hands-on (video)
So, so many tablets this week at IFA. Archos's pair of Honeycomb slates may not have garnered the same sort of excitement as, say yesterday's Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 or Toshiba AT200, but there are a lot of interesting things going on with the 80 G9 and 101 G9. From an aesthetic standpoint, these are pretty nice looking devices (the 80 and 101 look largely the same, save for the difference in footprint and screen size), though they're not quite on-par with the two aforementioned tablets, in terms of build. Among other things, they're a bit on the chunky side and have fairly considerable bezels. Like those devices, the G9 tablets run Android 3.2, though a decidedly less skinned up version than Samsung's device. And their 1.5GHz processor assures that they can handle the OS with ease. Archos's tablets also have a few tricks up their collective sleeve. Flip the devices over, and you find a kickstand on one side and a slot on the other than opens up to reveal a USB port designed for the company's proprietary 3G stick. Also pretty awesome is the ability to configure their hard drives up to 250GB -- a fairly staggering sum in the tablet world. We got to spend some hands-on time with both -- check out a video after the break.%Gallery-132525%%Gallery-132524%
Archos A100S tablet hits the FCC, does the opposite of a full reveal
It looks like the folks at Archos are keeping our friends at the FCC busy this summer. Following in the footsteps of the mysterious A70S2 tablet and the coy A80S, the A100S internet tablet is now making its way through the regulatory gatekeeper. Like its predecessors, this filing hasn't given us much to go on; it comes with the typical confidentiality requests, which means we won't get any of the juicy bits until the FCC lifts the curtain on October 15th. Until then, we'll keep our Ice Cream Sandwich dreams afloat. If FCC test reports are your thing, feel free to hop on over to the source link below.
Archos A80S shows up at the FCC, keeps its specs hidden
Because good things come in pairs, yet another Archos tablet has popped up over at the FCC shrouded in mystère. Aside from the tab's name, the A80S, and its de rigeur WiFi b / g / n capabilities, not much else can be glimpsed from the product's filings. If the French company's recently unveiled 80 G9 and 101 G9 offerings are any indication, we could be looking at a dual-core processor setup and some version of Android -- potentially even Ice Cream Sandwich. We'll keep an eye out for any further spec-related developments, but until then, you can satisfy your Archos sweet tooth with this Gingerbread duo.
Archos Arnova 7b G2 makes its way through the FCC, we play the name game
We just saw Archos' Arnova 7 G2 make its debut in Hong Kong, and now a tablet carrying a strikingly similar appellative is popping up at the FCC. It might carry a familiar moniker, but the Arnova 7b G2 doesn't share the same skin as its recently outed cousin. Unlike the textured body we saw in Hong Kong, this guy's backside is a total fingerprint magnet, just like its predecessor, which we caught (official) wind of just two months ago. So what's up with this G2 confusion, anyway? Unfortunately, we'll just have to wait and see, as that's all she wrote for this dig through the FCC.
