Archos 7: The Android Tablet We’ve Been Waiting For?

May 6th, 2010 by Michael A. Prospero, LAPTOP Reviews Editor  

Archos today announced (officially) the Archos 7, a 7-inch Android-based tablet that will cost $199, and might prove very popular to those who can’t or don’t want to shell out $499 for an iPad.

Weighing 12.8 ounces and measuring 8 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches, the Archos 7 is light enough to hold for extended periods of time. This slate runs Android 1.5, and since it’s not a smart phone, it can’t access the Android Marketplace. However, Archos has created its own app library named AppsLib (natch) that will stock programs designed to run on the 800 x 480 pixel screen. At launch, there should be about 1,000 apps, which will expand to about 3,000 by June when the device starts shipping. That’s paltry compared to iTunes or even the Android Marketplace, but it’s a start.

The Archos 7 has 8GB of storage built-in, and can accommodate  SDHC cards up to 32GB. Other specs of note: A 600MHz ARM Cortex processor, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and a USB port.

The device will support a wide variety of multimedia, including H.264, MPEG-4, and Realvideo up to 720p, and MP3, WMA, WAV, APE, OGG, FLAC, and AAC files. Users will also be able to output video to a large-screen TV.

Unfortunately, the Archos 7 does not support Flash (so we hope there’s a YouTube app), and it lacks an accelerometer. However, when we tried out Aldiko, an e-reading app, the app itself was programmed to display content in portrait mode, which made reading books easier.

According to Archos, the Archos 7 should last for about 7 hours of browsing, 7 hours of video playback, and 42 hours of music. Stay tuned for our full review.

Poll
Would you rather buy an iPad or the Archos 7
 
iPad; it's way cool!
Archos 7. I don't have $500 to throw around.
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Comments (4 Responses) 

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4 Responses to “Archos 7: The Android Tablet We’ve Been Waiting For?”

  1. Mike Cane Says:
    May 6th, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    >>>The device will support a wide variety of multimedia, including H.264, MPEG-4, and Realvideo up to 720p, and MP3, WMA, WAV, APE, OGG, FLAC, and AAC files. Users will also be able to output video to a large-screen TV.

    Wait. Are you saying the 7 lacks the proprietary Archos video player the Archos 5 Internet Tablet has? That it *cannot* do DiVX/XViD AVI video as the 5 can?

  2. Mauricio Longo Says:
    May 6th, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    I don’t really mind the shorter battery life compared to the iPad, as the device is smaller and thus has less space to house the battery. The lack of the accelerometer on the other hand will make it seem decidedly half backed when compared to a 3 year old iPhone or a 2 year old iPod Touch, forget about comparing it with the iPad.

  3. Rogue Says:
    May 7th, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    I agree with with Mauricio. As this is a tablet coming into the world where the iPad has already released, this is no longer a competitor to the iPad other than that this will have expandable media, external ports, HD video, and is not chained to the will of Job. That said, I guess it is a competitor afterall. Sorry Mauricio. And screw you Apple.

  4. Kerri Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    I am so confused its doing my head in! Im in the market for an Archos 7″ media tablet, but preferable wont the latest type that you can still buy a DVR docking station for as I do a lot of recording from my tv. Which exactly is the most recent one available to buy that still has this accessorie as an option?

    Yours sincerely,

    Kerri

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