Looking much more polished and sleek than when it was captured by the FCC cameras last week, the upcoming Android-based Archos 5 Internet Tablet that will be formally announced on September 15th has recently appeared in glossy press shot form on B&H Photo Video in both HDD (160GB, 500GB) and SSD (16GB, 32GB) varieties. Prices, before they were removed, ranged between $293.95 and $419.95 and of course shouldn't be considered final or official until confirmed by Archos.
Assuming these are the real prices and all the previously reported specs still hold true, will you be spending your gadget allowance on this? It's obviously still too early to pass judgment, but so far my current non-Android Archos 5 isn't in danger of being replaced. Thoughts?
This is the 1 rumored to have a phone right? So what happened? No more phone? So If I buy this, I will carry it and carry my Smartphone? LOL. If This have a radio, I will just buy this and ditch my phone. Make sense?
I forgot, I just wanna add. If I have an android phone, And I buy this, I have 2 Android devices to carry?an does exactly the same thing? JUst like buying an Iphone and buying an Ipod touch and carry both devices around. Does not make sense. They should have made this a phone too.
i would not mind a 16GB at the $290 price, if it allows all current and future android apps to run…
I currently have an Archos 5, but the system software reliability and expansion capability MIGHT be an interesting way to go.
This could be a true competitor with the iPod Touch due to its bigger screen. I haven’t been overly impressed with the Archos 5, for when I really wanted to use it, it had problems with both video and then general operation.
Avoid Archos like the plague .. their build quality is poor and their customer service is worse .. I kid you not .. check out my broken Archos 5 which I used for a total of 12 hours
look the battery is so swollen it’s bust out of the case (breaking the LCD in the process)
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8672/archos5.jpg
6 months down the line I’m no closer to getting it sorted
Avoid Archos keep your sanity
are you kidding me
no webcam? again?
what do you say when an internet tablet comes with no webcams
pass
If it can play high profile MKV playback I am definitely in!
How can they even sell it without putting also a web cam?! … I would consider a MID in addition to a phone only if it gives me full Skype experience.
Thank you! These things are junk with Android on top. Do NOT buy. This company is full of wallet sucking individuals.
It might run MKV but you will have to buy the codec for it, another $30 tacked on the price.
Skype? Maybe, but I am sure you will pay for that as well.
Want the GPS? Well you will have to buy a dock. Its not integrated into the hardware.
Want the DVR (non)function? Well thats another dock you will have to buy.
You want to charge this thing in under 10hrs for only 10hrs max charge for music 2hrs for video. You will need to buy either a dock or a separate proprietary cable.
The batteries do swell (bad pcb charge controllers), when this happens the headphone jack breaks. Someone even had a battery rupture completely.
These guys make Apple look good. Run away. SO far away.
I was expecting some tie-in with a phone as well. I’m glad it doesn’t look like it will happen, though, as I’m still unhappy that the Nokia N900 turned out to be a phone.
If anything, I think the most we’ll get from this new Archos is a 3G version. I hope a better, more original name is revealed during the official announcement.
I’m not too keen on getting one at the moment, but if I do, that’s the model I’d get too. My non-Android Archos 5 is the 250GB model, which I’ll continue to use for videos, so I’d only get this new one just to see what it’s all about.
I’ve heard horror stories like this before, but I’ve personally never had a bad experience with any Archos product. My first one was the AV420 back in 2004 and I think each new generation just gets better (except for the add-on/plug-in system, of course).
They’re not perfect devices by any means, but I love them *solely* as portable video players. I don’t care about the other features enough for them to be deal breakers/makers.
Oh yeah, That’s one more thing. Having this device always connected. Having a 3G version makes U subscribe for another Data plan. Oh well, I was hoping this is gonna be my all in 1 device, all in 1 plan. I don’t care carrying a phone this big. Better than carrying this thing and carrying a phone.
Hm. 5″ screen, .5TB, for $420?
It could be both my portable HD, my media player, AND my (slightly small) mid-range device, all in one. If only it had a real web browser, and a place for a keyboard.
Those storage numbers, with a 7″ or 9″ screen, and a fully featured web browser (runs full google apps, flash, etc.), and support for hooking it up to a KVM … and I’d really strongly consider it.
How do you know ? it’s not even been released !!!!
The battery did rupture .. I had to seal the Archos in a plastic bag and it dissolved the coated on the front side and the back
http://s617.photobucket.com/albums/tt256/Brokenarchos/?track=share_email_album_view_click
It’s the first for me but it’s just the really poor customer support or the lack of it .. thats the kicker .. no one seems to care
depends on ones definition of a “real browser”.
unless archos goes crazy, it will use the android browser, and thats webkit, iirc. So the only thing missing then is plugins…