Archos launches 5, 5g and 7 internet tablets with up to 320GB of storage
Eee PC and iPhone 3G, watch out!
Archos has finally taken the lid off their new products, which we've been dying to tell you about for months now - the Archos 5, 5g and 7 internet tablets.
Launching within weeks, the internet tablets show Archos' dedication to internet browsing, with the slim touch-screen tablets offering users a full email application, high-res video playback, and storage of up to 320GB.
Supposedly they're also the world's first products with the ARM Cortex superscalar microprocessors - yeh, us neither - and come in either 5-inch or 7-inch options. Obviously aimed at the Eee PC users, these internet tablets sound quite a bit more spec-heavy than the average sub-notebook.
3.5G internet capability is added in the hardware of the 5g model, so you won't be needing a pesky dongle sticking out of the side of it. As for the Archos 5 and 7 models, all that's required is a USB dongle plugged into the Mini Dock, and off you go.
Stream web TV and videos, and even schedule your favourite TV show to be recorded. When used with the DVR station, which you'll have to buy separately, you can also watch your downloaded films and TV shows on your TV.
Available from September, the Archos 5 will cost £279.99 for 60GB of storage, £319.99 for the 120GB model and £359.99 for 250GB of fun-time. The 5G model, with 30GB of storage, will come in at £359.99 when it launches later in the year, and the Archos 7 will launch in October at £359.99 for the 160GB version, and £439.99 for the 320GB model.
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By turntable
26|01|2009 09:58
Now had my new 7 for a month, so here we go!
To some people, it will seem a lot of money to blow on a portable media player, but believe me, this baby does so much more.
It plays just about every type of music and film files you can think off, yes there is a cost to play MPEG2 video, AC3 audio,and the new H.264 MPEG4 format and AAC audio files,with all so high def to be released soon,but this is the future of better things to come.
Forget Blue Ray, because it will be a thing of the past very soon, Hard drive format is becoming the leader in the race for versatility in watching, recording and playing of all your media needs.
This is now my sixth Archos and very pretty it is, with its smooth lines, well built casing and as the same as all the rest, very easy to use.
Screen:
An improvement from the 704 and 705 with a better screen resolution, and with more adjustment on back lighting and other controls in the menu bar.
Internet:
Seems to pick up Wifi better than before, with the new 3.5 dongle soon to be available for using Internet on the go, (mind you! plenty of people out there, who don't lock there Wifi, so picking up someone else's, is simple ) and works fine at Airports etc.
Add Ons:
With TV, Radio and a Bullet Cam for those Extreme nutters!!! there is plenty to go on with.
Things you might not know:
You can load up free games from the Internet and by pass the Archos web site, also with a the docking station, you can record from your sky box and watch another channel at the same time, just like the sky plus box, but with no cost, its all one touch recording.
Most people will moan about the cost of Add-ons to play certain media files, but this can be rectified with Virtual Dub,( Archos are just trying to keep the price down)so I have to take other peoples comments into consideration, also there is no case, but its not a great loss, your soon realise you will need to fork out on a good strong one soon.
With one more consideration? the Ipod Touch ok! It does almost the same as the Archos, but with a few things to think about, 1. Ipod is very expensive, for a small 32 gig drive compared to the 160 on the Archos. 2. The screens are somewhat! different ...lol Its your choice !!!!!!! Ok?
There is so much to praise this French company, that I could go on forever with this review,but basically my advice would be, buy it, go put your DVD player, VHS player, Radio on Ebay, cancel your subscription with Sky and live happy ever after.