Archos Tablet

Archos promises Transformer-like docking accessories for future tablets

Archos to launch Tranformer-like accessories for its tablets

It really seems that the direction ASUS took with its Transformer tablet series is successful and visionary enough for other companies to follow suite as well, one of the latest to reveal its plans for a keyboard-equipped docking solutionsimilar to that used by the Taiwan-based company being French outfit Archos.

So, within a press conference recently held in Paris, Archos revealed the fact that it plans to split its future tablet lineup into two different families, namely the Arnova series for the entry-level models and the Archos models for the more advanced versions.

New Archos 70b Honeycomb tablet goes official

The new Archos Internet tablet

Tablets have become quite commonplace right now, and it’s interesting to see one of the earliest promoters of the concept, French company Archos, managing to stay in the game with its latest release, the 70b tablet running Android Honeycomb.

While the specs and features the new Archos tablet has in store are not really something out of this world, as you’ll be able to see a bit later on, the price point is actually extremely attractive, the device selling for just around 199 US dollars when it will arrive in stores in January 2012.

Now, coming back to the most interesting features the device has in store, we’ll start by saying that the tablet is powered by a new 1,2 Ghz processor, accompanied by 512MB of RAM and 8GB of memory for storage purposes.

The display also offers a good resolution (1024 x 600 pixels), while the device also packs plenty of interesting connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi, HDMI and a memory card slot.

Last, but certainly not least, we’ll have to point out that the device offers direct access to all of the apps from the Android market, a feature many other competitors can’t really brag about.

[IFA 2011] Archos 101 G9 and 80 G9 tablets (video)

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Archos isn’t a big name in the tablet industry (yet) but it has managed to constantly update its range of tablets with new and improved products. During the IFA 2011 show in Berlin, Archos has introduced two new tablets: the 101 G9 and the 80 G9.

Archos brought to IFA 2011 two new tablets for those who like a well-sized gadget and a more compact one. The Archos 101 G9 and 80 G9 have a lot in common, except the size. While the first one is a 10.1″ 1280×800 tablet the latter has a 8.9″ display with 1024×600 resolution. Both of them have the same design and some interesting specs. The first one would be the optional HDD. That’s right! When was the last time you heard HDD on a tablet? We can’t remember either but Archos feels like there’s room for a 250GB hard drive inside both tablets. If you are a fan of SSD you can still get the 8GB or 16GB models. The processor is a OMAP 4 ARM Cortex A9 dual-core 1GHz unit although if you opt for the 16GB or 250GB models you’ll get the dual-core 1.5GHz unit.

Both tablets feature WiFi, Bluetooth, microSD, micro-HDMI, USB support and a rather special 3G option that is only available through a special USB dongle. The good part is the USB dongle can be inserted into any USB port so if you don’t want to use the tablet you can hook it up to any laptop and get online at 3G speeds. For those who want to enjoy multimedia content (such as movies) the tablets feature kickstands and various formats support. Archos has chosen Android 3.1 Honeycomb for the 101 G9 and 80 G9.

Archos has also announced the price for the two models: the 101 G9 starts at €300 while the 80 G9 will cost €250. Depending on configuration both of them can reach €400 and €330.

Alcatel Android phones to come with free Archos tablet

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When buying a phone we all get used to receiving small gifts, such as a wrist strap or a cheap case. What if you’d get a free Android tablet?

This seems a bit sci-fi but it might become very true as Alcatel and Archos announced a partnership from which all of us can get a free tablet when buying an Android Alcatel smartphone. We have to admin: this is very bold and somewhat crazy for two companies that are not main attractions for customers. We know Archos launched a few tablets even for the car enthusiasts but we haven’t heard of massive lines in front of stores. As for Alcatel, the French company has yet to come with a hit on the market.

This partnership could be the answer for both companies, as one product would help the other. The scenario isn’t new but we picture the common user with an Android Phone trying to browse the web. Naturally this involves a bit of struggle, therefore an Archos is perfect for browsing. Android has wireless tethering available so it should’t be hard to update your status from a bigger screen.

We now have to wait for Alcatel to launch an Android device so the circle may be completed. We haven’t heard any rumors but we might never know what we find out during MWC 2011 next week. So keep your eyes wide open for this partnership since you’ll be wanting a phone and a tablet at a low price as soon as possible.