By Archos has just unleashed their latest tablet, the ARCHOS 70. At first glance you may think it was just another tablet in a long line of tablets that have come and tablets that are coming; but this one is a little different with its 250 GB HDD. Yes, the word “snap” came to my mind, too.
And that isn’t the only specification that makes you look twice at this device. Among a long list of features, expect:
- FroYo
- 1GHz processor
- 7″ capacitive touch screen
- 720p video playback
- HDMI out
At only $350 dollars, you might have a tough time saying “no” when you get your hands on one.
Full Press Release:
ARCHOS 70 internet tablet, the first android tablet with a 250GB HDD, will be on display January 6 – 9, 2011 at CES 2011, Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall 2 Booth # 26425
Denver, Colorado – December 29, 2010 – ARCHOS, an award winning technology innovator and leader in the portable media player market today announced the availability of the ARCHOS 70 internet tablet, 250GB version in retail stores. The ARCHOS 70 internet tablet, 250GB version offers a unique over-molded PVD stainless steel structured slim and light design. It also features the latest technology high res capacitive touch screen, a powerful 1 GHz processor and high speed WiFi that allows PC like web-surfing. Although the tablet sports 250GB, it is still the slimmest and the lightest (7.91 x 4.49 x 0.55 inch – 14 oz) on the market and is now available for $349.99 MSRP at ARCHOS.com
The ARCHOS 70 internet tablet – 250GB is a connected mobile device with a sublime user interface, 3D Graphics accelerator and Wi-Fi connectivity. With Android™ Froyo compatibility as the user interface, this tablet comes with a full pack of connected apps such as a web browser and email application, flash 10.1, HDMI output connectivity, tethering via your mobile phone and home streaming from your PC capability.
“We are proud to be the first to release an android tablet that features a 250GB HDD” says Henri Crohas, CEO and Founder. “We strive to be the leader in the Android and Windows based tablet market by creating award winning innovative options at affordable prices.”
Connected Android™ tablet
As a Hi-def multimedia tablet, users will experience:
A huge storage capacity to store up to 250 movies
A full multimedia experience, with 720p HD video playback
Built-in web cam for chatting with friends and family
With the HDMI output function, you can view the full Android interface on your TV in High Definition, including all the apps, not only video playback like other tablets on the market
Play 3D games from your TV and use your tablet as the steering-wheel/control
Unique Android Multimedia applications designed by ARCHOS such as:
Movie information and cover retrieval in video file info dialog
3D animated photo frame with ability to display pictures from Facebook, Flickr and Picassa directly through WiFi
Music cover carrousel allows quick browsing of your music album covers
A lot of applications with Appslib to fit your lifestyle including games, books, music, social media, recipes, news and sports
This latest tablet is from a long line of ultra affordable and ultra portable internet, multimedia, wide screen and super-fast tablets released by ARCHOS. In 2010, ARCHOS released a 10.1 ‘’ tablet with capacitive touch screen. As a connected android device it offers a very fast web browsing and HD multimedia experience from a 10.1”high resolution screen. The rest of the line up includes Android based tablets ranging in size from 2.8” to the 10.1“.For more information about the ARCHOS 70 internet tablet and other ARCHOS products visit www.ARCHOS.com
About ARCHOS
ARCHOS released the first pocket-sized HD-based MP3 player with the Jukebox 6000 in 2000 and since that time has revolutionized consumer electronics devices. The company invented the portable media player in 2003 and was the first to bring television recording, wireless and touch screens to Portable Media Players. ARCHOS has also introduced the Internet Media Tablet range – the 5, 5g and 7 – offering users instant, uncompromising access to the internet, media content and TV. Established in 1988, ARCHOS has offices in the Unites States, Europe and Asia. ARCHOS is listed on Euronext Paris, Compartment B, ISIN Code FR0000182479. www.archos.com
See it’s tablet’s like this that are making me hold off on getting the Nook Color. If I can get something with a stock version of Android and for a cheap price I might as well go with that vs an eReader with a color screen. Cause I can just d/l the Nook app and get the best of both worlds. Still waiting 2C what Honeycomb offers though.
I just ordered one and it shipped yesterday! I’ve been waiting patiently for the 250gb model since September. Ah! It’s going to be the replacement for my 160gb netbook and 120gb Zune in one. I’ll be able to finally hold my entire (26k+ songs) music collection on a portable device, and of course rock Android :D
This would be such a great device if only it had 512MB of RAM instead of the measly 256MB that is has… same goes for the Archos 101.. :(
Why put a hard drive in a 7 inch device? Weight is the only thing smaller tablets have to bargain with, wasting battery space being another issue. Although, maybe the larger models get a proper 1TB unit (WD Scorpio Blue 1TB) and then things get interesting
It doesn’t have the android market it seems. That is a major issue I have with this tablet. I am glad archos is making good progress, but I am still going to check out Motorola’s Honeycomb tablet. That sounds much more perfect. I think Honeycomb is going to be a big upgrade for android on the visual side. Better stock UI with a lot more needed flash for android. The fact is that these companies will keep overlaying android unless we give them something more visually appealing. It would be great if the new Motorola phone also had some stock honeycomb. That would be perfect.
My short review
http://androidcircuit.com/index.php/2010/11/archos-70-internet-tablet-review/
All they need to make this better is a 10inch model. Unleashed hdmi is going to make this one of a kind for the time being.
@chogardjr
For the life of me, I can’t figure out why anyone would want a 10″ tablet. If you want something that big and 2 pounds, why not just get a netbook which you can have for only $250 and is a LOT more useful? Makes no sense.
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For me, 7″ and under a pound is about the maximum size I would consider. I think a HD is about useless for a tablet, would much rather have longer battery life. I wouldn’t get even the non-HD Archos 70 because it only has 256MB RAM and has a “slow” processor. Tegra 250 would be the minimum for me. I’m still waiting for the perfect tablet, maybe we’ll finally see one released at CES.
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@Rowan
You don’t store your 26k+ song music collection on your tablet! You store it on your NAS server you silly goose! That way, any device can access your music at any time. Why everyone doesn’t already have a NAS server is beyond me. A home server running Linux is *SO* useful! Torrent has never been so much fun! And the Android interface to the NAS-based Torrent server is the icing on the cake.
@2C couldn’t have said that any better! I need to know if honeycomb can be downloaded in that.. or if I have to wait for another generation of archos tablets.
For the billionth time, Market it’s not an issue with the Archos tablet. Yes It doesn’t come with it but the Market can be sideloaded very easily and it takes minutes to get it up and running.
The only problem with waiting until the honeycomb tablets is the price. I went with the rooted Nook Color (typing this on it).
wow…250GB ??
got to save some money for this one…any of you guys have use it?
@plonker, you broke my heart, but thanks for sharing. I was getting really excited about this, but 256mb RAM is a deal-breaker. Why oh why oh why?
(Had a hell of a time verifying this on the intertubes, by the way, even at the Archos site. Looks like a featurr they’re not terribly proud to advertise.)
@teckel
I’m on the opposite end. I can’t see why anyone would want a tablet smaller than 10 inches. The 7 inch tablet simply doesn’t offer enough advantage over something pocketable, as in the size of a cell phone. If you are going to be forced into lugging around a tablet that’s too big for a pocket or a holster, you might as well maximize the size to make it more useful.
Of course, this all depends on what you intend to do with a tablet… The primary usefullness for me would be digital image manipulation. For this, I’d want a larger surface… and a resistive touch screen with a stylus. I love the way capacitive responds to touch, but for pen input (a must for graphics) I prefer “old school.”
@teckel
To be honest dude. I’d buy this to put my oversized music collection on it as well.
It’s either that or stick with a 160GB iPod and knock off a few GB worth of music, which is something I wouldn’t particularly want to do.
And besides, aren’t NAS servers expensive?
I purchased the Archos 70 for Xmas. £188 in the airport. Great budget tablet, I have the 8Gb solid state drive, it’s as thin as my nexus one. great video and music interface and 7 inch angry birds… Woooah!
The Out of box experience was pretty pleasing, however after three seconds….. No Google apps could be found. none were displayed in the Archos apps library.
God bless the internet, one patch later the device has access to market place, google talk, google mail etc.
Well worth it for under £200.
I built a nas server to hold all my music and videos, 18 terabytes, the most expensive part was getting 9, 2 terabyte drives
Nas servers are cheap to build, the most expensive part is the hard drives, I love mine, 18 terabytes of pure music and movie goodness!
@tekel
You can’t take your server with you when you leave the house
To those of you suggesting to wait for honeycomb, or saying not to get it because of the 256MB mem / no market access; I have to say, it depends on what you are looking for. If you wait for the Tegras, or tabs with honeycomb, or something with included market access – you’re going to pay for it; I’d expect the upcoming tabs to run around the same price range as the G Tab ~$500-$600. Personally, for that price, I’d rather have a laptop.
Now, if you want an “affordable” android tablet, at least right now, this is a good one. I’ve got the 8GB flash model, and I can say that it works well – the whole family uses it, and everybody’s been pleased. It was cake putting the market on it; and although it only has 256MB of mem and a 1GHz OMAP (same as Droid X/2), I haven’t had any performance issues.
NAS Servers are not that expensive. I run a d-link DNS-323 with two 1.5tb drives on Raid 0. Everything cost me just over $300 and now you can get those drives for like $60 bucks. The NAS goes on sale for ~$110-120 sometimes.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822155003&cm_re=dns-323-_-22-155-003-_-Product
FINALLY a tablet with good storage!… but I’ll wait until there’s more ram and a better cpu.
@ roza
not at all nas servers are very very cheap. I made one with spare parts and loaded it with a free to download program call freenas the hardest part is setting it up and you can find directions for setting it up online. The best part about a bild tour own is that you can put in a huge harddrive
never, ever, ever buy Archos products.
If you have have any issues with what you buy, you will be upset to find that they have NO CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
I had an Archos PMP a while back. had a small issue with it.
Took me (no exaggeration) 4 months to get a replacement.
I finally got service by calling their corporate line, dialing random extensions, and leaving angry messages on about 5 random (non-customer service) people’s answering machines.
It was ridiculous. Avoid them like the plague.
No Android Market from what I can tell equals a no go, and i really wanted to like this tab
didnt know people had so much FREAKING MUSIC! HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GONNA LISTEN TO THAT ALL IN ONE DAY! WTF! : ]
pretty cool if it was faster.
It looks pretty sweet, iv been waiting to get the 10 inch Archos 101 though.. same price and I dont need the extra space.
@dork
It’s not a matter of how much music I can listen to a day, but it’s the issue of never having to run out of space. I HATE deleting music off my ipod because I only like having full albums.. with 250gb on a tablet, I can fit my entire collection, keep adding it (thank you amazon MP3s) and then add tv shows and movies.
I have to agree about having reservations on the effect of the hd on battery life not too mention response time. I have a Galaxy Tab and I hate to admit that there is a bit of a lag time with the processor using its ssd. I would wait for a faster processor, bigger memory and check out battery performance.
It doesn’t have the android market it seems. That is a major issue I have with this tablet……
As noted above, it’s very easy to load all the google apps including Android Market. Definitely the first thing any Archos owner should do
Instructions here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=867303
I just received mine today, and for what it cost me I’m quite enjoying myself. I still need to get my Archos 70 up & running on the net to download the Android Marketplace app,…