Multimedia device maker Archos has unveiled its much-anticipated Archos 5 internet tablet device that can record TV programmes, play HD movies and comes with a built-in GPS.
The Archos 5 Internet Tablet features a sleek and slim design, a 5-inch high-resolution touch screen, ultra-fast speeds of a PC, a full-fledge internet browser, 3-D GPS navigation and integrated applications that rival mobile internet devices like the iPod touch.
Up to 500GB of capacity ensures the Archos 5 keeps up with the growth of consumer content, offering the ability to store Android applications along with hundreds of full-length HD movies, songs, photos and more.
“With the steady growth of mobile internet adoption, easier ways to access the internet and digital media, and an increasing need for device customisation, Archos brings it all together by integrating GPS, HD and the Android platform,” said Henri Crohas, ARCHOS chief executive officer.
“Android offers to the consumer unlimited ways to customise the tablet with thousands of apps, all easily available on the device or through the AppsLib Store.”
Archos also introduced the AppsLib Store for unlimited access to free and paid applications developed specifically for the larger 5-inch touchscreen display of the Archos 5 Internet Tablet.
Consumers can now access Android applications from the AppsLib Store through the Archos 5 device and download them in one click, with the application resizing to fit the larger screen in portrait or landscape view.
In addition to accessing applications through the AppsLib Store, the Archos 5 Internet Tablet will include several pre-installed Android apps, including the popular eBuddy instant messaging app, Twidroid for sending and receiving Tweets, Craigsphone for posting or accessing classified ads, Thinksfree for viewing Microsoft Office files, Quickpedia and much more.
The Archos 5 Internet Tablet also features Mewbox, the first music download service for Android to be available in the EU.
Offering around 4 million DRM-free tracks from more than 13,000 labels, Mewbox has a custom user interface which makes full use of the Archos 5 Internet Tablet’s high-resolution touch screen.
The Archos 5 Internet Tablet is built on Texas Instruments’ OMAP 3 processor and leverages ARM’s superscalar ARM Cortex A8 architecture and other multimedia cores including the 2-D/3-D graphics hardware accelerator; IVA 2 video accelerator; and an Image Signal Processor (ISP) for unparallelled video and imaging performance.
Built with full support for the Android platform, the OMAP 3 processor is optimised for low power and high performance. These features combined allow consumers to surf the web on a high-resolution 800×480 touchscreen, as if they were surfing on their PC, all on a smart phone-like power budget.
TI’s OMAP 3 processor also enables a rich multimedia experience, which is further enhanced by the size of the Archos 5 screen. Unlike the small 2- and 3-inch screens of most smart phones and media players, the 5-inch screen on the Archos 5 Internet Tablet makes surfing the web, watching movies, sending email, Tweeting or updating Facebook pages and other social networking sites quick and easy.
The Archos 5 Internet Tablet will be available from retailers, Amazon and the Archos website from 16 September at prices ranging from €225 to €418.
By John Kennedy
Photo: The Archos 5 Internet Tablet.
