ArchosFans.com

Tim Gideon, reviewer at PC Magazine is rather impressed with the value proposition that Archos is now bringing with the release of the Archos 3cam vision to the sub-$100 Portable Media Player market:

With a sleek design and an intuitive, touch-screen-based user interface, the Archos 3cam vision ($99.99 direct) exceeds expectations.

The Archos 3cam vision may not be a masterpiece, but it raises the bar for budget players.

Overall, the Archos 3cam vision can’t touch the iPod nano or iPod touch or touch in terms of grace, ease of use, and overall quality. But this player is far less expensive than either one. Anytime you can get a well-built device with 8GB of storage for less than $100, it’s a good deal. The extra features on the 3cam vision may not knock your socks off, but they work well enough to be considered pros, and remember that the stainless steel version of the Apple iPod shuffle, with its dearth of features (or even a screen), costs the same as the 3cam vision. If you aren’t married to iTunes and have the patience for a touch-screen with some sensitivity issues, the Archos 3cam vision is a worthy budget option.

Archos 3cam vision 8GB = $99
iPod Nano 8GB = $149
iPod Touch 8GB = $199

I believe this Archos 3cam vision is an awesome value for the market until Archos is able to provide Android based devices at that size, as the QVGA 2.8″ one that is rumored, with possibly better than those hardware features and at the same kind of price even. I don’t know if video playback on the Archos 3cam vision has been improved to support DVD resolution XviD playback.

Read the full review at: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2366858,00.asp

Download it: firmware_archos5.aos

Version 2.0.28 (3D accelerated) / 1.9.21 (non 3D accelerated) – July 15th, 2010

Display: fix black screen issues experienced at display wakeup
Audio: enable higher volume on loudspeaker
Video: fix Turkish subtitles support

You can discuss this firmware update in the forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=35492

That’s nearly 30% cheaper, more than $100 cheaper than the initial $379 retail price for it.

In the recent press release on support for paid-for apps in AppsLib, Archos is detailing some of the screen resolutions of the 8th generation of Archos portable tablet devices:

AppsLib is currently looking to locate and process new applications for hosting on ARCHOS’ next generation of Internet Tablets, soon be announced. The five new ARCHOS Android Tablets will feature touchscreens ranging from 2.8’’ to 10’’ in width with resolutions including QVGA (240 x 320) with LDPI density, FWVGA (854×480) with HDPI density, WVGA (800×480) with MDPI density and up to the maximum WSVGA (1024×600) with MDPI density.

What this means is Archos Generation 8 is probably going to have devices with screens around these sizes and resolutions:

- Archos 3 Android Gen8 = 2.8″ QVGA 320×240 LDPI density

- Archos 4 Android Gen8 = 3.5″ or 3.7″ or 4″ or 4.1″ or 4.3″ FWVGA 854×480 HDPI density

- Archos 5 Android Gen8 = 4.8″ WVGA 800×480 MDPI density

- Archos 7 Android Gen8 = 7″ WVGA 800×480 MDPI density or 7″ WSVGA 1024×600 MDPI density

- Archos 10 Android Gen8 = 10″ WSVGA 1024×600 MDPI density

Questions could be following:

- How many of these, are any of these using capacitive touch screens?

- Can Archos use Pixel Qi on the Archos 10 Android, it would make it beat iPad on every comparative review, last 50 hours on the battery, be usable outdoors, be usable for reading a lot, support wide viewing angles and anti-glare with capacitive touch is possible! They should do it!

Do you have better ideas of what may be the actual screen sizes, screen types and resolutions which Archos is likely going to be using on the 5 new Android tablets to come? Post here in the forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=35312

Starting August 2nd, Archos will support paid-for apps in their http://appslib.com Android applications store. Archos claims to be providing the worlds second largest Android applications marketplace after the official Google Marketplace. They claim to have over 2000 free apps available that have been downloaded more than 1.5 million times. Other manufacturers of Android devices are also using AppsLib such as Shuttle, Yifang, JWD, Aïgo, Daza and Ramos. Maybe Archos is giving out the AppsLib software for free for all other manufacturers to include, while Google is not yet allowing them all to include the official Google Marketplace.

While we do have Google Marketplace working unofficially since last November on our Archos 5 Internet Tablets, while I do think it is important for Archos and all other Android tablet manufacturers to demand from Google to provide them with officially pre-installed Google Marketplace on all devices, to demand also that Google provide support for Tablet centric versions of Android. I also think it is a good idea to provide alternative marketplaces to Android devices.

The suggestion I have for Archos is still following:

- They should provide a subscription plan for unlimited access to apps on AppsLib.

- With opt-out, the app developper can decide not to be part of the plan and still only provide paid-for only access to their apps. Or even to provide only a rebate for unlimited plan subscribers.

I think many Android users would pay $3 per month for unlimited access to plenty plenty of Android apps. And I believe many of the best app developers will make more money on a subscription plan with tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of subscribers than they do on selling few hundreds or few thousands of pay-to-own licences.

I think also current developers who offer free apps on the current AppsLib and Google Marketplace, would then also be able to be part of the payments from subscriptions. Suddenly, overnight, Archos could make a business model for all those developers of great free apps.

I think Archos would attract many more paid-for app developers to submit their apps in AppsLib if there is a subscription model involved. Archos needs to be transparent about how much they pay each of the developers based on statistics of downloads/installs, eventually also statistics of usage (if there is a not-too-intrusive way for Archos to count how much each of the apps are actually used by users, each user having to opt-in on their Android device to allow Archos to monitor usage of their apps to pay developers more precisely their due share from the subscription plan).

I think Archos could then also provide users with recommendations for which apps to try to install. “If you liked these apps (which you already installed and are using often), then we recommend you check these ones out as well” and that should uniquely be based on Archos stats for how much each app is downloaded/installed vs uninstalled and eventually on how much it is used.

Included in that subscription plan, free updates of course on all the apps.

That would be a way for Archos to differentiate their AppsLib from Google Marketplace. Users of any of the existing 20+ million Android smartphones on the market would also be able to download and subscribe to apps through AppsLib. At least, until Google implements themselves this same app subscription plan idea. Eventually, I would like one subscription for apps, one for music, one for movies, one for TV. Overall all subscriptions should not amount to more than $10 per month, and thus all should give me unlimited access to all contents on my Android devices.

Archos is now releasing what may look to be one of the only or cheapest Intel Atom D510 Dual Core based 13.3″ 1366×768 Netbooks with 6-cell battery, 1.6kg weight, Windows 7 Home Premium and a slim form factor. It is released now available in Europe at 399€ (including the 20% EU VAT taxes, the US dollar pricing equivalent is thus $384 in the USA for this laptop without the European VAT taxes) on Archos official web store.

Here are the specs:

PROCESSOR Intel® Atom D510 Dual Core (1 MB L2 cache)
OPERATING SYSTEM Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
SYSTEM MEMORY 1GB DDR2 667/800 MHz
SCREEN 13.3” WXGA 16:9 format
RESOLUTION 1366 x 768 pixels
HARD DRIVE Capacity : 1601 GB SATA
2.5” format
COMMUNICATION Ethernet : RJ 45 Fast Ethernet 10/100 port
WiFi: PCI-E card, IEEE 802.11b/g/n supported
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR compliant)
AUDIO Intel High Definition Audio Interface
2 built-in stereo speakers
Built-in microphone
FRONT & SIDE PORTS 3×USB 2.0
1×VGA output
1×MMC/SD/SDHC memory card reader
1×Power adapter/charger connector
1×Mic input
1×Audio output
1×RJ-45 LAN
1×RJ-11 port
BATTERY 6 cells
WEBCAM Integrated 1.3MP webcam
DIMENSIONS Avg. 333 mm x 230 mm x 27 mm (13,1” x 9,1” x 1,06”)
WEIGHT Avg. 1.6 kg
PACKAGE INCLUDES ARCHOS 133 PC (UK, DE or FR keyboard), Battery, AC Adapter with Power Cord, Quick Start Guide.

Found via: ArchosLounge.net and Slashgear.com

Read the review of the Archos 7 Home Tablet by Financial Times at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/31bd6756-6f71-11df-9f43-00144feabdc0.html

the Archos 7 excels at video and music playback. Despite their tiny size, the two mini-speakers flanking the display pump out good volume and movie playback is smooth and bright. Users can download new content using the Archos 7’s built-in WiFi networking technology or over a USB cable from a desktop machine. In video playback mode I got about seven hours out of the battery between charges.

the only time I really noticed any lack of power was when I opened multiple applications at the same time – something that the iPad cannot do at present anyway.

Overall, the Archos 7 Home Tablet is good value for money

Pros: Low price, convenient size, lightweight, good battery life, runs Android OS.

You can discuss this review in the forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=34345

Version 2.0.15 – June 3rd, 2010

Display: add accelerated 3D openGL support
Fullscreen: add statusbar notification when an application is requesting fullscreen with ability to enable fullscreen for this application. Fullscreen enabling/disabling can be performed through power menu (on long power button press).
Archos media center: faster display
Thinkfree: v2.0 with full edit features
Thinkfree: can now be un-installed by user. Note that sometimes during this process an invalid shortcut might remain on the home screen. If this happens this shortcut can be removed by a long press and drag towards tray trash icon.
Display: add transparency to notification tray background

Version 1.9.10 – June 3rd, 2010

Video: fix some MJPG files not playing correctly
Audio: add support for .M4B files
Audio: improve speaker sound quality
Tethering: fix user password support and do not filter devices pretending not to be phones (e.g. Windows Mobile)
Internationalization: add Hebrew glyphs in font and corresponding virtual keyboard layout
Location: fix location manager sometimes preventing device suspend
System: better management of background applications under high memory pressure.

you can discuss here
http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=34032

roy

The Mifi is a great solution for bringing a WiFi hotspot with you everywhere in the city and even in the country (depending on HSDPA/UMTS/GPRS coverage in your country). It’s perfect to add 3G connectivity to your Archos, Laptops and any other WiFi-only devices that you may have. In this video, I compare the performance and features of the two Mifi adapters that are available on the market, the Novatel Wireless Mifi 2352 and the Huawei e5830.

In this video, I demonstrate a VOIP call taken using Google Voice and Gizmo5 on my $249 Archos 5 Internet Tablet using SIPdroid or any other SIP VOIP applications on the Android OS (discuss the best VOIP apps for Android in the forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=33296). This is the vision where you just need a pre-paid 1GB or 10GB of bandwidth per month on a SIM card, just enter it in your unlocked Mifi device, make sure the right profile informations are entered using the control panel and that’s it. You’ve just about got a full mobile phone replacement, but where you don’t need to pay for voice minutes and SMS subscriptions any more.

Although eventually all devices will have built-in unlocked SIM card slots and modems, the Mifi solution is a really great temporary alternative, that connects on 3G all WiFi-only devices. When your city gets White Spaces, LTE or WiMax, you don’t need to buy new devices, just buy a new Mifi.

If you travel a lot in Europe, this is a must have. Then find SIM cards for cheap pre-paid plans, for 5€ to 10€ and get Mifi internet access all over that city and country.

The Novatel Wireless Mifi 2352 that I got was unlocked beforehand, I don’t know if there are online programs to unlock one if you happen to have a locked one. It can be bought unlocked for 214€ at moblix.hu and expansys.com.

I bought the Huawei e5830 at the Three store in London for £49 with a compulsory £10 1GB/month first month pre-paid credit. I then unlocked it for 15€ using http://www.dc-unlocker.com/ (it can also be bought internationally from ebay.co.uk for around £80 unlocked) and I installed the latest firmware with full Control Panel, built-in Profile and other Router management features at: http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98318&page=2

dm8tbr of OpenAOS.org does it again, here is Android 2.0 booting on the Special Edition Firmware for the Archos 5 Internet Tablet:

Here are some details published at OpenAOS.org:

We are proud to be the first ones to have a public preview of Android 2.0 on 7th generation Archos devices (Archos5IT).
Mind you, this is not an Archos build and none of the multimedia functionality would work right now. It just shows that even with the current 2.6.27.10 Linux kernel the device is able to boot an Android 2.0 user-space and bring up the UI. I’ll repeat this. If Archos releases an Android 2.0 firmware it will be very much different!

Given the ease with which I was able to modify an existing build of Android 2.0 to run on my device and get rid of most of the error messages – I have to say I have no idea why nobody else has done this yet. But this is kind of symptomatic for the Archos “community”. The loudest to cry out and demand but no one is even able to get their behind up and try it themselves. It took me less than an hour to have the GUI up and running.

One major downside at the moment is that the touchscreen driver is not cooperating. If someone wants to help and try to make it work – please contact dm8tbr.

Find the release here: http://www.openaos.org/archives/268

You can discuss this news in the forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=33227