It’s basically better than the iPad3 and for half the price! Here are some of the reasons I think it’s better than the iPad3:
1.5Ghz ARM Cortex-A9 vs 1Ghz ARM Cortex-A9, Kick-stand, HDMI output, full sized USB-host port for 3G/4G/LTE dongle (for now only 3G is on the market for Europe/Asia), that full sized USB host can also be used for USB Keyboards/Mice/Hubs/Hard Drives etc, second USB-host through Micro-USB with adapter, Samba/Upnp file streaming, full codecs up to MKV 1080p high profile full bitrates with up to DTS audio (meaning any video you download from the Internet just works natively), Android is open unlike iOS (meaning you can install any app you want through any app store you want and customize the OS as you want, the 1280×800 10.1″ capacitive screen is decent although the next generation of 10.1″ 1920×1200 screens are coming (obviously for more expensive prices), etc.
It’s basically as powerful (or more powerful) than a Tegra3 tablet, but at nearly half the price. The normal MSRP price is $399 so this is a good deal! It’ll support Ice Cream Sandwich through an official firmware update probably coming later this month. Support for US-compatible 3G/4G/LTE USB sticks is probably also likely to soon be announced.
The new Arnova 7c G2 has been released. It’s being sold for 80£ at Carphonewarehouse.com with an unlocked, no-contract 3G SIM card slot. It’s a 7″ 800×480 capacitive screen, the MSM7227 800Mhz ARM11 processor that can run Gingerbread now, ICS possibly soon, with the Adreno 200 graphics that supports most Android 3D games today.
Some other specs:
- 4GB internal storage, expandable with microSDHC cards
- Dimensions: 195 mm x 118 mm x 14.1 mm
- Weight: 490 g
- WiFi, Bluetooth, micro USB 2.0 slave port, microSD slot, front facing camera, G-sensor, microphone, built-in speaker, GPS
Consider that the 1.2Ghz Turbo version with 16GB and 250GB hard drive will also start becoming available later this month. And that the 1.5Ghz version should start being for sale around December normally. The faster Turbo versions having more storage will obviously be a little bit more expensive.
I hope to get my Archos G9 tablet within a few days, and then I’ll post my full video-review. For now you can see my short overview video that I filmed of early pre-release prototypes of these tablets last July:
As the new generation is about to come, JR.com is lowering the price on its remaining quantities of Archos 5 Internet Tablet (8GB) sold for only $149 at http://www.jr.com/archos/pe/AHS_501308/. This device with this storage capacity was released a year ago for $249.
It was released about a year ago for $349 for the 32GB capacity. Now since the new generation is coming out, they are reducing the price a bit on the previous devices. Use the Promo Code: EMCYXNR35 (in the shopping cart, after signing up, check that you got this code from their newsletter..) over at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16855501044