Archos hacker Bubu just released the multi-boot menu support for the Archos Gen8 Tablets, it reportedly works great on Archos 70 Internet Tablet and Archos 101 Internet Tablet, find the release here: http://www.openaos.org/archives/739
Then you can install alternative firmwares and have them right there available in your multi-boot menu on your Archos, so you could for example today choose between Archos official Android firmware, Debian Linux and Angstrom Linux.
If more software hackers contribute, Archos tablets may also run Ubuntu 11.4, Chromium OS, Gingerbread and any other embedded Linux OS through this multi-boot system.
Bubu and the team at OpenAOS.org previously released this solution for the Archos Gen6 and Gen7 tablets as well.
Just like for Gen6 and Gen7, Archos is releasing a “Special Edition Firmware” for all the Gen8 tablets, what this potetially allows is to dual-boot the Archos tablets with all types of embedded Linux OS such as alternative Android firmwares, Ubuntu, Angstrom or even Meego.
Basically this SDE firmware voids warranty (because potential hardware damage through over-clocking is no longer under Archos control), and it replaces the need for someone to hack root access to the official firmware. Basically it ads support for dual-booting alternative OS, and you can still continue to have the default normal Android OS image and update that just as normal as well. Discuss Open Development in the Open Development forum section: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewforum.php?f=34
Less than a day since the Froyo firmware is officially released and again we get a super easy Google Marketplace installation gApps4Archos2.apk in the forum!
Just download the gApps4Archos2.apk, put it on your Archos and click on it from the default “Files” file browser application. Reboot and that’s it! All Google Marketplace, Gmail, Google Maps, Latitude, Voice Actions, Google Listen and more are all available! Here I show you some of the features of Froyo and how to install gApps4Archos2.apk:
austnash posted a video explaining how to install the modified firmware on Archos 7 Home Tablet to have the full Google Marketplace experience on the device, as released by knightdominion to the forum since 19th of June this year in this thread: http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=34668
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.
Although this is currently yet just a proof of concept, dm8tbr of OpenAOS.org is reporting on this Archos Fans Forum thread that Maemo/Mer is now bootable on Archos 5 Internet Tablet and Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet as you can see in these videos:
Just like a PC, the ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet can be freely programmed in alternative ways in addition to the applications that can be created for the Android platform. To have total control of your Internet Tablet, ARCHOS has opened up this device, thus allowing creative minds to program their own tablet, or create what could be the tablet of the future.
Skilled developers and programmers can now choose to switch over to a true standard Linux environment as offered by the Ångström Linux distribution. Developers can put this on their ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet devices and join other enthusiasts who are experimenting with various ideas and interfaces based on the Linux operating system.
Read more about the Special Developer Edition firmware for the Archos 5 Internet Tablet on: archos.com
Here is a video that shows you how easy it now is to install the full Google Marketplace experience on your Archos 5 Internet Tablet with Android with the new firmware 1.7.33 that awesomely integrates a whole bunch of the Android 1.6 software features from Google that optimize everything better for Archos’s larger screen:
When Archos released it’s first Donut (Android 1.6) firmware, those who installed it noticed a great new feature… Screenshots!
With the press of a button, users could capture their screens to PNG files, making it easy to describe new apps or illustrate blogs like this one.
But that firmware was quickly pulled for bugs in the browser and, most likely, for other reasons (like the developer code left in the release, including the screenshot functionality).
However, when the proper firmware release of Donut debuted yesterday, some users were sorry to see that screenshots were a no-show.
So, here comes Devo, the same hacker who brought us the first simplified Market hack for Donut, to the rescue!
It’s not an app but a simple script that will allow more adventurous users to grab screenshots off the device when tethered via a USB connection to a PC, Mac or Linux box. Here’s the original forum thread and a complete how-to guide, as well as the links to the files you’ll need.
Devo harnesses some built-in developer functionality in the A5A and combines it with the scripts, drivers and files you’ll need to get great PNG screenshots on the Archos SSD, HDD or even right to your PC.
Be advised that this requires getting an ADB connection working with your Archos, a special developer’s mode that some users have problems getting going especially on 64 bit Vista and Windows 7 PCs.
But if you’re wanting some of that screen capture mojo back and you’ve got a little knowledge and the patience, then Devo’s got your hookup!
M4rk3t and Devo have released solutions for installing the full Google Marketplace including the Google Apps such as Gmail, Maps and Listen onto the Archos 5 Internet Tablet with Android. Devo’s hack was released a week ago in this thread which required the ADB debug method to work.
Now, M4rk3t is back with an even easier solution! M4rk3t has combined all the hackings required in one simple .apk file that simply needs to be manually installed to unlock all the Google Experience goodness!
That is, until Google hopefully soon officially allows Archos to include all the Google apps including the Google Marketplace on this device.
It is to be said that Archos 5 Internet Tablet with Android probably supports more than 95% of all Android apps of the Google Marketplace just fine, even though Archos is the first Android device and still the only one on the market with a 4.8″ medium density WVGA 800×480 touch screen, and even though Archos comess as the cheapest Android device on the market selling at only $249 unlocked without contracts at Radio Shacks in the USA, even though Archos does not come with Compass, 3G and a camera, but instead supports hard drive storage, USB host, video inputs, HDMI output, all video and audio codecs up to 720p, even H264 high profile videos (maximum bitrate supported needs to be tested with the latest 1.7.33 firmware).
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