Archos have just shown off 5 new Android tablets and the Chinese press are reporting that the newly revealed Archos 101 (101 refers to the 10.1 inch multi-touch screen) could be an iPad ‘killer’! It’s a fairly bold claim, but can the new kid on the block really hold it’s own against the established daddy of tablets?
Well the 101 certainly has some great features that iPad owners can only hope for on iPad 2. Built in web camera, a USB plug, HDMI out SD card reader and it’s pretty light at 480gram weight are all plus+ over the iPad.
The 101 also supports multi-touch and uses accelerometers, boasts 3D grahics and a Dual core Cortex 1GHz CPU, so it certainly has gaming, HD video and photo work credentials.
All this for only $299 for the 8Gb model and $349 for the 16Gb.
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It is possible that all these features and possibly more will make it on to the next generation iPad, however there are two areas where the Archos is always going to triumph over the Apple. Number 1 is price. The Archos costs a full $150 less for it’s 16Gb model compared to the 16Gb iPad, and still has all those extra features. Apple aren’t likely to up the spec and drop the price of an iPad 2. The second area the Archos wins is Flash. The Android 2.2 O.S is soon to get full flash support, this for the Chinese market at least, is going to huge as most Chinese web pages rely on Adobes media software for content. Apple (Job’s) are never likely to back down on their anti Flash campaign.
So the iPad could be pretty much kicked aside in the coming months could it? Well not quite, there is the fact that the Archos doesn’t have a 3G option or GPS, the iPad has both options (at a cost) The Archos is also using Android, which has definitely proved itself as a mobile phone operation system, but has yet to prove it’s worth in the tablet arena.
So place your bets now! Who’s going to triumph the tablet wars?
Read about all 5 new Android running Archos tablets here.
The GPS is not a big deal, most cellphones already have it. The 3G either, since most operators sell for 20 bucks 3G modems with their data plans, so if the Archos has support for such devices, it won’t bother me.
When are we going to see a PixelQi device?!? Stupid LCD screens.
iPad OS is basically the same as iPhone OS. So Android will scale the same way for tablets.
Archos could make a 3G/CPG version of the tablet as well, but that would likely cost 150 dollars extra, so they will only do it if they get distribution deals with carriers to eventuaélly subsidize some of the cost and to provide good data service deals.
I think the 250GB Archos 7o might be the quiet succeeder. Far more portable, big big hard drive and full android operation even when connected to a big screen / tv via HDMI. And it offers easy tethering to ANY 3G phone so no need to add cost for 3G / GPS. $300 – $350 seems a steal compared to more limited / exclusive iPad.