NC vs. Archos 70

[HarleyChick]

I'm thinking about returning my Nook Color (before I root and void the warranty), and getting an Archos 70. I really don't want to have to hack anything to get it right. If I had a friend that had rooted anything and could hold my hand through the process, I might feel better about it, but I'm on my own here.

Am I making a mistake, and should I stick with the NC?

 

[Merlin1]

I dont own either but i think you should keep the NC. The Archos only has 256mb of ram. The proccesor is alittle faster but the NC has a solid proccesor in my opinion. The NC is getting alot of support and i think it will only grow. I am going to get a tablet and though at first i was thinking Archos i decided on the NC. Hope i have helped atleast alittle bit. Oh yeah you dont have to hack the NC you can boot off the sd card wich only requires a micro sd card and software to burn it to the card.

 

[bluewhite79]

tough one to answer. I wanted an e-reader first, so it was a no-brainer for me.

I was new at this too and it took a lot of nerve to do it. I am having fun personalizing this thing for sure though.

 

[sanvara]

The NC has a much better screen. If you want to read books the NC is definitely the way to go.

 

[nathan312]

Like my friend UBRocked told me in some PM's, the NC has more RAM and can be overclocked to 1.1ghz and is reasonably faster device. He has both of these devices btw. Maybe if he comes in this thread he can put his input on it.

I'm getting the NC because of UBRocked, he convinced me to get the NC over the Archos 70. The NC has a lot more dev community support than the Archos 70 and has a much brighter future. The NC can run Android 3.0 (not stable yet though) and I don't see the Archos 70 pulling that out...

I'd keep the NC man. And just watch this video in the OP: http://androidforums.com/b-n-nookcolor/275708-going-buy-nc-tonight-will-root-soon.html I've watched it (I don't have the NC yet) and it seems VERY simple!

Good luck on your decision though!

 

[xmr405o]

I'm sure UB will jump in....3......2.......1..... jk

UB has both the archos and NC so he'll probably give a very honest opinion. As for my opinion....here it goes.

I've seen almost all your threads...and I think the Archos will be good enough for you. I honestly don't think it's gonna be upgraded to honeycomb so the 256 mb will be good enough. But that can also be a downside because I think you'll be stuck in Froyo land forever or at least for a while.

The screen is not as good as the NC but I don't think it's that bad considering the Archos 70 is only a 7inch tablet. It should still be ok for ereading.

If you end up returning the Archos your other choice will be the galaxy tab which requires zero modifications out of the box.

 

[UBRocked]

Haha...Nice to feel like the red carpet is rolled out waiting for me!

First of all...I just want to say that while I had a lengthy conversation with nathan312, HE made the choice for the NC...I only provided pros and cons of both devices and never gave a specific recommendation.

I truly feel like both devices offer great value!

Here is a brief rundown as I see it...

The NOOKcolor has:

- better build quality
- a better screen (higher resolution - better e-reader for sure...duh )
- more RAM (512MB vs. 256MB on the Archos) which results in more responsiveness throughout
- better developer support (come on...you can already run a pretty decent 3.0 implementation)
- CHARGES OFF MICRO USB WALL CHARGER UNLIKE THE ARCHOS - hooked to a computer using 2.1 it doesn't charge but any micro usb wall charger will work in a pinch (if using 3.0 it does charge via USB cable attached to a computer)

The Archos 70 IT has:

- "plasticy" feeling build quality but VERY thin and light...easy to hold for long periods of time (trust me...the NC feels heavy after awhile)
- better multimedia experience all around (much better speakers, better video support, and a kickstand )
- HDMI port (not a big deal for me...but it's definitely a pro for many users)
- Out of the box all you need to do is add the Android Market and most users would be set

It's hard for me to say which one I like better. I'm not trying to be PC about it...but I go back and forth with which tablet is a better fit. Neither one is a perfect tablet but $250 for the NC and $279 for the A70IT...it's hard to go wrong! Just depends on what is important to you. The NC takes a little more hacking to get it set up...but has MUCH greater development support so the possibilities are greater. The A70IT is a MUCH better multimedia device (although Flash is a bit lackluster on it).

Just my opinions here. If I didn't have both devices available to me to play with...I don't know which one I'd go with...but once there is a 100% stable version of Honeycomb running on the NC...that decision would probably be easier

 

[HarleyChick]

You guys all Rock (no pun intended, UB)! Thanks for all the great advice on this thread as well as the "rooting" threads. Still nervous about screwing up, but I'd never be riding a Harley if I was afraid to try new things. At least this won't give my family as much heartburn.....

 

[UBRocked]

You guys all Rock (no pun intended, UB)! Thanks for all the great advice on this thread as well as the "rooting" threads. Still nervous about screwing up, but I'd never be riding a Harley if I was afraid to try new things. At least this won't give my family as much heartburn.....

Haha, no problem!

After having several Android devices and rooting, ROM'ing, and hacking away at those...it becomes second nature after a while. But every device is different and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly concerned when hacking a new device. But that fear is a good thing because it forces you to read the directions.

You should be fine but if you do have issues, we'll help to get you through it

 

[Taylored]

I was sure I was going to buy a NC this weekend. Now the A70IT seems like a good choice too, though the low RAM is a concern for Android OS. I guess this is a good reason to keep procrastinating.

 

[bluewhite79]

If they get honeycomb working well on this thing, i'll be grabbing a 16gb mSD (class 6 or higher).

That way, i'll have Honeycomb on a card and a rooted 2.1 in the internal memory. I am just wondering if the processor is going to be too slow for Honeycomb on the NC, or there might be too little RAM.

 

[UBRocked]

If they get honeycomb working well on this thing, i'll be grabbing a 16gb mSD (class 6 or higher).

That way, i'll have Honeycomb on a card and a rooted 2.1 in the internal memory. I am just wondering if the processor is going to be too slow for Honeycomb on the NC, or there might be too little RAM.

Nope!

I can tell you from the 3.0 Preview out now that the NC works just fine. The 3.0 build itself needs a little work but most of that will probably need to wait until the Honeycomb source is released by Google.

The NC has 512MB of RAM and an 800Mhz processor that can be overclocked to 1.1GHz. And it's sufficient power @ 800Mhz

 

[Taylored]

If they get honeycomb working well on this thing, i'll be grabbing a 16gb mSD (class 6 or higher).

That way, i'll have Honeycomb on a card and a rooted 2.1 in the internal memory. I am just wondering if the processor is going to be too slow for Honeycomb on the NC, or there might be too little RAM.

Amazon.com: Kingmax 16GB microSDHC Class 10 with Micro SD Adapter - Retail: Electronics

I am thinking of getting this if I get a NC this weekend.

 

[Merlin1]

Ok i went ahead and bought a NC. Just from messing with it 30 minutes or so i am glad with my choice. Using froyo at the moment but will try honeycomb tonight.

 

[euph_22]

I just bought a NC myself, largely based on UBRocked's summary. I decided I really wanted a great eReader that could do some other things (internet mostly). So the Nook was just a better fit.

 

[UBRocked]

Don't listen to me guys and gals...My 6 year old son just told me that "Mommy" was the real boss! Apparently you should ask her for advice!

 

[A.Nonymous]

I just bought a NC myself, largely based on UBRocked's summary. I decided I really wanted a great eReader that could do some other things (internet mostly). So the Nook was just a better fit.

Personally, I would not call the Nook a great e-reader. The Kindle kicks it's ass as a purely dedicated e-reader. I would have a hard time justifying spending $250 on a NC if I weren't going to turn it into a tablet.

 

[bluewhite79]

Personally, I would not call the Nook a great e-reader. The Kindle kicks it's ass as a purely dedicated e-reader. I would have a hard time justifying spending $250 on a NC if I weren't going to turn it into a tablet.

Disagree. the kindle is great at text. There is a lot more material out there that requires more than that. Magazines, newspapars (which suck on the nook color btw - they need to make that a much better experience IMO)

I have a 3 year old that just devours books. We will order books from scholastic and he will want us to read them all to him as soon as they arrive at the door. The wife orders 10 books at a time and he wants em all. You should see his bookshelf - ridiculous!

The nook color for kids books is UN-freaking-believable. He loves the 'read to me feature and the pictures. The kindle can't touch it.

As for magazines, I sub'd to car and driver and it is a DREAM to read on the NC...its just fantastic.

 

[bluewhite79]

Amazon.com: Kingmax 16GB microSDHC Class 10 with Micro SD Adapter - Retail: Electronics

I am thinking of getting this if I get a NC this weekend.

class 10 might be worth it for the speed. I'm pretty sure someone said that there is a noticable difference.

 

[Taylored]

class 10 might be worth it for the speed. I'm pretty sure someone said that there is a noticable difference.

yeah. I was going to buy one, but i am just going to pick up a Galaxy Tab today instead.

 

[bluewhite79]

yeah. I was going to buy one, but i am just going to pick up a Galaxy Tab today instead.

i haven't even messed with one. I guess there is speculation that they'll get honeycomb...or at the least I would hope, Ice cream sammich.

 

[HarleyChick]

Haha, no problem!

After having several Android devices and rooting, ROM'ing, and hacking away at those...it becomes second nature after a while. But every device is different and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly concerned when hacking a new device. But that fear is a good thing because it forces you to read the directions.

You should be fine but if you do have issues, we'll help to get you through it

You can call me wimpy now. I watched the YouTube video and read through the instructions to root the NC, and I just couldn't do it. Too nervous, and I didn't understand enough of what was going on to feel comfortable about it.

Got an Archos 70 this morning. The NC is going back as soon as I get the return label from BN.

Thanks to everyone for all the help, advice and support. You guys are the best!

 

[jasonmp3]

I'm thinking about returning my Nook Color (before I root and void the warranty), and getting an Archos 70. I really don't want to have to hack anything to get it right. If I had a friend that had rooted anything and could hold my hand through the process, I might feel better about it, but I'm on my own here.

Am I making a mistake, and should I stick with the NC?

I have Both, well actually I bought the nook for my fiance and bought the Archos 70it for myself.

Honestly the Nook has a more solid construction and the screen is super clear and sharp compared to my Archos. Also the nook responds faster than my Archos (nook has 512MB ram Archos has half that 256MB ).

However the Archos has a camera (but low quality), and nice front facing stereo speakers, HDMI output, and a kick stand.

Over all the NOOK is better (specs wise). However the Archos is made to be a multimedia device. If I could install stereo speakers, a camera, HDMI output, and a kick stand on the NOOK the Archos wouldn't even be in contention.

Keep your Nook. If you are worried about voiding the warrenty from rooting the device get the extended warranty like I did (covers damages). If your rooted Nook stops working maybe it falls also and they have to replace the hardware, Just saying (whistling).

 

[A.Nonymous]

Disagree. the kindle is great at text. There is a lot more material out there that requires more than that. Magazines, newspapars (which suck on the nook color btw - they need to make that a much better experience IMO)

I have a 3 year old that just devours books. We will order books from scholastic and he will want us to read them all to him as soon as they arrive at the door. The wife orders 10 books at a time and he wants em all. You should see his bookshelf - ridiculous!

The nook color for kids books is UN-freaking-believable. He loves the 'read to me feature and the pictures. The kindle can't touch it.

As for magazines, I sub'd to car and driver and it is a DREAM to read on the NC...its just fantastic.

I can't imagine buying kids books on the NC because of how expensive they are vs the time the kids spend with them. One kids book is what $5-6? You can buy 6 or 7 of them at the used bookstore for that price and the kid gets just as much enjoyment out of them. I looked at magazines on the NC and the Kindle and found them much more expensive than their print counterparts.

 

[bluewhite79]

I can't imagine buying kids books on the NC because of how expensive they are vs the time the kids spend with them. One kids book is what $5-6? You can buy 6 or 7 of them at the used bookstore for that price and the kid gets just as much enjoyment out of them. I looked at magazines on the NC and the Kindle and found them much more expensive than their print counterparts.

I was simply pointing out that "as a reader" the kindle excels in only 1 area.

whereas the nook color excels in all others.

but yes, the prices are high for kids books.

as far as magazines, its not that much more (if at all) If i remember, my Car and driver was something like $12.00 for the year. Pretty normal sub price.