The Archos 101 looks interesting

danielevans83 · Nov 1, 2010

I pre-ordered my 101 Oct 29th and Tigerdirect just sent me an email saying it will be in stock Nov 19th. I don't necessarily want to trade up for a Viewsonic, despite the lower RAM Archos has been in the handheld device game longer so I'm willing to bet makes a better unit. Maybe a gamble, but in my opinion a fair assumption that Archos has learned from mistakes made on past tablet-like devices.

From my perspective this is kind of like HTC. I always thought their WinMo phones were complete crap, but when they started coming out with capacitive touch screens with Android I fell in love with their phones. I think Archos going this route too after having made handhelds for years will produce some very reliable units.

Viewsonic on the other hand I can't speak for, but I wouldn't simply pick it because "it has more RAM". There's a lot to be said for build quality and component quality. At the very least, this looks to be some of Viewsonics first handhelds, vs Generation 8 from Archos. For me I'll definitely keep my pre-order of the A101.

It'll be interesting to see if anyone buys these units and does a price breakdown of the hardware inside. Also be interesting to see which of these tablets die after 6 months and which last longer. I don't necessarily want my tablet to last forever, but it'd be nice if when I'm done with it I can donate it to a family member as a great e-book reader/web browser/media player.

mjf1 · Nov 2, 2010

irishpride said:
I wonder if there will be many accessories made specifically for the Gen8 lineup, I really hope there are a few good cases to choose from and I don't have to buy something that was designed with another tablet in mind.

Here's a foldup bluetooth keyboard I found (not available until 2011). You can pre-order.

https://jornostore.com/specifications/

Edit:
For more bluetooth keyboards:

http://www.google.ca/images?q=bluet...&ved=0CD4QsAQwAQ&biw=1440&bih=667&safe=active

FrayAdjacent · Nov 2, 2010

I was flirting with the idea of getting the ViewSonic GTab mentioned in the other thread, but since I'd have to pay taxes, it would have gone over $400, and my budget was really only prepared for an 8GB Archos 101.

Tonight I went ahead and preordered a 16GB 101 from archos.ca. I figure on taking the 16GB MicroSD card from my phone and swapping in an 8GB (since I hardly have anything on it). That will leave me with 32GB split. I only have ~12GB of music anyway, so I can load all of that, or some amount thereof, then load some more recent photographs, and still have plenty of space. I don't think I'll ever need much, unless I have to go down to my company's corporate HQ. THEN I'd like to load some TV shows on it and take an HDMI cable - the hotel the put me up in has newer LCD TVs with HDMI in.

Hopefully they'll ship soon. Oh, and mjf, that's for the link to that BT keyboard... it looks rather nice! I might pick one up after they are available.

reinbeau · Nov 3, 2010

A simple question - do you have to have a data plan for a tablet, or can you just go with WiFi?

Hajile_Ibushi · Nov 3, 2010

reinbeau said:
A simple question - do you have to have a data plan for a tablet, or can you just go with WiFi?

This is just a regular media tablet. It does not have a phone module. You can still connect tho.

Bluetooth = Every phone i've seen has a Bluetooth Dial-Up function. I've connected my netbook to my Nokia via bluetooth. Not as fast as Joikuspot, but since our cell provider sucks, i don't feel a difference.

Wifi = Either your home router or a Mifi. Only those two have been shown to work. Joikuspot (Nokia), iPhone myWi, Android 2.2 Wifi host, all use adhoc and did not work on previous android devices. Android does not support ad-hoc and the adhoc hacks aren't very reliable.

Cable = Says you can attach using the phones USB data cable, but i was under the impression that those were prorietary. Guess they aren't.

anthonygobot · Nov 3, 2010

The Archos 70 is up for order now on archos.com, my finger is itchin to buy...

FrayAdjacent · Nov 4, 2010

The 70 looks pretty nice. I am/was considering getting a 7" tablet with GPS to use for navigation on my motorcycle when I take longer trips...

I ordered a 101 from archos.ca... originally a 16GB, but decided to go with the 8GB, and direct the difference in funds to a 32GB SD card. The larger contiguous and removable storage will be of greater use and flexibility to me.

dbpaddler · Nov 4, 2010

Are those buying this happy with the blah resolution? I couldn't stand 1024x600 on a netbook and have zero desire to deal with it on a tablet especially when my phone has a 480 screen and only getting another 120 lines when the screen size is more than doubling. Still has you doing a lot of scrolling while surfing the web along with limits for viewing docs of all sorts. And you don't really get true HD video. Seems like it's worth waiting till there are more mainstream options with better res, at least a 768 screen.

SlvrScoobie · Nov 4, 2010

dbpaddler said:
Are those buying this happy with the blah resolution? I couldn't stand 1024x600 on a netbook and have zero desire to deal with it on a tablet especially when my phone has a 480 screen and only getting another 120 lines when the screen size is more than doubling. Still has you doing a lot of scrolling while surfing the web along with limits for viewing docs of all sorts. And you don't really get true HD video. Seems like it's worth waiting till there are more mainstream options with better res, at least a 768 screen.

Buy an Ipad?
Look at the dell 10" netbook. The HD netbooks have such a Niche market.
95% of people who will buy this will never notice that 168 pixels are cut off - or that the resolution has been changed to fit the format. People buying these are basing it on price. "Oh a fun 300-400 toy" a HD screen would push this well over 500+ (Ipad).
The makers know that they cant compete on functionality, so they're going on price right now. Obviously, like I was with my netbook when it first came out, there are some modders and such that this has "good" hardware with a great price and will jump on it. but its going to be a while until the manufacturers realize that there are enough people interested in it to release a better spec'd gingerbread HD version for $500+ and have it sell.
I asked Archos.ca, and he said he expects them in next week. he of course said he expected them EARLY nov last time soooooo...
if its not in next mon I might just stop by sears and check out the viewpad...

dbpaddler · Nov 4, 2010

That's why I'm sticking with the Archos 70 for now. Ipad, seriously? Wouldn't even consideran apple product, and the ipad doesn't even have a 16:9 screen so you're paying a premium for that screen and still looking at big black bars for HD content. I've been doing HD for 12yrs so call me a snob for it. But on top of that, I have a 12" dell e4200 that's close to the smallest 12" out there. If I buy a big tablet I want to get a BT or USB keyboard and ditch it. So I don't see taking that step backwards, niche market or not.

Not everyone buying a tablet is a cheap penny pincher. The category itself is a luxury category so if it's going to be done, do it right. I'd spend $500 if the specs were there. At $250, the archos 70 is a toy. At $300, anything a 10" 600 res tablet is still a toy. I prefer to have something I can be productive on, and real work at 600 res just doesn't cut it. The whole trend is to higher res and greater pixel density. Makes it easy to sit out the first round of these tabs unless the LG Optimus with the 8.9" screen brins something to the table. They say they're going to do it better than the competition and the specs we know say they're on the right track including honeycomb.

Hajile_Ibushi · Nov 4, 2010

@dbpaddler
Such is the case for an early adopter. To be honest i was hoping for 1366x768, but for now, this'll do. 12 months down the line when the tablet specs have stabilized, i'll see what's available.

@SlvrScoobie
For $200.00 less than an iPad:
- An actual media tablet that can natively run your 720p videos without needing to run it through a converter. It also supports subtitled anime.
- The resolution means it doesn't put black bars on your movies and doesn't actually *shrink* your movies to fit. The screen resolution of the Archos actually means you get more watchable area for a 10".
- Plug and play to any windows machine. No proprietary cables or software needed. Pretty sad when you go to an accessories store and you couldn't test because they don't have itunes.
- uPnP functionality that works since it can actually play the files on your server.
- Native support for HDMI so you can output to a bigger monitor at 720p
- Native Camera support
- Native KB/Mouse support
- Full Bluetooth support
- MicroSD support (Very common these days)
- An accessible file system so you can share the same file between apps
- etc.

Hajile_Ibushi · Nov 4, 2010

Things i'm gonna try when i get mine

RDP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt6xo2LZeLc

Since the native resolution is 1024x600, that's should match the netbooks native size so i don't have to keep scrolling around like i'm doing with the ipod right now.

GPS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM2gm5DAOjM

Having an OS basically means you can port an application between devices. Hopefully it'll run on the Archos too. He did say it worked with his Nokia 5800. Which i happened to have.

SlvrScoobie · Nov 4, 2010

Hajile_Ibushi said:
@dbpaddler
Such is the case for an early adopter. To be honest i was hoping for 1366x768, but for now, this'll do. 12 months down the line when the tablet specs have stabilized, i'll see what's available.

@SlvrScoobie
For $200.00 less than an iPad:
- An actual media tablet that can natively run your 720p videos without needing to run it through a converter. It also supports subtitled anime.
- The resolution means it doesn't put black bars on your movies and doesn't actually *shrink* your movies to fit. The screen resolution of the Archos actually means you get more watchable area for a 10".
- Plug and play to any windows machine. No proprietary cables or software needed. Pretty sad when you go to an accessories store and you couldn't test because they don't have itunes.
- uPnP functionality that works since it can actually play the files on your server.
- Native support for HDMI so you can output to a bigger monitor at 720p
- Native Camera support
- Native KB/Mouse support
- Full Bluetooth support
- MicroSD support (Very common these days)
- An accessible file system so you can share the same file between apps
- etc.

Oh I know - those are alll the reasons NOT to get an Ipad and the reasons i preordered a 101.
But you know what your Average consumer hears? "My freinds got an Ipad and its GREAT! you can play plants vs zombies on it!"
full BT support? theyre not interested in that. And theyre the ones that make the product turn a profit.
First round here, and theyre going after the "toy" segment. something to get the name out there. a "good enough" product. Again, its a numbers game. You either make a great product market the hell its better features, and sell it at the same price as apple, or you compete on price and cut some of the "fluff"
and its much easier to make a "me too" product and cut the price to get in. Round 2 will see the competition start. I think the Galaxy S is the starting point for round 2.

Hajile_Ibushi · Nov 4, 2010

Sadly, marketing is where everyone gets stumped.

"There's no demand for it? Lets make one!" = "I've got a bridge to sell"

SlvrScoobie · Nov 4, 2010

this is also sadly where Apple does there best.
"Theres no market for it? Well Make one by creating a demand for a product that doesnt exsist, then TaDa it DOES! And then well sell the Lifestyle of those people that own them and how Cool and Hip and awesome they are!" = $billions

FrayAdjacent · Nov 4, 2010

I think tablets today are the culmination of the availability of technology that makes them feasible (nice LCDs, good batteries, capacitive touch screens, and OSs that were made for touch interfaces). Whereas 'tablets' a few years ago meant a laptop that had a screen you could turn around, or one permanently mounted that required use of a stylus or special input device that were heavy and had horrible battery life. Then there were PDAs, which were only marginally useful due to their size and processing limitations.

I think the form factor of a tablet is the natural progression from smartphones, and I can see tablets eating a ton of market share from netbooks.

Hajile_Ibushi · Nov 5, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UsQ_n8Q7SY

gerifalte · Nov 5, 2010

hello all,

FYI, I just called J&R to check on the Archos 101 I pre-ordered back in Sept and they told me that although the original date was Nov 1st they will get them there by Nov 18-19. Let's hope it's not delayed once again!

smaz1087 · Nov 6, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLnNzLCKpQU
For anyone who's interested, here is another video. Fast forward to the end and you will see a demonstration of NHL gamecenter live!

SlvrScoobie · Nov 6, 2010

Oh man i can use a mouse with it!? Awesome! Guess i can sell my mini9!!

smaz1087 · Nov 6, 2010

SlvrScoobie said:
Oh man i can use a mouse with it!? Awesome! Guess i can sell my mini9!!

And a keyboard!

None of that matters to me. This thing is going to have a permanent home next to my bed and I will watch every Vancouver Canucks game this year

Kickstand sold it for me.

FrayAdjacent · Nov 6, 2010

smaz1087 said:
And a keyboard!

I definitely like the ability to use them. I have a BT mouse around here somewhere, and will pick up a compact or folding BT keyboard but will only use them regularly when I'm on the road or something.

It's definitely great that Android supports mouse and keyboard already. Odd that Google says it's not good for tablets. I think the biggest problem in that regard is simply managing the full screen resolution. Easy fixes, tho.

Can't wait to get my 101!

bitemyshoe · Nov 7, 2010

I canceled my order with J&R for the 101 table. Tired of all of the false information.

I then placed an order for the 70, since they are shipping from Colorado, and ground shipping got it here in two days. It should be here tomorrow, and I will post over on archosfans.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a good experience.

SporkLover · Nov 7, 2010

Kind of makes me glad I didn't hold out for the 101. I guess I'll try android tablets next year when the new OS optimized for tablets is released.

crimton · Nov 7, 2010

still gonna wait for the 101, i'm staying confident i will be pleased with my tablet. if not, oh well i'll either try to get a refund, an exchange or sell it for as much as i can and get something better when available. but like i said, still hoping for the best out of the 101.

The Archos 101 looks interesting

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