Archos Offers Android Notebook, the ArcBook for $170
This "netbook" is powered by a RockChip processor.
What do you call an Android-based form factor that has the size of a large-screen tablet and a full, connected keyboard that cannot be removed? Archos calls it the ArcBook netbook, and it's available now for a meager price of $169.99. Considering that many 10.1-inch tablets are near the $400 price point, the Archos solution isn't too shabby.
"Archos ArcBook combines a consumer-friendly tablet experience with the productivity of a netbook," says Loïc Poirier, CEO of Archos. "The Archos ArcBook furthers our commitment to providing feature-rich, consumer-friendly technology at an affordable price."
The specs show that the new ArcBook has a 10.1-inch capacitive multi-touch screen with a 1024 x 600 resolution, backed by a RockChip RK3168 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and an 8000 mAh battery promising more than 10 hours of continuous use. The netbook also has 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage (6 GB is usable), and a microSD card slot for even more storage.
The specs also show that the netbook uses Google's Android 4.2 "Jelly Bean" platform, complete with the company's services like Google Play, the Chrome browser, Gmail and so on. There's also a front-facing camera for selfies and video chats, a complete keyboard with Android function keys, two built-in speakers, two microUSB 2.0 ports, a full USB 2.0 port and an audio jack.
Presumably, the device has Wireless N connectivity at the least, although the specs don't show any wireless networking hardware. However, the company does mention that the Android netbook provides the full version of Office Suite 6, which allows users to create, edit, read and print Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents.
For more information about the Archos ArcBook, head here.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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knowom Dual Core or Quad Core because you say RockChip RK3168 quad-core processor. However the link says Dual Core and Wikipedia is saying RK3168 is a Dual Core so someone ****ed up! ;)Reply -
dalauder Definitely a dual-core CPU, based off of the link the article gave to Archos's site and the rest of the Internet.Reply
I guess they had to save money somewhere and went with an old CPU and a low-res screen. -
icemunk Yeah its a dual core.. and with the SGX 540 it has only about an 8 gigaflop GPU.. so count HD video out. If they went with the RK3188, that is quad-core and a decent chip.. though a bit dated now with only 20 gigaflops of GPU power, has trouble with some HD. The Amlogic S802 is about twice the speed; and 70 gigaflops of GPU power, or maybe the RK3288 which is probably 2.5 times as fast and 100 gigaflops of GPU power.Reply -
BranFlake5 Why not get a $199 Chromebook on sale and hack it a bit? Linux, Android, Chromium: YOU CHOOSE!Reply -
TheinsanegamerN ReplyYeah its a dual core.. and with the SGX 540 it has only about an 8 gigaflop GPU.. so count HD video out. If they went with the RK3188, that is quad-core and a decent chip.. though a bit dated now with only 20 gigaflops of GPU power, has trouble with some HD. The Amlogic S802 is about twice the speed; and 70 gigaflops of GPU power, or maybe the RK3288 which is probably 2.5 times as fast and 100 gigaflops of GPU power.
or why not take it one step further, and just use a tegra 4 or snapdragon 801?