Archos Launches $250 Tablet with Full Google Play Access

By Douglas Perry
published

Following the announcement of the Google Nexus 7 tablet, Archos is the first budget tablet vendor to follow up with its own version of a $250 tablet.

The Archos 97 Carbon is the first member of the company's new Elements series, and comes with a 9.7-inch, 1024x768 pixel 5x IPS multitouch screen. Future models will be released as 7- and 8-inch products. Just like the Nexus 7, and, other than most previous tablets in the $250-and-below class, the 97 Carbon has full access to Google Play.

The device is slightly thicker than an iPad (11.4 versus 9.7 mm), but weighs less (620 versus 652 grams) than the Apple device. The hardware includes an ARM Cortex-A8 1 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM and 16 GB of Flash memory for storage. There is a microSD slot to expand the storage by up to 32 GB. The 97 Carbon comes standard with a front and back camera (0.3 and 2.0 MP).

The tablet runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and is promised to be powerful enough to run 1080p videos.

Of course, tablets did not suddenly get a lot cheaper, and with this tablet there are certain compromises compared to the more expensive $400-class devices. The screen resolution is clearly on the low-end and features such as a GPS sensor are missing.

11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • spookie
    If only they used a higher resolution screen... But overall it can't be too bad
    Reply
  • razor512
    archos has been going down hill lately, they tend to now charge the same or more than competing tablets that offer better specs.

    the least they could have done was add bluetooth and a faster CPU (eg the tegra 3 or one of the modern snapdragon CPU's (which overclock really well)

    The apq8060 can handle 2 1080p videos at the same time with smooth playback.

    if they need to offset the cost then get rid of the rear facing camera, rear cameras on tablets suck and they are rarely used even on the higher end tablets.
    Reply
  • jkflipflop98
    razor512archos has been going down hill lately, they tend to now charge the same or more than competing tablets that offer better specs.the least they could have done was add bluetooth and a faster CPU (eg the tegra 3 or one of the modern snapdragon CPU's (which overclock really well)The apq8060 can handle 2 1080p videos at the same time with smooth playback.if they need to offset the cost then get rid of the rear facing camera, rear cameras on tablets suck and they are rarely used even on the higher end tablets.
    Why, exactly, would I give a crap about running two videos in 1080p at the same time? You're asking for premium features in a budget product.
    Reply
  • tntom
    It is an A8 cpu instead of A9 quad core. "The device is slightly thicker than an iPad (11.4 versus 9.7 mm), but weighs less (620 versus 652 grams) than the Apple device." - Translated means less battery. It also will not be getting the latest updates compared to the Nexus7. Not a fit for me but I am sure it fits with 90% of tablet buyers. And the price seems not too bad.
    Reply
  • boiler1990
    The tablet runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and is promised to be powerful enough to run 1080p videos.
    On a 1024x768 display? Nice marketing gimmick there.
    Reply
  • the1kingbob
    On a 1024x768 display? Nice marketing gimmick there.

    It has HDMI out... So it can output 1080p
    Reply
  • notsleep
    urggghhhh...my eyes! retina-like display resolution please! :P
    Reply
  • belardo
    3-4hr battery life... :)

    So its thicker than the original ipad?
    Reply
  • altriss
    tntomIt is an A8 cpu instead of A9 quad core. "The device is slightly thicker than an iPad (11.4 versus 9.7 mm), but weighs less (620 versus 652 grams) than the Apple device." - Translated means less battery. It also will not be getting the latest updates compared to the Nexus7. Not a fit for me but I am sure it fits with 90% of tablet buyers. And the price seems not too bad.
    Or perhaps just no aluminium case, plastic is significantly lighter than metal, I had Archos MP4 704, and it hadn't any problem of too short battery, not Archos style. They had HDD weakness but now with flash it doesn't mean anything so...

    And I'm surprised by the mess around this product as the G9 series from Archos is not so far from that model, and Archos is already well implanted in Asia thanks to that kind of tablet... So I would to understand how this product is really new from Archos.
    Maybe people just forget that :
    http://store.archos.com/android-tablets.html
    since google launched its nexus 7, but I don't see really revolution into the Nexus... Just an upgrade from Archos current products.
    Someone can explain to me where this Archos tablet is really improving from Archos mainstream store?
    Reply
  • bustapr
    lol, why are people complaining about resolution and the lack of a high end cpu? this is a budget 10 inch tablet with way more features than the price suggests. Id go and grab this one over the nexus 7 any day because it has an sd slot.
    Reply