Exclusive: Hands-on with Archos G9 Android Tablets, 8″ & 10.1″ [Video]

by Paul Wilks Jun 29, 2011 12:29 PM – Leave your thoughts

Archos were in London yesterday, and so were we, to present their new G9 Android tablets. Coming with either a 8 or 10.1 inch screen and with a choice of 16GB flash or (brace yourself) 250GB hard drive, the G9′s also raise the bar higher by putting in a 1.5GHz dual core processor (OMAP 4, ARM Cortex dual core A9).

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The thrust behind the Archos products has principally been in the form of multimedia devices, and the G9s demonstrate this especially. That 250gb HDD will hold a whopping 40 HD movies and these can be viewed in full 1080p. The high resolution also lends well to the devices HDMI capability, which allows you to watch movies or play games through the device on your HD TV screen, and in Blu-ray quality.

The devices will also ship with Android Honeycomb 3.2 (not 3.1 as some sources suggest). While the differences between 3.0 and 3.2 are more to do with better hardware integration, it’s good to see a manufacturer opting for the latest Android offering.

A new proposal, Archos will offer a 3G ready solution- this is where users can opt to use 3G rather than be forced to choose between WiFi and 3G models. The patented 3G stick slots into the device so there is no unsightly protrusion. The same data stick can be used in your laptop so you only need one solution for 3G. Archos are creating partnerships with operators in order to roll this out.

The presentation of the devices, by Archos CEO Henri Crohas, stressed that the research and development- including their Easy 3G technology and their work with Seagate to fit a 250GB HDD into a (still very slim) tablet- enabled the devices to be made less expensively than devices such as the iPad2. The prices quoted during the presentation (and there was some disparity between those quoted and those within the press pack) are certainly eye-brow raising. The 8 inch starts from £199 ($318) and the 10.1 inch device starts at £279 ($446)- the 10.1 inch 250GB option was £399 ($638), significantly cheaper than a high-end iPad2, bearing in mind that’s a 1.5 dual core processor rocking in there as well.

However, the release date for these devices is not until late September/early October which, in tech, is a very long time indeed. While its great to get a taste of new tech early, it did make me wonder whether Archos had perhaps shown their hand a little soon. Regardless, with a breathtakingly competitive price point, latest Android goodness and the demonstrable volume of thought which has gone into these devices there is no reason to think that Archos’ bravery will not go unrewarded.