While the world waits for new tablets from Apple, HP, Dell, and others to hit the streets, I’ll let you in on a little secret. There are already a fair number of tablets available. Some have been available for years, while others are new models with Intel Atom processors running Windows 7. The latest version of the Archos 9 tablet is the latter, and Laptop Magazine has published a detailed review of this $549 tablet with an 8.9 inch display.
Unfortunately, the verdict is that this tablet probably ain’t worth the price.
Reviewer Mark Spoonauer wasn’t impressed by the resistive touchscreen, the poor on-screen keyboard, lack of finger-friendly features, and overall sluggish performance.
The Archos 9 has a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z515 processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 60GB hard drive. It has an 8.9 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display and runs Windows 7 Starter Edition — which lacks some of the touch-friendly features available in Windows 7 Home Premium.
The device dos have 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth wireless capabilities and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. So you can use the 1.8 pound tablet to surf the web, chat over Skype, and even watch Flash video — something the iPad won’t be able to do. But Mark says the touchscreen was unresponsive, the computer got uncomfortably hot, and the battery was good for just 4 hours. While that’s better battery life than you’ll get from the Hanvon BC10C tablet, it’s less than half the run time Apple is promising for the iPad.
Of course, you could always pick up one of the other tablets from Archos, including the Google Android powered Archos 5 Internet Tablet or the new Archos 7.
Honestly, a lot of these early slate devices hitting the market are making the iPad look better and better. I could probably survive without Flash (though it severely hampers the concept of the “media consuming device” Apple is going for), but lack of multitasking is the main thing that kills the iPad for my needs.
Let’s hope that Dell’s upcoming Android offerings fare better. I’m pretty pumped about Google navigation!
Brad, any news on the Smartbooks? Especially the Skylight from Lenovo?
Many find tablets cumbersome ie difficult to hold whilst in a sitting position.
I am glad at least tablets are making headlines, at least this, will bring down smartbook prices substantially.
Any news on ARM based devices? Or are they DOA?
I join the question, Brad …
ARM-Netbooks pulped?
It’s too early to say whether they’re DOA, since for the most part they
haven’t Aed yet. We should start seeing them hit the streets in the next few
months.
isn’t ths review a bit late out of the gate? This device has been in reviews for months now. And as a result of all of the less than impressive reviews due to the slow processor and poor touch responsiveness, the Archos 9 is getting an upgrade before the end of this summer. (Which was also widely reported a week ago). Didn’t you check the internet before you posted your story, Brad?
This *is* the new version with the Atom Z515 processor. The original model
had a slightly slower Atom Z510 CPU. It doesn’t sound like the spec bump
made much difference.
almost there… keep dropping the price, and specs… give me a tegra tablet for >$200 running linux already.
Resistive screens are not bad, makes it that this device is same price as iPad and provides Windows7 and Intel platform for that same money. If they don’t like Windows7 and Intel, they should complain on that software and processor platform.