French consumer electronics maker Archos is probably best known for offering cheap Android tablets. But now the company is getting into the cheap Windows handset and tablet space.
The company has unveiled a new line of products in advance of next week’s IFA trade show in Berlin, and along with a few new Android devices and some smart home products there’s a low-cost Windows tablet and a cheap smartphone running Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system.
Note: The article has been updated with US pricing.
The Archos 40 Cesium is a 4 inch smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor and Windows Phone 8.1 software. It’s set to hit Europe in September for $99. That’s the price for an unlocked phone.
Meanwhile Archos is launching its first 8 inch tablet designed to run Windows 8.1. The Archos 80 Cesium is powered by an Intel quad-core CPU, has a 1280 x 800 pixel IPS display, and should be available in October for $149.
Other new products from Archos this fall include:
- Archos 101 Oxygen Android tablet with a full HD display, an ARM Cortex-A17 quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM for $249
- Archos 50b Platinium 5 inch Android smartphone for $129
- Archos 45b Platinum 4.5 inch Android phone for$149
- Archos Weather Station internet-connected temperature, humidity, air quality detector for £99 ($164)
- Archos Music Light lamp/Bluetooth speaker for$49
- Archos Music Beany cap with built-in Bluetooth headphones for $39
Nice to know that Archos wants to spread the pain across multiple platforms.
Best of luck with that.
Achos = No Sale for me too.
+1
The 80 Cesium might be a cool device. If it offers a full-size USB port, and a seperate charge port, I will be a customer. Something the Dell Venue 8 Pro doesnt offer (restricting your ability to do anything while charging it, like using a keyboard, or Video out)
Highly unlikely. At best you could be looking at two micro-usb with one of them acting as a host port with a OTG cable.
The element ranges are simply re-branded Chinese designs.
Hell, it would not surprise me if it is actually a Pipo W2 flying the Archos logo…