Media player meets Netbook in the Archos 9PCtablet
(Credit:
Archos)
The line between portable media devices and traditional Netbooks just got a little more blurred, thanks to this morning's announcement of the Archos 9PCtablet. According to the company, this is a 9-inch touchscreen Atom-powered PC, in a form factor much closer to Archos' line of portable media players (or older UMPCs) than, say, an Eee PC.
Using a touchscreen interface and an optical trackball, the Archos 9PCtablet looks at first glance like a Netbook that's had its screen and keyboard halves forcibly separated. Probably the closest thing we've seen recently is the import-only Viliv S5, which also had an Atom processor and a touch screen -- but that display was only 4.8 inches.
The Archos 9 won't be out until fall, so the company is wisely sticking with Windows 7 as its operating system choice. Taking a look at the rest of the specs, it seems very Netbook-like, although it has the new 1.2GHz Z515 version of Intel's Atom processer, specifically designed for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). We'll have to wait and see how that stacks up against the much more common 1.6GHz N270 version of that chip found in the vast majority of Netbooks.
Here are some specs, courtesy of Archos:
Processor: Intel Atom Z515 1.2 GHz
Video Chipset: Integrated US15W
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7
System Memory: 1GB (DDR2 400/533)
Display: 8.9'' touch screen - 1024 x 600 pixels
HDD: 60GB or 120GB
Communication: Ethernet 10/100
WiFi: PCI-E interface, 2 Antennas, Support IEEE 802.11b/g
Bluetooth 2.1
Optional 3.5G HSUPA - Huawei EM750M 7.2Mbts module
Audio: 2 stereo speakers
Built-in Microphone
Optical Finger Navigation System with Right and Left click buttons
1 USB 2.0 port
Audio/headphone output
Web cam: Built-in 1.3MP camera
No price info yet, or a specific release date beyond fall 2009, but it does look like Archos will offer both black and white versions, with your choice of 60 or 120GB hard drives, and an optional 3.5G HSUPA antenna.
New York native Dan Ackerman, a former radio DJ turned journalist, has written about technology and music for publications including Spin, Blender, The Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. He hosts the weekly Digital City podcast and the New York edition of Editors' Office Hours. Dan's new album, Tales Out of Night School, is available now. E-mail Dan. 
They have the most rude costumer service.
I'm listening to my Archos now but it's a pain sometimes with it's buggy software.
- fast boot & runtime
- always on operation
- super long battery life
- touch-optimized UI
- location-based services
- cell phone calls & SMS/MMS
- multi-media playback
- access to all the other cool apps in the Android Market
A similar approach could be used for ARM-based devices, with Ubuntu being used instead of Windows (since Windows does not run on ARM).
My vote is for an Android dual-boot (virtualized?) configuration to be standard on ALL smartbooks/netbooks/tablets. Alternatively, the base model could be Android only, with Windows/Ubuntu offered as an optional upgrade.
Come on get with the 21 century think my PSP has this and it rubbish
These devices are going to come out in droves from all directions, and will be huge. You can think of them as a much larger Touch or PMP, a slate netbook, an eReader or Kindle with hi-res color and a real OS, a photo frame or portable TV with a built-in computer, etc.
This will finally be the convergence device that's been hyped for years.
- by Anjin3515 July 7, 2009 9:39 PM PDT
- but...will it be pressure sensitive?
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