Mobile Technology

Archos' 7-inch, US$99 Arnova tablet

Archos' 7-inch, US$99 Arnova tablet
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet will be priced at US$99
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet will be priced at US$99
View 4 Images
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet
1/4
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet
2/4
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet will be priced at US$99
3/4
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet will be priced at US$99
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet
4/4
Archos Arnova 7 Android 2.2 tablet
View gallery - 4 images

French manufacturer Archos unveiled a budget-friendly tablet computing option alongside its G9 series this week. The Arnova 7 tablet features a 7-inch, 800 x 480 pixel resistive touchscreen, runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and has AppsLib access instead of the Android Market, but its most distinctive feature is its very low price - it's set at just US$99.

The Arnova 7 was first announced with few details in May, but the tablet's spec page is now live, revealing a budget device designed to allow users to surf the internet over Wi-Fi, read ebooks and watch videos.

The tablet supports HD video (720p) playback as well as a range of video compression standards including H.264, MPEG-4 and RealVideo (it also copes with .avi, .mp4, .mkv, .mov and .flv files and most popular music and graphic files are also supported). There's 4GB storage on board, expandable by a Micro SDHC card and connection to a computer is via its USB port, which also works in host mode for the connection of a USB drive, mouse or keyboard. The device measures 193.3 mm x 120 mm x 12.6 mm (7.6" x 4.7" x 0.5") and is quite lightweight at 340 g (12 oz).

As you might expect given the pricetag, the Arnova 7 has a few shortcomings. There's no front or rear camera, no GPS or optional 3G modem, no Android Market support and Android 2.2 (Froyo) isn't the latest and greatest in terms of Android versions and not tailored for tablets.

It appears that Archos will follow the increasingly common (and unfair) practice of giving products the same price tag across different currencies with the Arnova 7, resulting in it being a bit more expensive outside the U.S. Specifically, EUR99 (approx. US$140) in Europe and GBP99 (approx. US$158) in the UK.

French manufacturer Archos unveiled a budget-friendly tablet computing option alongside its G9 series this week. The Arnova 7 tablet features a 7-inch, 800 x 480 pixel resistive touchscreen, runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and has AppsLib access instead of the Android Market, but its most distinctive feature is its very low price - it's set at just US$99.

The Arnova 7 was first announced with few details in May, but the tablet's spec page is now live, revealing a budget device designed to allow users to surf the internet over Wi-Fi, read ebooks and watch videos.

The tablet supports HD video (720p) playback as well as a range of video compression standards including H.264, MPEG-4 and RealVideo (it also copes with .avi, .mp4, .mkv, .mov and .flv files and most popular music and graphic files are also supported). There's 4GB storage on board, expandable by a Micro SDHC card and connection to a computer is via its USB port, which also works in host mode for the connection of a USB drive, mouse or keyboard. The device measures 193.3 mm x 120 mm x 12.6 mm (7.6" x 4.7" x 0.5") and is quite lightweight at 340 g (12 oz).

As you might expect given the pricetag, the Arnova 7 has a few shortcomings. There's no front or rear camera, no GPS or optional 3G modem, no Android Market support and Android 2.2 (Froyo) isn't the latest and greatest in terms of Android versions and not tailored for tablets.

It appears that Archos will follow the increasingly common (and unfair) practice of giving products the same price tag across different currencies with the Arnova 7, resulting in it being a bit more expensive outside the U.S. Specifically, EUR99 (approx. US$140) in Europe and GBP99 (approx. US$158) in the UK.

View gallery - 4 images
6 comments
6 comments
certified nursing assistant
At $99 with features like 7\" display, HD playback and Android 2.2, Arnova would be a decent buy. No GPS and rear camera but with an entry level price, it should give a good value for money. So its pretty much a basic tablet for multimedia features.
Ken Heslip
That\'s it Archos. Make it more expensive for your fellow citizens. In spite of the ripoff over here in Europe, I still wouldn\'t touch it with a barge pole.
Scion
So I guess we buy it from Ebay shipped via the states. Haven\'t these people heard of \"global marketplace\"? Gives me the ... well it annoys me so much that I\'m constantly being ripped off if I try to shop from local stores. I Australia there is almost no reason to buy anything in a real shop any more. They are just so expensive.
stuart.hayman
I bet it won\'t be $99 NZ dollars!
viet hung
Hi everybody. I am from vietnam. I do not know how to buy this product to vietnam. Someone can introduct me? thanks.
water coolers
I think it\'s a good price for a tablet, I would recommend it to anyone interested in such a small tablet for just multimedia features. Owen from water coolers leeds