We’ve already tried both the 8GB and the 250GB models of the
Archos 70 running on Android 2.1. Both variants have their own respective
advantages and storage capacity is at the center of that. Check out the
full review of the
Archos 70 after the jump.
Much like it’s bigger sibling,
Archos 101, the
Archos 70 seems like just the right fit for a portable tablet. It’s very light
and slim (as far as the 8GB variant is concerned; the 250GB variant is a
bit thicker) with a solid build.
The back panel is covered with a combination of hard plastic and thin
sheet of metal (brushed aluminum) with all the four corners peppered
with a tiny rubber pad that serves as a stand when the tablet is placed
on its back.
For better viewing, there’s also a kickstand at the back so you can
position it at and angle on a table or flat surface — great for when
playing movies or running a photo viewer.
The screen is bright though not really that crisp (probably has got
to do with the resolution or pixel density) nor have that sharp contrast
which is understandable for a regular LCD screen. At 800×480, it’s got
the same resolution as the 4.3″ HTC Desire HD (so that explains it). It
works just fine but don’t expect it to be as sharp or crisp as the
display of the iPad or even the previous-generation iPod Touch.
Running a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor really helped in the
performance of the device. Apps fire up fast, the videos play smoothly
and web browsing is pleasant. HD movie playback is smooth and great;
viewing angle is wide enough, maybe over 100 degrees across. Sound
quality is good and volume is decent with the speakers all situated at
the front.
The tablet does have the Android Market (so are all other Google
Apps/Services) out of the box although you can always install it
manually. Archos has an alternative app store called AppsLib though it’s
not as extensive as the original one. The UI is pretty much basic to
Android with up to 4 sliding panels.
Didn’t bother using the VGA camera as it doesn’t take any
decent-quality photos. There’s a mini-HDMI port so you can hook up the
tablet to an external display (probably to watch HD movies on a bigger
screen) while the micro-USB port helps you connect the device to a PC or
laptop so you can easily transfer files to and from it. There’s no
microSD card slot on the 250GB but there’s one on the 8GB model
(corrected).
Archos promises up to 10 hours of battery life on a single full
charge. The claim is doable on the 8GB variant but I don’t think the
250GB variant can do the same due to the power-hungry disk drive.
Archos A70 Internet Tablet
7″ display @ 800×480 pixel capacitive screen
1GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU
720p HD video playback
VGA camera
HDMI, USB ports
8GB Flash or 250GB HDD model
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
Archos 70 250GB price:
Php16,990Archos 70 8GB price:
Php15,490Between the two variants of the Archos 70, I think I’d prefer the
250GB version since it allows me to store more video and music though
there’s the obvious drawback in the thickness of the device and slight
degradation of battery life. At under Php17k for both, they’re already a
good buy though.