Archos Shows off A5 Tablet

Posted Sep 15 2009 by Scott Webster in  with 41 Comments



archos5_hands_onThe Archos A5 series of media tablets has been officially announced and shown off.  After recently getting the leak treatment, we know have the first ‘name brand’ device to run Android that is not a phone.

What did we learn today that was not already known?  Well for starters, there is actually a size difference between the SSD and the HDD models.  According to Gizmodo, the flash versions are .4″ thick and sports a metal backing that fits nicely in the hand.

In terms of software, the big question is whether or not it has Flash.  Here’s where we get conflicting stories.  Giz says there is no Flash whatsoever, while PC World says Flash 9 runs on it.  Either way, both report that Archos promises an update to the OS which will include Flash 10 once it’s available.  Sources says look for that to occur in December.

We also learned that there were some preloaded apps on the A5 which might familiar to Android users.  We’re hearing Twidroid, Deezer (streaming music), and Thinkfree come installed as well as a trial version of TeleAtlas GPS. UPDATED: The list also includes DailyMotion, eBuddy IM, DroidIn, QuickPedia, Moov, and CraigsPhone.

Here’s an introductory video that details the features, functions and apps that come with the A5.

Want hardware specs?  Here you go!

Capacity • Flash Memory: 8 to 32 GB* + Micro SD Slot (SDHC compatible)
• Hard Drive: 160 to 500 GB*
Display • High resolution screen, 800×480 pixels, 4.8” TFT LCD, 16 million colors
• Touch screen
Video playback 7 • MPEG-4 HD (up to 720p)
• MPEG-48 (ASP@L5 AVI, up to DVD resolution)
• H.264 HD (up to 720p)
• WMV (MP@ML, up to DVD resolution) including WMV protected files
• M-JPEG (Motion JPEG Video) in QVGA resolution
With optional plug-in (downloadable from your tablet or on www.archos.com):
• Cinema: MPEG-2, WMV HD (720p), VOB
Audio playback 7 • Stereo MP3 decoding @ 30-320 Kbits/s CBR & VBR, WMA, Protected WMA, WAV (PCM/ADPCM), AAC9(except protected content), AAC+ stereo audio files, Flac and OGG Vorbis.
With optional software plug-ins (downloadable from your tablet or on www.archos.com):
• AC3 stereo audio and 5.1 sound files (via SPDIF output of DVR Station )
Photo viewer 10 JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF
Subtitles Support subtitles files with .srt, .ssa, .smi, .sub extensions
Video recording 11 • Via the optional DVR Station or DVR Snap-on. Records NTSC/PAL/SECAM in MPEG-4 AVI format with stereo sound, VGA resolution (640 x 480) @ 30 or 25 f/s
• Via the optional TV Snap-on (only available for Europe): Records TV in MPEG-2 TS format.
Audio recording • Via the optional DVR Station or DVR Snap-on: Stereo line-in, WAV (IMA ADPCM or PCM) format
• Voice recording with the built-in microphone
Others applications Webbrowser, Email, Contacts, DroidInâ„¢, Ebuddyâ„¢IM, Twidroidâ„¢, Deezerâ„¢, Dailymotionâ„¢, QuickPedia, ThinkFree Mobile, Moov, CraigsPhone, Pages jaunesâ„¢ (only for France), High Paying Jobs (only for US & Canada), Alarm clock, Calculator…
Interfaces • USB 2.0: Media Transport Protocol (MTP)
• USB 2.0 Host: Mass Storage Class (MSC) and Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) with optional Mini Dock, Battery Dock and DVR station
• Micro SD (SDHC compatible) on ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet 8 to 32 GB
• Add-on connectors to connect to the DVR Station and other ARCHOS add-ons
Communication protocols • WiFi (802.11 b/g/n)
• Bluetooth 2.0
• FM transmitter
• FM receiver (RDS)
Miscellaneous • Built-in speaker”• Built-in leg stand• Built-in Microphone
Power source • Internal: Lithium Polymer battery
• Device charges via computer USB port
• External: Power adapter/charger (via optional add-on)
Battery life • Music playback time12: up to 22 hours13
• Video playback time12: up to 7 hours13
Scalability • Device automatically downloads latest firmware updates when the WiFi connection is activated
• Updates can also be downloaded at www.archos.com
Dimensions & weight • ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet Flash series: 143,2×78,8×10,4 mm – 182g• ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet Hard Drive series: 143,2×78,8×20 mm – 286g
Minimum system requirements • Microsoft® Windows® XP, Vista, or higher (with Windows media Player 11 for MTP)
• Linux (with Mass Storage Device Support)
• USB 2.0 interface
Package includes ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet, earphones, Standard USB cable, DVR Station adapter, Quick Start Guide (QSG), legal and safety notice.

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About the Author

Scott WebsterScott founded AndroidGuys on November 5, 2007 and has been hooked ever since. His other mobile efforts can be found on AndroidAtlas (CNET) where he covers Google's mobile platform. When not obsessing over phones and tablets, Scott can be found listening to house music, watching the Green Bay Packers, or catching the latest movie.View all posts by Scott Webster →