This is my first tablet and my first Archos product. First, while it wasn't listed on the Amazon page - this is the second version of the Archos 7 Home Tablet. It runs Android 2.1 - Eclair, as opposed to the first version of the tablet which runs Android Cupcake.
This tablet, unlike its predecessor, has an accelerometer, which was a welcome feature. The accelerometer is usable in most screens, but is disable when using the e-reader and in the desktop. The screen is much nicer than I was expecting. The resolution is quite excellent at this price point. It isn't going to match the iPhone 4, but videos are gorgeous and Internet surfing is crystal clear and easy to read. In my opinion, the 7" screen is perfect. The tablet is lightweight enough to be comfortable to hold, but feels solid in my hands. The back of the tablet feels as though it is metal, although I'm certain it's plastic. The screen is not flush with the bezel, which is less than optimal, but it stops being an issue when actually using the tablet for any length of time.
The touchscreen is still a resistive screen, which is understandable at this price point. While not as snappy or responsive as a capacitive screen, I've found it plenty responsive for my uses. For the occasional extra tap or two, I was glad to save the extra 300 to 400 dollars that it would have cost me for an iPad or capacitive Android tablet. You will get the best response if you use your fingernail instead of the pads of your fingers. As the screen isn't capacitive, it also is not multitouch, so there is no pinch to zoom. On the bottom right of any given browsing screen, however, there is a zoom in and out button, which were the perfect antidote.
There is a kickstand which is a phenomenal addition. I can pop the kickstand out and comfortably watch movies - a feature I'm sure will come in handy during flights.
The Android interface is, as expected, a joy to use. I had no issues with the in-house software save one exception - the included browser does not render Flash. I installed Skyfire browser for when I need to use flash, and I haven't experienced problems since then. Everything is customizable on this tablet, including the notification tone. The e-reader is quite nice, although I suspect I will continue to use hard copy books.
The battery life is advertised at 7 hours for video and 10 hours for web surfing. At full bright display with the WiFi on, I would estimate about 8-9 hours of usage, which is impressive even if it doesn't hit Archos' estimation.
As far as the bad: The Android Market is not installed on this tablet. There are workarounds if you are tech savvy, but I have not utilized them yet. There is an app in the AppLibs market - that is included with the tablet - called APKSHare. I have gotten many applications from there, as well as "SlideME" which you can download directly to the device. While it isn't going to run every Android application, I have found these more than sufficient.
The speakers are ok, but not great. They get loud for some videos and games, but quiet for others. I haven't found this to be a huge problem, but it might be a dealbreaker for some.
The biggest downside to this tablet (beside the resistive screen) is the processor. The tablet will occasionally stutter when using applications, or when flipping through screens. It hasn't been a huge problem for me, but it could be a major annoyance if you are trying to run many applications at once.
Frankly, at this price point, this tablet is an excellent buy, even with the downsides. The battery life is great, the screen is gorgeous, and the Android interface is Eclair as opposed to the previously installed Cupcake. It will run many different video files, including the ever so popular avi, will run flash in the right browser, and is pretty darned customizable. If you're looking for a sub $200 tablet, and you're not expecting it to be an iPad or Galaxy Tab, this is what you want. Archos 7 Home Tablet - Tablet - Android - 8 GB - 7" TFT ( 800 x 480 ) - microSD slot - Wi-Fi
Got an open box one for about $125 and been playing with it for a few days. Here's my initial assessment of the product. The FIRST thing you need to do is go into "settings" and calibrate the screen. DO NOT use a narrow stylus to calibrate, use your finger - there's a HUGE difference in accuracy and responsiveness achieved by using the finger to calibrate.
The screen is nice and bright, I also have a Archos 5 and I would say the bigger screen isn't as sharp nor has as much contrast - still pretty darn good for it's price. Internet connection is very good - have had no trouble getting on - don't know what it it is about mobile versions of many web pages but the text shows up much lighter and can be a strain after a while. There's sufficient amounts of Android apps I can check out but most of them are not very good (well what can you expect for free or very cheap) - there's 2 utilities you should definitely install, the battery extender and the task killer.
The available apps. remind me of the apps. from the old PDA days, especially the Palm OS ones. There's many sites (just google "free android apps" to find them)that have many useful apps you can download for free (including Angry Bird for people who enjoy these silly things). I was able to find and download a program that allows for creating/editing MS Office files.
Video playback is smooth but I'm having problem with some AVI format movies that play fine on the Archos 5. Maybe it's because the HD plugin is not loaded and I'm not about to pay extra for it - I'll just convert my movies to MP4 which plays fine.
The music player that comes with the unit is AWFUL. It doesn't allow for playing folders which I use instead of creating playlists. Again, I was able to find player app. from free sites which allows that. The playback sound is decent and there's different sound setting you can select or customize. I've noticed that the volume range is much greater than in previous Archos models which had a limited top range.
The responsiveness of the touch screen is only adequate (but remember you're paying less than half of an i... or similar). Compared to my Zune HD, it is definitely less responsive and the scrolling, especially on web pages can be slow. You have to be patient and slow down when changing web pages or the unit may hang up (one reason why they have the reset hole on the unit - by the way, you need a tiny pointed object to reset).
The menu layout can be easily configured to fit your use and program icons can be added or deleted from the home page easily. However, after opening a program, there is no easy option of closing down the program and you may have multiple programs open at one time, in fact you can have 2 seperate music players open at the same time playing 2 seperate songs (having multiple programs open is not a good thing - probably a major cause of freeze and lockups). That's why you should definitely download and use the task killer app.
I've read where the first release of these units were super slow and buggy, so beware, DO NOT buy the first generation which only runs Android 1.6 and has a much slower processor. Besides, the price of the second gen is same or cheaper than the 1st gen ones on sale on Amazon and E-bay.
The e reader that comes with the unit is pretty good and options to format text and page are fairly straight forward. I really like the ability to adjust the brightness by just swiping the left side of the screen up or down. For people who have Amazon Kindle account, you can download the app. to run on this unit. I've done that and it works decent.
So overall, I'm giving it a solid 4 because of it's enticing price and nice overall form factor and some decent functionality (AND the many useful apps that can be found and downloaded). BUT, be aware that the Android OS is still not fully developed (in my opinion) and lacks the polish and smooth functionality of more established operating systems (including Win 7 or mobile). Also, don't get blinded by the Android app. hype - yes, there may be thousands of apps out there but most are close duplicates of each other and most are not worth loading up.
UPDATE: I upgraded to an Archos 70 and passed the 7 on to my son. If you can spring for about $50 more, you get the 70 which has newer Android, much faster processor, a capacitive screen which is much more responsive and has the pinch zoom functionality (definitely a major improvement). So, if you're a casual user, the 7 home tablet should suffice, but if you're an avid techie like me, go for the 70.
LATEST UPDATE: After using the 70 for couple of weeks, I've decided that there's too much compromises that had to be made with the Android system. Coupled with the lack of REAL computing power and some funky behavior in web surfing, I've decided to consolidate my uses back to a Windows 7 based system. Maybe the Windows unit is not as slick nor convenient to carry but the difference in functionality is just too much to ignore.
Archos has come out with what I think is a replacement for Archos 7 Home Tablet Version 2 called "Archos Arnova 8". It seems to have the SAME specs as version 2 but the screen may be slightly larger (closer to 8"?). The new units sell for under $150 so, DO NOT BUY the 7 series anymore! - Internet Media Tablet - Archos 7 - Android - Tablet'
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