The Archos 7 8GB Home Tablet: A Low Cost Tablet Alternative

Earlier this year, the industry was upside down and abuzz over the news and eventual release of the Apple iPad. While the question still remains for many - do you love it? or do you hate it? The idea of the tablet device is certainly here to stay. While over the past several months there have been stories surfacing of other similar products on the rise, the new attention grabber in tablet headline news has been the arrival of Android powered devices. The Archos 7 8GB Home tablet is one of those tablets to arrive with Google's popular operating system. Admittedly, as the Archos 7 isn't aimed at directly competing with the iPad, comparing it to the default go to tablet device gives a sense of its details. While it does have some major differences from the iPad, it is truly a mobile device worth considering.

The Archos 7 was released earlier in 2010 with a low introductory price of $199; half of the suggested retail price of the iPad. With lower cost comes sacrifice; however, in comparison to the iPad, not every lower or forfeited spec on the Archos 7 make it a horrible product by any means.

To begin, the Archos is quite a bit smaller than the current iPad. With a widescreen measuring in at 7" compared to the iPad's 10" screen, the Archos 7 also claims bragging rights as being about half the weight as well. Possibly not much of a matter for many, especially if a larger screen is appealing; yet, the Archos obviously fits itself much more snugly in a crowded bag or backpack. As far as efficient use of size goes, the debate as to whether to carry a smart-phone over a small pad versus having a much larger pad continues for many. Screen size aside, there are few drawbacks on the Archos 7 to consider and note. Side-by-side comparison reveals that the Archos 7's display, although crisp at 800 x 600, isn't quite as bright as the iPad's, and the popular multi-gesture touch as found on the Apple device is not supported.

Memory wise, the Archos 7 arrives with 8GB half of the standard found on the iPad, yet a USB port and a memory card slot greatly expand the possibilities. While these expansions options may also act as forms of data connectivity and transfer, the Archos 7 also features the capability of using a Wi-Fi. Missing, yet possibly not missed is the ability to use 3G.

The verdict: The Archos 7 is a great and affordable compact tablet device. Connectivity is widely available despite the missing 3G - which isn't wanted by everyone. Additionally, with an ever Growing application base of Android applications, it would be hard to find something that you couldn't do.Sources/Resources:

Archos: Archos 7