Archos 5, 7, 5G Evolve to Become Internet Media Tablets

Archos is trying to lure iPod touch users with its new line of what the French company touts as the Internet media tablets. All three hard drive-based tablets - Archos 5, 5G and 7 - share an Cortext-powered superscaler ARM processor; a touchscreen GUI; an uncompromised Opera web browser with Adobe Flash 9 support; 800-by-480 native resolution; and WiFi.

The regular Archos 5 has a 4.8" screen, and capacity starts at 60GB and goes up to 250GB. The high-end Archos 7 gets a 7" screen, and comes in 160GB and 320GB. And for those looking for always online capability, the 30GB Archos 5G will come with built-in 3.5G HSDPA radio - the only thing you need is your SIM. VoIP seems to need some hacking or to rely on upcoming software upgrade. A future planned HSDPA USB dongle will give Archos 5, 7 the same connectivity option as the 5G. The trio also receives Hi-Def treatment if you invest in a DVR Station and an optional plug-in that work together to output 720p WMV HD / MPEG-4 over HDMI. It's important to point out 720p mode won't work with H.264 as it maybe too taxing on the CPU. Check out the PDF for full details on pricing, add-ons and specs.

Filed under MP3 Players

• Get Archos 5 (120GB) now for $229.99 at Newegg.com
• Get Archos 5 (120GB) now for $299.95 at Amazon.com Marketplace