iPad vs Archos 9

[iDan]

As all of you know, I'm very anxious to get my hands on any and every tablet to checkout until the iPad is available. Now that the Archos 9 is out, lets see how it stacks up against the iPad.

Apple iPad

Screen: 9.7-inch 4:3 IPS LCD (1024x768)
OS: iPhone OS 3.2
Browser: Mobile Safari
Adobe Flash: No
Ebook Client: Yes
Multitasking: (No - Limited)
MultiTouch: (Yes - The Best)
Camera: No
I/O: 30-Pin, Camera-Only-USB-Add-On
Processor: 1GHz Apple A4
Storage: 16,32 or 64GB
Expandable Memory: Possible with optional SD dongle
Wireless: Wi-Fi, 3G (HSPA/GSM), Bluetooth
Weight: 1.5 Pounds
Battery Life: 10 Hours - 1 Month Standby
Price: $500-$830
iPad Release Date: March/April (Wi-Fi), April/May (3G)


Archos 9

Screen: 9inch resistive LCD (1024x600)
OS: Windows 7 (Blah)
Browser: Many Choices, IE, FireFox, Chrome, Etc
Adobe Flash: Yes
Ebook Client: Yes
Multitasking: Yes
MultiTouch: NO
Camera: 1.3MP
I/O: USB, optional, HDMI, VGA Dongle
Processor: 1.1GHz Atom Z515
Storage: 60GB Hard Drive
Expandable Memory: Nope
Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Weight: 1.75 Points
Battery Life: 5 Hours
Price: $550
Release Date: Now

The Archos 9 has some impressive features for the price. I'm not sure I'll rush out and purchase one, but I'll be at my local best buy playing around with one. I would like to see how well and functional Windows 7 works on a touch screen device.

On another note, any thoughts on whether the Archos 9 could be turned into a hackintosh?

 

[Superbike81]

I've read a couple reviews on the Archos 9, it is getting absolutely terrible ratings.

I was initially pretty excited about it, but apparently it's so slow you can't do anything.

 

[iVegas702]

iDan

How long has that been out? I looked at the website and the specs and I like the fine print. I has to come with Antivirus Software, and the problems with Vista and Windows 7! No thanks

I will say this. All the messages boards I look at I see people just ripping the ipad and it is not out yet. Here is this device and it does all that they complain about yet I don't here anything about it. Just a thought


Antivirus/Antispyware Microsoft Security Essentials5 Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
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1 Optimized for videos in H264 HP 1080p
2 1GB= 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity is less.
3 Online storage space. Requires a free Windows Live account. More information on Online Storage | Share Files with Shared Folders | Windows Live SkyDrive
4 Requires compatible wireless access point(s)
5 Installation files to be downloaded

 

[excalibur1814]

Ok.

In order to even remotely consider the Archos 9, you have to put yourself into one of the following brackets

a: Standard user, doesn't want to play and get dirty. Perfect for iPad (No offense)
b: Willing to get down and make it better.

If B, then you can consider the Archos to be a great device. First of all, you have to get rid of Wndows 7 basic as it's crippled straight away, replacing this with Windows 7 Home premium.

1 - Remove the damn slow hard drive and replace with a Kingspec 40pin pata zif SSD
2 - Either install Home Premium as is OR vLite the image and remove lots of stuff
3 - Get the latest drivers from archos
4 - Disable Windows search, Windows auto defrag.
5 - Install accelerated codecs if required. Inappropriate codecs = slow.

The Archos can be a great device but you have to work at it. Shame really as they could have had a fantastic device. I won the updated z515 cpu version

P.s. Setting Windows 7's display DPI to 125% makes the OS perfect for touch. Funny the amount of peopl that don't know that and then complain that Windows isn't touch friendly!??

 

[Isaac Newton]

Excalibur...

To "get dirty to make it work" may be true, for some folk.

Sounds more like if I had faster shoes I could run faster. If grandma was a man she'd be grandpa. If my chevy chevette had a corvette engine it would be able to keep up with a vette! LOL

If all those adjustments are needed to remedy issues or make it uber compatible...then why by the device.

IPad owners are smart enough to discern why sometimes simple truly is better.well...most iPad owners , some sneak past the radar with bats,skateboard and blender assaults on their iPads. (grin)

Thanks for the breakdown of the archos 9.

 

[Bremen]

Different strokes, but these full on OS devices are just more of the same. Samsung Q1 and a host of others have been around for years. Nothing new, nothing innovative. No easier to use than a netbook, bloated overkill.....

Edit: I do want to thank the OP for not using the words "iPad killer" in the post. I get sick of every ho-hum copy cat product being called an iPod killer, or iPhone killer and now iPad killer.

 

[Takenover83]

I think the device would be fun toy to have around, and that is all fanboyism aside. I prob throw a lite linux distro on it, for faster speed.

 

[mac]

I'd be wary of anything produced by Archos. I've had a few Archos DVRs that I've used to film my passengers on aerobatic flights over the years. The G forces eventually kill them after a year or so, but regardless, the software they use sees to be very unstable and prone to crashing. Also they include pretty much nothing in the box along with the device. Including a wall charger. You only get a USB charger that takes forever to charge the things up. A wall charger costs a fortune on top. Also, all of the cables and bits and pieces that you might need to get the thing to do what it's supposed to do cost extra.

There's lot's more tablets on their way during the second half of this year. I'd wait until then and then do some comparison shopping.

And BTW, I find that Windows 7 is actually pretty good with a touchscreen interface. You can customise it to suit how you want to interact with whatever software/apps you run, and once you've got it set up the way you want it's very useful.

 

[Bremen]

I actually hacked Windows 7 Starter to run on my desktop. It's very fast, lean and stable. Does everything including music production, Photoshop....etc. Only "crippled" if having wallpaper and watching DVD's is your idea of computer use. For me the other is just bloat...

 

[jenna]

As someone who has an Archos 9 as wel as an Ipad (32gig Wifi) there is absolutley no comparison between the two devices.

I purchased the Archos 9 prior to release having looked carefully at the specs and knowing that the included version of windows 7 was inadequate for what I needed. However I was also aware that I could upgrade to a more useable version. Well we installed windows 7 Ultimate. Next issue was getting tocuh functions to work. Not an easy task but we eventually managed to do so.

Next issue: the screen ratio just did not support what I wanted to do with the device. Great for some low quality videeo, would not run anything in high definition.

A pain to read lectronic books on whcih is a major factor for me.

Great handwriting recognition software in terms of reliability of translation. A relly appalling interface with that little oblong interface fior handwriting.

Turing the device top portrait mode, or back to lanscape was a truly painful experience.

Boot up time, unaceptably slow.



Apple Ipad, this device simply worked out of the box.
Video playing is subperb.
Reading books,likewise subperb, I no loinger use my Kindle DX at all as the PDF rendition on the Ipad is so good using Good reader.
The device clicks to on instantaneously.
The screen ratio is perfect for me.
Handwriting recognonition needs a great deal of improvement but is acceptable.
The on screen virtual keyboard is very useable and I am finding that I can type quite quickly on this. I have jkust completed a university assesment tak on the Ipad with no problems at all.


I so much wanted that Archos to work for me and it simply did not deliver.

 

[Takenover83]

I am confused by the comment below. Doesn't the ARCHOS support 1080P playback?

Next issue: the screen ratio just did not support what I wanted to do with the device. Great for some low quality videeo, would not run anything in high definition.

 

[jenna]

I am confused by the comment below. Doesn't the ARCHOS support 1080P playback?

Next issue: the screen ratio just did not support what I wanted to do with the device. Great for some low quality videeo, would not run anything in high definition.

Not very well.

 

[Takenover83]

Looks like its doing pretty well in this video. 720p and 1080p.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6hSbshllnE]YouTube - Archos 9 Video Playback and Web Browsing[/ame]

I am confused by the comment below. Doesn't the ARCHOS support 1080P playback?

Next issue: the screen ratio just did not support what I wanted to do with the device. Great for some low quality videeo, would not run anything in high definition.

Not very well.

 

[gentlefury]

As far as i've heard it is really slow and the resistive screen paired with a mouse driven OS is frustratingly impossible to navigate. It will make you want to use those usb ports for a mouse and keyboard.

 

[gentlefury]

Looks like its doing pretty well in this video. 720p and 1080p.
YouTube - Archos 9 Video Playback and Web Browsing

I am confused by the comment below. Doesn't the ARCHOS support 1080P playback?

Not very well.

Looks like the scrolling is really choppy...video playback looks fine, seems like it took a long time to start media player..but it is windows. I noticed since its a resistive screen he seems to be using his fingernail as a stylus (why not just include one??)