Android Thoughts: The Latest Android from Archos: The 101 Internet Tablet

Subscribe to Us Using RSS - Really Simple, Really Awesome


Apple Thoughts

Loading feed...

Laptop Thoughts

Loading feed...

Digital Home Thoughts

Loading feed...



Friday, May 27, 2011

The Latest Android from Archos: The 101 Internet Tablet

Posted by Anjuan Simmons in "Android Slates/Tablets & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

Connecting the Archos 101

Figure 5: The left side of the Archos 101 is loaded with ports.

I put the ports on the left side of the Archos 101 through their paces by using cables to connect a variety of devices to the tablet. I first used a micro-USB cable to connect a my laptop to the Archos 101. I was disappointed to find that the device cannot charge over USB which means that the wall charger is the only way to replenish the battery. By using the micro-USB cable, I was easily able to drag files between my laptop and the Archos 101.

I was happy to find that a standard pair of headphones works well with the Archos 101. However, I noticed that the volume has to be turned almost all the way up for any audio to be, well, audible.

The HDMI port allows the Archos to mirror its display to any monitor or television with an HDMI port. This is a nice feature to have if you want to use the Archos for making presentations or watching video stored on the tablet on a larger screen.

The standard USB port on the Archos 101 allowed me to connect both a keyboard and a USB thumb drive to the tablet, and they worked as expected.

Not a Good Optic

The Archos 101 has a built-in camera, but the image quality is really horrible. I would say that pictures and video captured with the tablet look like they were produced by a device made in 1999, but that would be too insulting to devices made in 1999. Archos must have made a decision to pick the cheapest image sensor they could find in order to keep the price low.

To give you an idea of how bad the built-in camera works, I've included two comparison images below.

Figure 6: This street scene was taken with the Archos 101.

Figure 7: This is the same scene taken with an iPhone 4 (resized down to the Archos 101's resolution of 640 x 480).

If the iPhone 4's camera represents perfect 20/20 vision, then the Archos 101's camera is a cyclops with an astigmatism.

The screen of the Archos 101 has very limited viewing angle. The screen quickly darkens unless you are positioned in front of and slightly below the screen. This effect is even more pronounced when watching video on the device. I’ve never seen a tablet that requires such a tight viewing angle, and I began to wonder if Archos intended it as an undocumented “security feature” which prevented anyone else from seeing what’s on the screen besides the person directly in front of it! I eventually adapted to keeping my head in the right position, but I was still annoyed by being limited in how I used the screen.

In addition to the limited viewing angles, the screen on the Archos 101 is not as bright as other tablets. This was disappointing since the large screen of the Archos 101 begs to be used as a video player. However, the picture quality was never vivid enough despite increasing the brightness setting to the highest level.

Battery Life

The Archos 101 really shines in the area of battery life. I used the tablet for three weeks, and I could go multiple days without charging under regular use. Of course, heavily using the Archos 101 with Wi-Fi turned on and the screen at maximum brightness will drain the battery faster, but it should still provide at least a day of use.

Conclusion

The Archos 101 occupies interesting territory in the large offering of tablets currently crowding the market. It offers performance that cheaper tablets can’t match, but it lacks the power of the dual core processors and the generous amounts of RAM offered by more expensive tablets. The Archos 101 is certainly a great value and, if you have to have an Android tablet now but can’t afford a Motorola Xoom, then it’s a good choice. However, I recommend waiting a few months because similarly priced tablets with equal or better features are sure to enter the mid-range tablet market.

Anjuan Simmons is an information technology consultant with a hunger for gadgets that is only tempered by the amount of free space in his house and how much he can carry on his person. In his spare time, he enjoys writing and speaking about all the ways that technology is changing our lives. You can read his blog, follow him on Twitter, or friend him on Facebook. Anjuan lives in Houston, Texas with his beautiful wife and three amazing kids.

Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the Thoughts Media Review Team! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? Then click here for more information.


Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Sponsored links