Archos has released its second netbook, calling it the "thinnest on the market" at just 0.86 inches. The "Archos 10s" comes with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, a 10.2-inch display, and a 12-month Microsoft Office license, the company says.
The Archos 9 tablet (Click image for further information)
Igny, France-based Archos has been making Linux-based PMPs (portable media players) for years, and, according to our sister site LinuxDevices.com, recently announced plans to release the Internet Media Tablet (IMT), which will combine an ARM Cortex-A8 processor with Google's Android stack. Increasingly, however, the company is turning towards Windows. As examples, we cite the recently announced Archos 9 (right), a 8.9-inch tablet computer that will run Windows 7 when it ships this fall, according to Archos, plus the company's first netbook, the Archos 10 announced in March.
Reportedly a rebadged version of the MH125, manufactured by Hasee in Shenzen, the Archos 10 had mainstream netbook features, including Intel's 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 82945GSE northbridge and ICH7M southbridge, and the Windows XP ULCPC (ultra low-cost PC, essentially a version of Windows XP Home) operating system.
The new Archos 10s -- the "s" presumably stands for "slim" -- has much the same innards, but slimmer dimensions. According to the company, its second netbook comes in a case constructed of aluminum and magnesium, weighs 2.3 pounds, and measures just 10.1 x 7.28 x 0.88 inches (258 x 185 x 22.5mm). That's smaller in every dimension than the Archos 10, which is 1.1 inches thick.
As it did with the 10, Archos has included a software bundle that includes Skype, the Xnview photo editor, plus a membership and $50 credit for the web-based Archos Media Club. The previously offered IBM's Lotus Symphony office suite has, however, been forsaken in favor of an edition of Microsoft's Office 2007 software that is free to use for a year, but must then be renewed online for a fee, the company says.
According to Archos, its netbook has 1GB of non-upgradeable DDR2 RAM, plus a 160GB HDD (hard disk drive). The device has a 10.2-inch display with LED backlighting and 1024 x 600 resolution, plus a 1.3 megapixel webcam, the company adds.
Other cited ingredients -- all entirely typical for the breed -- include 802.11b/g wireless networking, three USB 2.0 ports, a 10/100 Ethernet port, a four-in-one card reader, plus headphone and microphone ports. Instead of the full-size VGA port offered on the Archos 10, the Archos 10s includes a mini-VGa port that requires an external dongle. Apparently, that's a price that had to be paid for the system's thinness.
Features and specifications provided by Archos for the Archos 10s include the following:
Processor -- Intel Atom N270 clocked at 1.6GHz
Memory -- 1GB of RAM (non-expandable)
Display -- 10.2-inch LED-backlit display with 1024 x 600 resolution
Battery type/life -- Three-cell or six-cell (optional) battery, life n/s
Dimensions -- 10.1 x 7.28 x 0.88 inches (258 x 185 x 22.5mm)
Weight -- 2.3 pounds (1.06kg)
A video of the Archos 10s Source: Archosfans.com (click to play)
Further information
Archos did not release pricing or availability information for the 10s, but the device will reportedly be available at the end of this month for about $400. More information may be found on the Archos website, here.
