$200 Android tablets from Archos to be available later this year

Upcoming tablets such as the HTC Flyer, Acer Iconia, MSI WindPad and the still-rumored iPad 2 will no doubt be amazing high-end devices, but the French consumer electronics company Archos plans to one-up the competition with new tablets at bargain bin prices. As reported by ARMDecives.net, Archos has been working closely with Chinese manufacturer Arnova on two new budget tablets, the Arnova 8 and the Arnova 10. In terms of specifications, the Arnova 8 and 10 will not, of course, be packing the same innards found in the more expensive tablets, but not everyone will need the latest and greatest to achieve simple everyday tasks.

Archos Arnova 8

The 8-inch, 800x600 resolution Arnova 8 will reportedly sport a 600MHz ARM9 RK2818 processor with a resistive screen and 4GB SSD. For more hard drive space, a much-welcomed microSD slot, presumably with SDHC support, will be included with the tablet as well as USB 2.0.  Other essential features, such as WiFi b/g, AVI support, microphone, front webcam, and a G-sensor will all come standard. Unfortunately, the tablet will be running the older Android 2.1 build and may likely not be upgradeable due to the processor speed. The Arnova 8, however, will retail for only $150.

Archos Arnova 10

The 10.1-inch, 1024x600 resolution Arnova 10 will contain much the same specifications as the Arnova 8, although internal hard drive space will be doubled to an 8GB SSD. Thus, the increase in tablet size and resolution bumps the Arnova 10 to a $200 price point.

Currently, both models above are available in Europe according to Electronista, but the two models are expected to receive hardware updates by April.  The updates will upgrade both processors to a 1GHz Cortex-A8 which would be better suited for Android 2.3, and change the resistive screens to the more common capacitive type. Additionally, the 1GHz Cortex-A8 processor is somewhat similar to the Apple A4 processor found in the current iPad, and so it may be advisable to wait until April when the Arnova 8 and 10 receive their upgrades before picking one up.

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