The ARCHOS 7 Home Tablet is a small hand-held media device designed for playing video, showing images, surfing the web and using web-based communication software. This home tablet uses touch screen technology and is there as a (cheaper) alternative to the iPad. From the brief use that I made of the device, the positives are that it does have a good clear 7” screen and the movie samples and pictures I viewed on the device were very clear. It is a reasonably handy size so quite portable (more so than the iPad) and I could envisage it being a useful device where images or movies need to be accessed outside the classroom.
On the negative side the touch screen uses resistive technology and I found it be unresponsive needing very firm ‘punching’ of the screen with the finger to make it respond. The software response was also slow in places, this meant that browsing the web did become a frustrating experience and not a use that I would recommend. I found scrolling up and down web pages very unresponsive at times and did resort to using a pen which seemed to work better. If you are also used to using the more intuitive interface of the iPod/iPad then the ARCHOS tablet also seems clunky in its use.
As well as a video viewer, photo viewer and web browser the tablet also includes email, e-book reader software (Aldiko), Android Apps and a music player.
Other reviews of the ARCHOS 7 Home Tablet can be viewed at:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/13/archos-7-home-tablet-review/
http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/4817/archos-7-home-tablet-review
Martin Jenkins
