Netbooks are going the way of GPS; that is to say, everyone thinks they can make one. The turning point for GPS was when Goodyear decided to get into manufacturing them. And now, PMP specialist Archos is introducing its first netbook, the Archos 10. And what it’s lacking in hardware innovation, it tries to make up for in free software.
Spec-wise, the Archos 10 is no more capable than 90 percent of the netbooks on the market. Its 10.2-inch 1024x600 LED screen, 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, and Intel Atom processor mean we know exactly how this system will perform on our tests. It has Windows XP, too, which is no surprise. We’re a little disappointed, however, to see that Archos hasn’t heeded any of our complaints and left that right Shift key in the wrong place.
Where Archos is trying to stand out, however, is in entertainment—and rightfully so. The company claims to include $100 work of apps for this $399 machine, including Lotus Symphony, Working Suite, XN View photo editor, Vtuner Web Radio & TV Player, BitDefender Antivirus 209 and Parental Filter (with the full version free for the first six months). Archos is also throwing in $50 of Archos Media Club movies and five free songs (so long as it’s the first time you’re signing up and you give your credit card information). Finally, the company is offering a free music download every day from eMusic—a good start for those who want a netbook for entertainment purposes.
While the $399 model comes with just a three-cell battery, you can opt for a six-cell battery for longer battery life, but it will cost you an additional $100. Both systems will be available in February at selected retailers.