Skip to main content

Archos gets anxious, unveils its tablets and phones ahead of MWC

archos unveils tablet smartphone lineup mwc helium 4g
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Mobile World Congress does not officially start until February 24, but Archos decided to unveil its tablet and smartphone lineup ahead of time. At the show, it will show off one tablet and three smartphones, all of which cost less than $250.

Say hello to the Archos 80 Helium 4G tablet

Archos claims its Helium 4G tablet is the “world’s first 8-inch 4G tablet under $250.” What it doesn’t tell you is that the Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HDX may have 7-inch screens, but they are far more powerful, and have much higher screen resolutions. As far as specifications go, the tablet is powered by a Qualcomm quad-core A7 processor, 4G/LTE capabilities, and an 8-inch 1024 x 768 pixel IPS LCD display.

Recommended Videos

1GB of RAM helps to smooth things over with stock Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, which should keep your tablet moving, but is far less than the 2-3GB that high-end tablets carry. Still, with the $250 price tag, we cannot complain too much about it.

Budget smartphones galore!

50c Oxygen
50c Oxygen Image used with permission by copyright holder

Kicking things off is Archos’ flagship smartphone, the 50C Oxygen. At $200, we are looking at a 5-inch IPS 1280 x 720 pixel display, a MediaTek octa-core processor, which is backed up by 1GB of RAM, and an 8-megapixel shooter with 1080p video recording.

Unfortunately, in terms of software, the 50C Oxygen takes a step back from the Helium 4G tablet and only runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It is still a good version of Android, but it’s more than a year old, which is disappointing, considering Android 4.4 is supposed to run well on low-end devices.

64 Xenon
64 Xenon Image used with permission by copyright holder

For those who like a little more oomph with screen size, the 64 Xenon might be worth a look. The main point of attraction is its 6.4-inch 1280 x 720 IPS display, which is powered by a MediaTek quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM.

It also runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, has an 8-megapixel camera, and will retail for $200.

40b Titanium
40b Titanium Image used with permission by copyright holder

Finally, the “budget smartphone” title of Archos’ lineup goes to the 40B Titanium. It comes equipped with a 4-inch 800 x 480 IPS display, a MediaTek dual-core processor, and 512 MB of RAM, along with a 5-megapixel shooter on the back.

It is clearly not for the power user, and Archos knows that. As such, it is marketing the 40B Titanium as a “mobile music lover’s dream,” thanks in part to its dual front-facing speakers and an “enhanced audio system.”

No word on whether we will see these hit store shelves, though they will be shown at MWC.

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
One year later, Amazon still makes one of the best Android tablets you can get
The front of the Amazon Kindle Fire Max 11 with its keyboard case.

The Amazon Fire Max 11 was one of my favorite Android tablets released in recent memory. It’s well-priced, portable, and has a good selection of accessories. With a bit of patience, you can add Google Play to make it more usable.

A fair time has passed since I used it, though, so does it still hold up a year after I first fell in love?
One issue straight away

Read more
This 5G phone just had its price slashed to $150 for a limited time
Moto G 5G (2024) in Sage Green showing notifications.

For super cheap phone deals, go straight to the source and head to Motorola. Right now, you can buy the Moto G 5G phone for just $150, saving you $100 off the regular price of $250. For a budget phone, it’s ideal to keep you happy with necessities like web browsing, social media, text and calls. Here’s everything else you need to know about it.

Why you should buy the Moto G 5G
You won’t see the Moto G 5G on our look at the best Android phones as it’s pretty basic. At this price though, that’s hardly surprising. It has the essentials covered well. There’s a 6.4-inch HD+ screen which looks pretty good for the price. That’s helped by its 120Hz refresh rate which means you get smooth scrolling and no motion blur when watching videos or playing games. Alongside that are two large stereo speakers so you can be suitably entertained here. There’s also Dolby Atmos support to provide more immersive sound.

Read more
A new Google Pixel Tablet is coming, but it’s not what you think
Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

It's been almost a year since the Google Pixel Tablet went up for preorder, leading many Android tablet fans to wonder when the inevitable Pixel Tablet 2 will arrive. A new rumor suggests that Google could release a new Pixel Tablet as early as next month, but it's probably not what you were expecting or hoping for.

According to @MysteryLupin on X (formerly Twitter), Google is planning to "relaunch" the Pixel Tablet without the charging/speaker dock included in the box. As you'll likely recall, the speaker dock is the Pixel Tablet's standout feature. You can use the Pixel Tablet on its own as a traditional Android tablet when you want, and when you're done, you throw it on the dock to transform it into a smart display. The idea of Google selling the Pixel Tablet without its claim to fame is an interesting one.

Read more