Archos 10

Description

ARCHOS 10 Mini Laptop



Global Description

The ARCHOS 10 is the first mini laptop by ARCHOS, the award-winning leader in the personal media player market, and not surprisingly it is a very portable option. It weighs in at less than 1.3kg and is ultra thin at only 28mm thick. The laptop combines good looks and excellent build quality so while you will appreciate its appearance, you won't worry about stuffing it in your bag when you are on the go.

But not only is it extremely easy to carry, the device is an elegant answer to your on-the-fly computing needs. It is designed with a wide range of uses in mind and is an excellent choice if you want to buy your first netbook or are looking for something to complement your laptop or desktop.

With wireless and Ethernet LAN, pre-loaded email and office software, built-in microphone and webcam, 160GB of hard-disk space and a super bright 10.2" screen, it allows you to stay on top of emails and your workload, make video calls back home or relax with your favourite music, TV shows or movies.

The versatility doesn't end there. The laptop comes with three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA out and a 4-in-1 card reader, all of which makes it a very functional addition to the market.

Features/characteristics

As far as technical specifications are concerned, the ARCHOS 10 is a great match for its competitors in the same class, and it all comes in a convenient and durable 258x189x28mm package.

The machine runs on 1GB RAM and Intel's Atom N270 1.6Ghz processor. This was designed to consume as little power as possible, and it is small too, meaning the lightweight, power-efficient laptop gives you bang for your buck.

The bundled Windows XP operating system runs very smoothly on the ARCHOS 10, while the chipset and Intel GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator) 950 makes running standard multimedia a doddle.  The speedy and substantial 160GB hard disk, which gives you plenty of room for your documents as well as your favourite music, video and photos, complements it well.

Given that ARCHOS are a leader in personal media players it should come as no surprise that the graphics and video offering on their ARCHOS 10 is excellent, and they extended their attention to the 10.2" super bright LED screen.  The 1024x600-pixel display gives a better viewing experience than its 1024x576-pixel competitors and the fact it is matte means it deals very well with direct light. The Realtek audio card and two stereo speakers make for good audio performance.

In terms of internet and networking, the device does not disappoint. You can keep in touch with home and the office while travelling thanks to wireless LAN and Ethernet LAN. What is more, the ARCHOS 10 is 3G ready if you have a USB 3G card. With internet access obviously high on netbook users' agenda, it comes with Microsoft Internet Explorer ready to use out of the box. BitDefender antivirus software is also bundled, as is Skype, so you can use the ARCHOS 10's 1.3 megapixel and integrated microphone to stay connected.

The software package also includes vTuner's Web TV and radio player, which gives you access to 11,000 television and radio stations, a parental filter and, most importantly for your work needs, Microsoft Outlook Express and Lotus Symphony, an office suite with word processing, spreadsheet and presentation programmes that are compatible with Microsoft Office formats.

The 83-key keyboard has been criticised in some circles for being cramped but the laptop's superb touchpad impressed reviewers with its size and perfect balance of sensitivity and performance. A single swipe spans the whole display, making navigation a breeze.

There were original concerns over the short life of the three-cell battery lasting just over two hours per charge but ARCHOS responded with a six-cell version that runs up to seven hours.  It comes with three USB 2.0 ports, a card reader that supports SD, MMC, MS and MS Pro memory cards, an audio out and microphone port, a slot for a lock if you want to secure it and a VGA port that enables you to link your ARCHOS 10 to a larger screen to show documents, video or photos once you get back home or to the office.